5 Materials Every Teacher Needs for STEM Activities

If you’re like most teachers, the thought of running STEM activities in the classroom can feel overwhelming—especially during the busy winter months. Between report cards, holiday programs, and keeping students engaged during chilly afternoons, planning hands-on challenges can feel like just one more thing on your to-do list. 

But here’s the truth: STEM doesn’t have to be expensive or complicated. In fact, with just a few essential materials, you can run engaging, meaningful winter STEM projects that teach problem-solving, teamwork, and creativity.

After years of running STEM challenges in my own classroom, I’ve discovered that it’s less about fancy kits and more about how students explore, test, and iterate with simple, versatile materials. 

Today, I want to share the five materials every teacher needs for winter STEM projects, along with tips for using them effectively—and how ready-to-use packs can save you hours of prep.

Why Simple Materials Work Best

Hands-on STEM learning works because students are actively engaged in the problem-solving process. 

They aren’t just watching a demonstration or following instructions—they’re designing, testing, failing, and improving. 

Using simple, everyday materials encourages creativity, innovation, and critical thinking because students must work within constraints. 

Plus, low-cost materials reduce stress for teachers and make STEM accessible to all classrooms.

When students see that amazing things can be built with cardboard, tape, and marshmallows, they realize it’s their ideas and experimentation—not expensive supplies—that make STEM exciting.

5 essential STEM materials for teachers

Here are the five materials I consider must-haves for STEM activities:

1. Cardboard

Cardboard is a classroom staple with endless possibilities. It can be used for ramps, towers, igloos, and bases, making it perfect for challenges like building an Ice Tower or a Winter Sports Ramp. It’s cheap, easy to cut, and students can manipulate it in a variety of ways. Plus, cardboard is sturdy enough to test designs without creating a huge mess.

2. Tape (Masking or Painter’s)

Tape is a STEM lifesaver! It holds structures together during testing and allows students to experiment without fear of permanent failure. Painter’s tape or masking tape works best because it’s easy to remove and reposition. 

Even a simple cardboard tower can become a masterpiece with the right tape strategy.

3. Straws

Straws are lightweight, flexible, and perfect for teaching geometry, stability, and design principles. Students can use them to construct catapults, supports for towers, or even parts of a bridge. 

Their versatility allows for multiple uses across different challenges, making them an excellent addition to your STEM supply kit.

4. Mini Marshmallows or Cotton Balls

Mini marshmallows or cotton balls are a safe, fun, and low-cost way to teach connectivity and structure. 

They work as connectors for straws or toothpicks, and they also serve as “snowballs” in catapult challenges. 

Students love the tactile experience, and they can safely test their ideas without any risk.

5. Common Household Materials

This category includes things you probably already have in your classroom: aluminum foil, plastic wrap, paper, cups, or small toys. 

These materials can be used to explore insulation, friction, motion, or energy transfer. One of the biggest lessons for students is that creativity is more important than fancy materials—the same supplies can be used in dozens of ways to solve different problems.

Tips for Using Minimal Materials Effectively

Even with simple materials, a little planning can go a long way:

• Encourage reuse. Cardboard, straws, and tape can be recycled or repurposed for multiple challenges.

• Let students innovate. Challenge them to use the same materials in new ways—it builds creativity and problem-solving skills.

• Combine materials for learning. Use measurement, data collection, or reflection to extend the STEM experience beyond building.

• Celebrate iteration. Emphasize the learning that happens when a design fails and students improve it. Failure is part of the process!

How to Collect, Organize, and Store STEM Materials for Your Classroom

One of the easiest ways to gather materials for STEM activities is to involve your students and their families. 

At the start of the year—or before a special STEM unit—send home a simple list of supplies you’ll need, like cardboard, tape, straws, or small recyclables. 

I’ve found that most parents are thrilled to contribute, especially when they know their child will get to explore, build, and problem-solve in class. 

Encourage students to bring materials gradually rather than all at once, and consider creating a small “donation bin” in your classroom so items can accumulate over time without cluttering your desk.

Once you’ve collected your supplies, organization is key. Use clear plastic bins, labelled baskets, or even large drawers to store materials by type—tape in one bin, straws in another, and cardboard or recyclables in a separate container. 

Keep smaller items like marshmallows, cotton balls, or connectors in mesh zipper bags inside the bins so they don’t get lost. 

Store everything in a designated STEM corner or shelf in your classroom so students can easily access what they need during center rotations or STEM Fridays. 

Not only does this make setup faster, it also gives students a sense of ownership and responsibility over their learning materials.

How Ready-to-Use Packs Maximize These Materials

While it’s possible to run STEM projects with just the five materials above, I know from experience that teachers have limited time. That’s why I created the Winter STEM Challenge Pack (Grades 4–6).

Every activity in the pack uses common classroom materials like cardboard, tape, straws, and marshmallows to create meaningful, hands-on learning experiences—all without breaking the budget.

The pack includes:

• Step-by-step teacher instructions with prep and setup tips

• Student planning sheets to guide designs

• Testing and data collection sheets

• Reflection questions to encourage deeper thinking

• Optional extension ideas for differentiation and cross-curricular learning

With these resources, you can run 10 engaging winter STEM challenges without spending hours gathering materials or designing lessons. 

The best part? Students get the full engineering design experience—ask, plan, build, test, reflect—repeat—while you save time and stress.