Summer Olympics: Science, STEM and STEAM Activities

The summer Olympic games are about to begin in Paris, France and we are so excited. The games teach us so many life lessons: perseverance, camaraderie, grit, trust, hope, sportsmanship, honesty, compassion...etc.

Olympic sports can also teach us some really cool science! In this post I've piled together some fun ideas for Olympic science, STEM and STEAM activities. Perfect for home, camp or summer school while you wait for your favorite summer Olympic sport to compete. 

Olympic Games Science Activities 

First things first, let's light the Olympic torch! Check out this cool static electricity Olympic flame experiment. 

Try this Olympic flame spin on the popular "fireworks in a jar" science activity. 

Experiment with the physics of spinning and reaction time here. 

Learn how to experiment with and build a shot put catapult here. 

You will find a ton of Olympic sports science activities and experiments from Science Sparks here. From javelin throwing to rock climbing, some super projects to keep the kids busy.

Ibex73, CC BY 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

STEM Activities for the Summer Olympics

This a great article highlighting three approaches to bringing the summer Olympics into your STEM curriculum. 

You'll find a series of videos highlighting engineering in the summer Olympic sports from the National Science Foundation here. 

Here are 10 excellent summer Olympics STEM challenges here. Hours of building and experimenting fun organized for different learning levels. 

Which turf is best for playing certain sports? How does your heart rate compare to an Olympian's? Answer these questions and more with the sports STEM activities here.  

Tons of STEM challenge ideas organized by sport. 

Summer Olympic Inspired STEAM Activities

Get drawing, designing and flex that creativity with these fun and free Olympic game inspired STEAM activities. 

Build an Olympic torch with circuits! 

Use this post to help you build the Olympic rings out of LEGO, or take it a step further and create your own design for an Olympic logo out of your bricks. 

I hope you are inspired to learn while you enjoy your favorite sports! Let the games begin!

Let the Games Begin! Olympic and Sport Science

Looking for science, STEM, and STEAM activities for the 2024 Summer Olympic Games? Click here for an updated post! 

We love the Olympics! In honor of the start of the summer games, here are some ways to investigate the science of sports! Will power, perseverance and hard work make an athlete, but behind each sport and even the clothing worn to compete, there is a lot of science. Dig into these lessons and activities to experience the games at home, camp or school.

This post contains affiliate links, see disclosure for more details. 

Science Netlinks is always a great resource for excellent science activities, web resources and lesson plans. Check out the plethora of Olympic resources here: Science Netlinks- Reaching for Olympic Glory

You'll find two easy science experiments here from Home Training Tools- the science of spinning and reaction time.

NBC teamed up with the National Science Foundation to produce an excellent series of videos about Olympic sport science. I've used them in my science classes and students really enjoy them- I always learn something too! Check the videos out here.

For a few more science experiments, visit science guru Steve Spangler's website for "How Science Changed the Olympics". 

More Steve Spangler Olympic Science in this video clip:

Amazon has a collection of Olympic Science books available for various summer Olympic sports.

For a ton of other great science activities and lessons about the Olympics and Sports, follow my Sport Science board on Pinterest!