An autumn STEM activity for kids HomeSchool

Create a practical one STEM activity drop with this apples stacking game with simulated apples and plasticine. Here’s how to play.

Stacking apples Ten apples above game for kids

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Stack of apples STEM game for children

Finding a story book that includes STEM concepts can be so much fun. One of our new favorites this fall is the book Ten apples on top! by Dr. Seuss, our featured book of the week for the Weekly Virtual Book Club for kids!

It is a perfect addition to challenge your child’s thinking skills with our apple stacking game.

Obtain your own copy of Ten apples on top! by Dr. Seuss
You can find more Apple topic books here

After reading this adorable story of three friends challenging each other to stack more apples, you immediately want to know how many apples you can really stack on your head. You and I both know that stacking 10 apples on your head is almost impossible, but for kids who still believe in magic and have great imaginations, it is entirely possible, right?

With the magic of some materials, you can encourage your child’s imagination and creative thinking to develop this apple stacking game.

Materials:

Instructions for Apple STEM Game

1. Read the story Ten apples on top! with your child.

2. Get out the fake apples and give your child time to play with them and see what they do. Before starting a new game with young children, it can be helpful to give them time to play before giving them certain tasks that need to be done.

3. After exploring the apples, discuss with your child what it would be fun to stack the apples like in the picture book above. Do a STEM Challenge! Ask your child how many they could stack together.

4th Create a tray area for them to explore Apple’s STEM challenge. Give them the container of play dough and tell them if it helps to get 10 apples on it, just like the book, they can use it. Better yet, give them a container of numbers and ask them to build the appropriate amount based on the number they pull out of the selection.

And then wait … see what they come up with when they stack the apples.

I did this activity with my two children, ages 5 and 10, who have different problem solving skills. Both took on the STEM challenge independently and then quickly found that it is easier to work together when it comes to the really high numbers.

5. How your child builds with that Modeling clay and Imagine apples Encourage them to try different methods to see which one works best when you hold the apples at their highest point. We were able to get 10 apples but it took some patience and a few extra fingers to get up there. Just like in the story when the characters used their apple tree sticks to hold them up.

How big was your child’s stack of apples?

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Apple Week

If you’d like to join our weekly virtual kids book club, check out our featured book for the week (or any Apple book), try one of the Apple-themed activities shared on my blog, and tag it with #vbcforkids on Instagram so we can review.