Fun Outdoor STEM Activity for Summer: Building with Shaving Cream & Foam Blocks
Combine art and engineering with this fun shaving cream and foam block building challenge! It’s a simple outdoor STEM activity that’s perfect for summer play.
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Looking for a super simple activity that combines art, engineering, and sensory play? This foam block tower challenge with shaving cream is a summer favorite at our house—and it’s super easy to set up!
It’s the perfect blend of science, creativity, and mess (the good kind). Kids will problem-solve, build, and experiment…all while getting a little foamy in the process. This is also a great activity for kids of multiple ages. You can sit close with little ones and help them while big kids enjoy exploring on their own.
Wanna play? Let’s do it!
Shaving Cream & Foam Blocks STEM Activity
Materials Needed:
- Foam blocks (the kind that float in water work best)
- Shaving cream (any basic white kind)
- A tray or washable surface (we used a baking tray)
- Optional: plastic bin to contain the blocks, spatulas or craft sticks for spreading
Note: If you’re doing this activity with toddlers or young kids, be sure to watch them closely so they don’t ingest any of the shaving cream. If you want a taste-safe option, try doing this activity with pudding or yogurt!
Instructions:
- Set up your station: Lay down a tray or plastic tablecloth to keep things contained.
- Spray shaving cream into a bowl or right onto the blocks: This is your “mortar” for sticking pieces together.
- Start building! Encourage kids to stack foam blocks using shaving cream to stick them together. They can use their fingers or a craft stick to apply the cream.
- Challenge idea: Can you build a tower taller than 10 blocks? Can you make a castle? A bridge? A robot? Mostly, though, just let them play! Avoid stepping in and providing too much instruction. Let them explore, and you’ll likely be amazed at what they can come up with on their own!
- Cleanup: Just rinse everything off with a hose or in the bathtub. The shaving cream washes away easily.
What Kids are Learning:
- Engineering & Design: Kids explore structure and stability as they try to build taller towers without them toppling.
- Fine Motor Skills: Applying shaving cream, stacking blocks, and balancing shapes all build hand strength and coordination.
- Creative Thinking: There’s no one “right” way to build. Kids can experiment freely, testing ideas and adapting when things fall apart.
- Sensory Exploration: The fluffy, cool texture of shaving cream is irresistibly fun and soothing to play with.
Other Fun Ways to Play with Shaving Cream
Not sure what to do with the rest of the shaving cream in the can? Try one of these easy ideas:
- Shaving Cream Finger Painting on Windows: Spray shaving cream onto a sliding glass door or large window. Let kids “paint” with their fingers or squeegees. Bonus: it cleans your windows at the same time!
- Sensory Writing Tray: Spread shaving cream on a cookie sheet and let kids practice writing letters or drawing shapes with their fingers.
- Foam Car Wash: Set up a “car wash” for toy cars using shaving cream and water. Add sponges, spray bottles, and brushes for extra fun.
Final Tip: This is a great outdoor activity for warm weather when hosing off the mess is part of the fun. But you can totally do it indoors too. Just put down a vinyl tablecloth or take it into the bathtub.
Give it a try, and watch your little builders have a blast!
Want more ideas for summer fun? Try these: