(239) 689-3602

MONTHLY CHALLENGES

Make Together, at STEAM and at home!

Every month, we roll out a brand new challenge that any kid at any Full STEAM Ahead site can take part in, and it's designed to travel home with your family. Kids get a head start during Free Explore time at STEAM, but the real magic happens at the kitchen table, when a parent, a sibling, or a grandparent gets pulled into the project too.

No special equipment required. If your family has a phone, a tablet, or a computer, you're ready to go. Over the course of the year, kids will design a race car, direct a stop motion film, compose an original song, build a video game, and more, all with free tools they can use right in a browser.

Every submission earns STEAM Cents just for entering. Grade-level winners earn even more, and the top entry at each site walks away with a free day of After-School, a half-day Mini Camp, and a shoutout across our social media and newsletter.

New challenge, new details, posted here at the start of every month. Check back often, or better yet, jump in.

Participate In Our Monthly Challenges

September Challenge

Design a race car in Tinkercad. Winning designs get printed and raced at pickup.

Challenge Submission

October Challenge

Make a stop motion film, 30 seconds to 5 minutes, with a phone or tablet.

Challenge Submission

November Challenge

Compose and perform an original song, on a real instrument or a free tool like Chrome Music Lab.

Challenge Submission

December Challenge

Design a holiday ornament in Tinkercad. Winning designs get printed as a real keepsake.

Challenge Submission

January Challenge

Build a sculpture from things already at home. No special tools needed.

Challenge Submission

February Challenge

Code a character in Scratch to perform a story or dance.

Challenge Submission

March Challenge

Build a playable game in Scratch, GameMaker, or Roblox Studio.

Challenge Submission

April Challenge

Take an inspiring, creative photo with any camera or phone. Edit it if you want to.

Challenge Submission

May Challenge

Design a marketing piece for FSA, a poster, a video, or a Canva design. The best one might become real.

Challenge Submission

The Details

How It Works

1. Get started at STEAM. Kids can kick off their entry during Free Explore time with help from their teacher.

2. Bring it home. The best part happens at home, working through the challenge together as a family.

3. Submit online. Fill out the short form with a link to your entry, a photo, video, or design link all work.

Rewards

Every submission earns 5 STEAM Cents, just for entering

Grade-level winners earn 20 STEAM Cents

The overall winner at each site earns 75 STEAM Cents, a free day of After-School or a half-day Mini Camp, and a shoutout on our social media and in the newsletter

Frequently Asked Questions

Do we need any special equipment? No. Every challenge is built around free tools and things most families already have, a phone, a tablet, or a computer covers it.

Can more than one family member help? Absolutely, that's the whole point. Working on it together is encouraged.

What if my child wants to submit more than one entry? Only one entry per student per month. If they finish early, encourage them to refine it rather than start a second one.

What happens after we submit? Our teachers score every entry using the same rubric, creativity, effort, and the Maker Traits shown. Grade-level winners are announced at each site, and the overall site winner is picked from there.

How do we use the credit if we win? It's applied directly to your account, just let your site director know which you'd like, a free day of After-School or a half-day Mini Camp.

What if we're running late? Entries are due the Monday of the last full week of each month. If something comes up, reach out to your site, we're always happy to help.

Questions anytime, we're always happy to help.

Full STEAM Ahead | (239) 689-3602 | [email protected]