I have a fantastic candy cane maze STEM activity. Be sure you grab more ideas for winter fun on my page Winter Season Unit Study.
Besides, this is a great activity to do to celebrate December 26th as National Candy Cane Day.
Simple themed STEM activities like this are great for developing your child’s critical thinking skills.
Also, they develop innovation, creativity, curiosity, persistence, decision-making, problem-solving, leadership, entrepreneurship, and acceptance of failure.
It is so much fun to add a simple twist.
Incorporate a seasonal theme into STEM projects like this maze.
Did you know that candy canes have been around since 1672?
This candy cane maze requires planning and critical thinking to map it out as well as solve the ‘puzzle’.
Siblings can try to create a maze for each other to figure out.
Additionally, I have an exciting list of 10 more candy cane stem ideas.
It will be a minty fun day of learning.
So be sure to stock up on a lot of candy canes.
They come in various sizes this season and don’t forget to enjoy a few as well.
Candy canes have a long history.
And besides being a tasty winter treat they are used for decorations, and we can even find a wealth of ways to use them for learning, like these STEM activities.
Fun Books to Read in Wintertime
Next, add some of these fun books about winter.
13 Snow, Snowman, Animals, and Winter Books
Add one or more of these books to your learning day if you're learning about snow, snowflakes, winter or just for fun.
Immerse Yourself in This Story of Love and Companionship Amidst Deprivation
It is the fall of 1930, and America has plunged into the Great Depression. On a remote dirt road deep in the snowy woods of northern Wisconsin, misfortune forces the impoverished Sparkes family to take desperate measures.
A wayfaring quartet consisting of thirteen-year-old Araminta (nicknamed Minty), her recently unemployed father-a poetry-quoting widower called Pops-and her younger sister, Eglantine (known as Eggs-a dreamer like Pops), and their dog, Buster, are on their way to Minneapolis to live with the curmudgeonly Aunt Amy. When their car breaks down and they are unable to fix it, the homeless four stumble upon a vacant summer cottage by a lake. In desperate straits, they decide to settle in.
How do snow crystals form? What shapes can they take? Are no two snow crystals alike? These questions and more are answered inside this exploration of the science of snow, featuring photos of real snow crystals in all their beautiful diversity. Perfect for reading on winter days, this book by a nature photographer and a snow scientist will inspire wonder and curiosity about the marvels of snow.
B-R-R-R-R! AH-CHOO! Sneezy the Snowman is cold, cold, cold. To warm up, he drinks cocoa, sits in a hot tub, stands near a warm fire–and melts! But the children know just what to do to build him up again–and make him feel “just right”.
Have you ever built a snowman and discovered the next day that his grin has gotten a little crooked, or his tree-branch arms have moved? And you've wondered . . . what do snowmen do at night? This delightful wintertime tale reveals all!
When the mayor of Mouseville announces the town snowman contest, Clayton and Desmond claim that they will each make the biggest snowman ever. But building a huge snowman alone is hard! They work and work, but their snowmen just aren't big enough. Soon they have an idea. As the day of the contest approaches, Clayton and Desmond join forces to build the biggest snowman ever.
Over the snow, the world is hushed and white. But under the snow lies a secret world of squirrels and snow hares, bears and bullfrogs, and many other animals making their winter home under the snow. This beloved nonfiction picture book exploring the subnivean zone reveals the tunnels and caves formed beneath the snow but over the ground, where many kinds of animals live through the winter, safe and warm, awake and busy, but hidden beneath the snow.
"Stoeke's second book about that intrepid screwball, Minerva Louise, is a rare find."—The Horn Book, starred review. The other chickens hate snowy mornings. But not Minerva Louise! To her a snowy day—like everything else—is an adventure. But this chilly, chipper hen needs something to keep her warm. What she finds—and how she finds it—will keep young readers cackling.
Our heroes' entry for the snowman contest has magically come to life―and ran away! Can YOU help catch it? Get ready for snow much fun as you travel through a winter wonderland with running, skating, and bouncing through trap after trap to catch the snowman and claim the winning prize. Will the snowman teach our heroes a lesson they'll never forget?
When the geese begin to fly south, the leaves flutter down from the trees and the cold winds begin to blow from the north, the animals of the woods and meadows, big and small, prepare for the long, cold winter ahead when the countryside is hidden under a deep blanket of snow. They gather food and look for warm, snug places in the ground, trees, caves or thickets, where they can find protection against the icy winds.It might have been hard for the birds and animals of the hillside to survive when the Big Snow came if their good friends, who lived in the little stone house, had not remembered to put food out for them.Here, in many beautiful pictures, the Haders show how winter comes to the woodland as the busy animals make their preparations.
The Smithsonian does things right and this Curious About Snow book is a
great introduction for curious kiddos with real images and simple explanations.
This is a clear and appealing book for early elementary age kids, both at home and in the classroom. Introduce kids to basic science ideas as part of discussions about the seasons and animals.
SET OF 10 FUN AND FRIGID FIGURES – It’s hard to stay warm at the North Pole, but you can discover its wonders in your home with these frigid friends. This TOOB includes a Harp Seal, Husky, Caribou, Arctic Rabbit, Killer Whale, Walrus, Arctic Fox, Beluga Whale, Igloo, and Polar Bear.
See the world in a whole new way! Acclaimed illustrator Julia Rothman combines art and science in this exciting and educational guide to the structure, function, and personality of the natural world. Explore the anatomy of a jellyfish, the inside of a volcano, monarch butterfly migration, how sunsets work, and much more. Rothman’s whimsical illustrations are paired with interactive activities that encourage curiosity and inspire you to look more closely at the world all around you.
Next, look at these other candy cane stem activities.
10 Candy Cane STEM Activities
Try one or more of these very hands-on activities from math to engineering and even cooking to develop important STEM skills for the future with a lot of fun for now.
- Try growing Crystal Candy Canes to learn about chemical changes that take place in supersaturated liquids.
- Here you can try out Two Fun Candy Cane Hands-on Science Winter Experiments, dissolving and melting candy canes.
- For older kids Learn How to Make Candy Canes, cooking incorporates both science and math so it fits nicely into the activities.
- Learn about building sturdy structures with the STEM: Candy Cane STEM Building Challenge and test out those engineering skills.
- Do different colors of candy canes dissolve faster than others? Find out with this simple Colored Candy Canes Science Experiment.
- Does your child like or want to learn about coding? This Candy Cane Coding for Kids is a great way to get started and make a fun craft in the process.
- Experiment with Dancing Candy Canes to learn about chemical reactions, baking soda and vinegar are must-haves in your science supplies.
- How much weight can you hold on a candy cane bridge? The steps are here in the Candy Cane Bridge STEM Challenge.
- Since math is a very important part of the stem, here is a Candy Cane math counting activity perfect for preschoolers.
- I also found these free printables for 3 different candy cane math ideas-counting, pattern grids, and a counting grid.
Finally, look at how to make this candy cane STEM activity.
Candy Cane Maze STEM Activity
Your child’s maze doesn’t have to be complicated, challenge them based on their age and ability.
They are learning critical skills for life even if they don’t go into a STEM field it is used in many real-life situations.
If you would rather use fake candy canes so you can create a maze that can be used without attracting pests and put away for next year grab a set of these.
You will need:
- Candy canes
- Cardboard
- Marbles
- Hot glue gun/sticks
First, determine the outside measurements of your maze and cut out a piece of cardboard accordingly.
I made mine 12×12 and I wouldn’t recommend going any smaller because you want to make sure that there is enough room to work with but you can go larger.
To make it look a little nicer I covered the bottom with a sheet of 12×12 vinyl I got at Dollar Tree, but you can use contact paper, construction paper, or paint it if you want.
Cut 1” tall strips of cardboard to make the sides so that your marble stays inside.
Hot glue the strips all the way around the outside to create a wall.
Depending on the age and ability of your child help them lay out a maze with their candy canes, you can leave them whole as well as break some to remove the curve or shorten them. The more variety the better.
Have them trace the path with their finger to make sure there is at least 1 path through the maze before gluing.
To create a candy cane maze that is more challenging and therefore fun you will want to create some trickier wrong turns, traps, and dead ends.
Once the design is laid out pick them up one at a time and run a little hot glue along the back, then press them back into position.
Add sticker dots in red and green to mark the starting line and finish line, you could also use a permanent marker.