On Dr Seuss Day, celebrate the king rhyme and characters with these simple Seuss STEM Activities for kids!
Despite everything Dr Seuss children’s books are the kind of books that can span generations. I remember reading them when I was a child and now I am reading them to my kids! But did you know that you can use these books to spark curiosity for science?
From creating the Cat in the Hat’s hat using oil and water or crafting your own green eggs using baking soda or helping the Grinch grow his heart 3 sizes with vinegar!
These books that we grew up with are actually the perfect basis for learning and playing with simple science experiments!
Check out this list of the best Dr Seuss STEM activities for toddlers and preschoolers and kindergarteners for some creative ideas to inspire you!
10 Dr. Seuss STEM Activities for Kids
1. Fizzy Green Eggs
No need to crack a few eggs for this fizzy green eggs STEM activity inspired. by the Dr Seuss book Green Eggs and Ham! It’s great STEM activity for kids ages 2 to 5 years old!
Materials:
- Baking soda
- Vinegar
- Green food coloring
- Shallow dish
- squeeze bottle
Instructions:
- In a medium bowl combine 2 tablespoons of water and green food colouring.
- Next, add 1/2 cup of baking soda. This recipe will make 5 small eggs that can fit in the palm of your hand. If you want more eggs or larger ones simply double the recipe.
- Combine the water and baking soda until it creates a sticky paste.
- Pick up a small amount in your hands and shape it into an egg. You may want to wear gloves for this part as the paste may stain your hands.
- Place the eggs in a shallow dish.
- Pour some white vinegar into a bowl and hand your child an eye dropper.
- Invite them to the squeeze the vinegar over the green eggs and watch them fizz away!
2. Green Oobleck
Green oobleck is a fun, squishy mixture that acts like both a liquid and a solid. Kids can squeeze it, poke it, and watch it slowly melt in their hands — perfect for sensory play or Dr. Seuss themed fun!
Materials:
- Cornstarch (about 2 cups)
- Water (about 1 cup)
- Green food coloring
- Mixing bowl
- Spoon
Instructions:
- Pour the cornstarch into a mixing bowl.
- Add a few drops of green food coloring to the water and stir.
- Pour the colored water into the cornstarch a little at a time while mixing.
- If it’s too runny, add more cornstarch. If it’s too thick, add a little more water.
- Squeeze it into a ball — then watch it melt when you stop squeezing.
3. Yertle the Turtle STEM Challenge
Looks easy but stacking turtles can be tricky with this Yertle The Turtle STEM challenge activity for kids. Your turtle builders will need to be patient as they test to find the best way to create a turtle tower!
Materials:
- Yertle the Turtle Book
- Green bottle caps
- Green construction paper
- Glue
- Black Marker
Instructions:
- Read the book Yertle the Turtle or listen to it being read on Youtube.
- Gather your green bottle caps.
- Cut out the head and legs of the turtle from green construction paper.
- Draw on a face for the turtles using sharpie.
- Glue the bottle caps to the top of the turtle body in the middle. Set them aside to dry.
- Once they are dry try stacking the turtles as high as you can before they topple down.
4. Apple Stacking STEM Challenge
This apple stacking STEM challenge is the perfect simple STEM idea for Fall or for Dr Seuss Day on March 2nd.
Materials:
- Play dough (check out my easy no-cook recipe here)
- Apples real or pretend
- Ten Apples Up On Top by Dr Seuss
Instructions:
- Gather some apples.
- Make some play dough. To make your own play dough, check out my easy no-cook recipe here.
- The Challenge: Read the book Ten Apples Up On Top. How many apples can you stack on top of the other using the play dough as the mortar. Can you stack ten like in the book? What other things around the house can you stack? Can you stack ten of them?
5. Swimming One Fish, Two Fish Activity
Just keep swimming! Add some science to your day with this simple swimming fish experiment using dish soap to make one fish or two fish swim!
Materials:
- Water
- Dish soap (Dawn)
- Q-tips
- Foam sheets
- Scissors
Instructions:
- Grab a shallow dish and fill the bottom with a small amount of water.
- Cut out some small fish shapes from yellow, green, red and bleu foam sheets. To make the fish swim further put a little dip in its tail like a V shape.
- Place the fish on top the water.
- In a small dish, pour out some dish soap. I used Dawn but any dish soap should work. Grab a q-tip and dip one end into the dish soap.
- Place your fish at one end of the shallow dish facing forward and lightly press the q tip with the dish soap into the water behind it. Watch the fish shoot forward to the other side!
- Want to try it again? Remove the water and add some fresh water. The experiment can only be done once using the same water. Repeat as many times as you like replacing the water each time!
6. Cat In The Hat Slime
Make red and white slime to match The Cat In The Hat’s hat.
Materials:
- White school glue (1 cup)
- Baking soda (½ teaspoon)
- Contact lens solution (1–2 tablespoons, must contain boric acid)
- Red food coloring or red liquid watercolor
- 2 mixing bowls
- Spoon or craft sticks
- Measuring spoons
Instructions:
- Pour ½ cup of white glue into each of two bowls.
- Add red food coloring to one bowl and mix until fully colored. Leave the other bowl white.
- Stir ¼ teaspoon baking soda into each bowl and mix well.
- Add contact lens solution a little at a time to each bowl while stirring. Mix until the slime begins pulling away from the sides.
- Use your hands to knead both the red and white slime until smooth and stretchy. Add a few extra drops of contact solution if sticky.
- Stretch the red and white slime side by side, then twist or fold them together to make a striped swirl.
- Pull, twist, and swirl your Cat in the Hat slime — watch the colors mix or keep the stripes bold.
- Store slime in an airtight container to keep it soft and stretchy.
7. Growing a Grinch Heart Science Experiment
This fun and simple science activity shows the Grinch’s heart “growing” right before your eyes! Kids love watching the balloon expand as the fizzy reaction happens inside the bottle.
Materials:
- Empty plastic water bottle
- Balloon
- Permanent marker
- Baking soda (2–3 tablespoons)
- Vinegar (½–1 cup)
- Funnel (helpful but optional)
- Tray or bowl (to catch spills)
Instructions:
- Use a permanent marker to draw a red heart on the balloon. This will be the Grinch’s “growing heart.”
- Pour vinegar into the water bottle until it is about one-third full.
- Use a funnel (or carefully spoon it in) to place baking soda inside the balloon.
- Stretch the balloon over the mouth of the bottle, making sure it’s sealed tightly. Keep the baking soda in the balloon — don’t let it fall in yet.
- Lift the balloon so the baking soda drops into the vinegar. Watch what happens as the balloon fills with gas and the Grinch’s heart grows bigger and bigger!
8. Apple Boats STEM Activity
This simple hands-on activity lets kids build floating boats and test how well they sail. It’s a fun way to explore buoyancy, balance, and basic engineering using everyday materials.
Materials:
- Apples (cut into wedges or halves)
- Toothpicks
- Craft foam, paper, or cardstock (for sails)
- Straw pieces (optional for mast support)
- Small container or bin of water
- Towel for spills
Instructions:
- Cut apples into thick wedges or halves. These will be the boat bases.
- Cut a small triangle or square from paper or foam.
- Slide the toothpick through the sail to make a mast. Push the toothpick into the apple.
- Place the apple boats gently in water and see if they float.
- Try different sail sizes, apple shapes, or mast positions. Which boat floats best? Which tips over?
9. Cat in the Hat Oil and Colored Water Experiment
This simple science experiment is inspired by the Cat in the Hat’s red and white stripes. Kids get to see how oil and colored water don’t mix — and how they naturally form layers!
Materials:
- Clear glass
- Water
- Red food coloring
- Cooking oil (vegetable or canola works well)
- Spoon
- Small bowl for mixing
- Dropper or pipette
Instructions:
- Pour some water into a small bowl and add a few drops of red food coloring. Stir until evenly mixed.
- Fill your clear cup about halfway with the red water.
- Slowly pour oil into the cup until it fills most of the remaining space.
- Let the cup sit still and observe what happens. The oil will float on top of the red water and form separate layers.
- Try gently stirring — then watch the liquids separate again!
Looking for more Dr Seuss Crafts & Activities? Check out these amazing posts:
Age Suitability
These activities are good for toddlers aged children 2 years old and up. My kids are 5, 5 and 8 years old.
Mess Level
The mess level for these activities varies.
Difficulty to Create
Low.
Skills Developed
Language development, shape recognition, color recognition, hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills, imaginative play, creativity.
Toddler and Preschooler Curriculums, Books & TV Show!
(This post and list contains affiliate links for your convenience. If you make a purchase using one of these links, I may earn a commission. Please visit my disclosure policy for more information.
Play2Learn Toddler & Preschool Programs for Curious Toddlers
There is no limit to your toddler’s energy and curiosity. That energy and curiosity although a joy can be challenging at times. Their interest in just about everything around them is what makes them great learners. One and two year olds can soak up so much just from their senses!
But as a teacher or parent that thirst for learning can be exhausting. That is why I created this toddler and preschooler program. To help you get the most out of this time with your curious toddler without having to come up with creative ways to play and interact with them.
Play2Learn for Toddlers includes 20 Units for toddlers. Each 2-week toddler unit has 20 super easy to set up and engaging activities for toddlers 18 months to 3 years.
Play2Learn Preschool which includes 20 Units for preschoolers. Each 2-week preschoolers unit has 20 unique and easy to set up and engaging activities for preschoolers 3 years to 5 years. That’s over 800 learning activities for your toddler and preschooler at your fingertips! So many ideas you and your child will never be bored again!
These toddler and preschool lesson plans and activities will definitely keep you and your toddler and preschooler busy playing and learning!
Click here for more information: Play2Learn
Designed for toddlers 18 months and up.
Book: Exciting Sensory Bins for Curious Kids
Did you know I wrote a book of sensory bins? Click here for more information Exciting Sensory Bin for Curious Kids. Or grab your copy at Amazon.
Boring afternoons are made exciting with awesome animal-based bins, like Salty Shark Bay or Yarn Farm. Pretend play bins like Birthday Cake Sensory Play or Bubble Tea Party encourage creativity and imagination. And your kids will have so much fun they won’t even know they’re getting smarter with STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) activities like Sink or Float Soup, Magnetic Letter Hunt or Ice Cream Scoop and Count.
Designed for toddlers 18 months and up.
Book: Super STEAM Activity Book for Kids
Learning all about science, technology, engineering, art, and math sets kids up for scholastic success―and it can be so much fun! Watch kids enjoy building STEAM skills as they color friendly fish, help water find its way to tree roots, solve math problems with mazes, and more.
Find out more and grab your copy here.
Designed for preschoolers 3 years old and up.
Book: Big Book of Riddles for Kids
Riddle me this: What’s an exciting way to practice critical thinking while having a blast? The Big Riddle Book for Kids, of course! From hilarious puns to tough brain teasers, kids can build problem-solving skills with hundreds of riddles that show them how to think outside the box.
- 350 riddles for kids—Have hours of fun with riddles, puns and jokes, and math and logic puzzles that’ll get their wheels turning!
- Level up their skills—Riddles get trickier as kids progress through the book, challenging them as they get better at solving puzzles!
- Double-check their work—Kids can check their answers in the back of the book with a handy answer key.
Help children expand their minds while having fun with this puzzle book for kids!
Designed for kids ages 6 years old and up.
TV Show: Curious Crafting
I’m so excited to finally share my new crafting TV show Curious Crafting which launched July 1 at on TVOkids and TVOkids YouTube!
Set in the ultimate crafting space, Curious Crafting is a short form pre-school age series about the joy of making crafts. I lead a rotating cast of adorable little preschoolers (including my own) making magic out of common household objects.
In each episode we transform recycled items into magical crafts like a milk carton school bus, paper bag puppet or cotton pad turtle. The crafters learn and laugh their way through each activity while demonstrating what their young imaginations can create.
Curious Crafting shares the adventure and joy of making art with takeaway lessons for creating crafts at home.
This show designed for toddlers and preschoolers 2.5 years old and up.
