This Spice Drop STEM Activity is a great Christmas-building activity for kids. It combines the classic gingerbread building accessory of a spice drop, with the simplest of sticks – the toothpick!

With only two things to purchase, and odds are you already have toothpicks in your home, it’s a frugal activity too.

Keep reading for the easy instructions for this Spice Drop STEM Activity, as well as fun suggestions on different ways to use it.

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An Easy STEM Activity for Kids

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The importance of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) Activities has flourished in the last few years.

The best part about STEM activities is that they are truly hands-on learning experiences. While some of them require ingredients and a long list of instructions, this activity does not.

That’s what makes it not only a fun activity for kids but a frugal one too.

We have another fun STEM activity, it’s our “Christmas Catch” Math Game that works great for holiday classroom fun, or as a Christmas Party Game.

Pair it with this Spice Drop STEM Activity & you have your games & activities all set for a holiday party!

Spice Drop STEM Activity as a Classroom Game

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Last year I was in charge of my third grader’s Christmas party. We did the “Christmas Catch” Game, and then this Spice Drop Activity.

The entire class of energetic, almost-Christmas-Break-Crazy-kids stayed so focused while working on this!

If you are looking for a fun Christmas classroom party game, this would be a great option.

So how do you set up the activity for classroom party fun? It’s super easy too!

SPICE DROP STEM ACTIVITY SET UP

The setup for doing the Spice Drop STEM Activity as a classroom party activity is very simple.

You can use brown paper lunch bags as containers and simply place the toothpicks and spice drops in the bag together.

Putting the toothpicks in first works best, because then they don’t poke the kids as they first reach in to get their supplies.

Of course, you could individually hand out the spice drops and toothpicks at the party, but using the bags is a time saver.

Once you have your bags full, fold over the bags to minimize spillage, and set-up is done.

Now spice drops do have a sugar coating, so you might want to bring paper plates for the children to work on to minimize the mess.

WAYS TO ENCOURAGE THE CHILDREN’S BUILDING

So there are several options, depending on the age of the children, as to how you can go forward with this Spice Drop activity.

First, you could simply give the children their supplies and see what their imaginations let them create.

Or, you could have the tallest Spice Drop Building Competition. This one seems to keep their interests as they work to build high, but strong structures.

Another fun idea is to have them make a certain item such as a Christmas tree, bridge, or even animals.

TEAMWORK WITH STEM ACTIVITIES

Building projects are great for having children work in pairs, or groups, to accomplish larger tasks. You could have them work together from the very beginning to do any of the above suggestions.

Or, you could have them attempt to connect their structures at a certain point during the activity and see what they create.

Doing the Spice Drop STEM Activity at Home

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Beyond the classroom, this game is super easy & fun to do at home as well.

If you need to cook the Christmas pies, make that super intricate appetizer you are now regretting, or even just scroll through Pinterest for a bit, this activity will hopefully give you some time to do those things.

My boys were so into this that they even took their buildings to the floor to add some Star Wars figures too.

Supplies Needed for Activity

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You only need spice drops & toothpicks to have a great time with this STEM Activity at home.

However, if you want a Christmas game or activity, these red and green spice drops are perfect.

If you are planning on doing this for a large group of children, I highly recommend using bags & plates to keep things a bit more organized.

Before you go, take a peek at some of our other great Christmas posts. We have easy tips & ideas to save money during Christmas, as well as an Elf Survival Plan (it has tips to help you remember to move it!)

Plus our ideas for Creating Memorable Christmas Eve Traditions, and a free printable Teacher Gift Questionnaire that takes all the guessing out of what to buy for teacher gifts!