Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson is a Halloween classic and for good reason. This read aloud appeals to kids of all ages. One of the things I love is that this is a story about unlikely friendships is light and cheery despite having a witch as the main character. Unlike the witches in fairy tales, this one is a keeper. Why not try some STEM activities to bring the story alive?
Don’t have the book (affiliate link, read our disclosure here)? You can watch the animated version at home with your kids if you have Amazon Prime or on Netflix here.
Wind-Proof Witch Hat
The witch loses her hat at the beginning of the story. What is to prevent that from happening again? Why, a new and improved hat! Your kids may want to create a traditional-style witch hat or their own creative version – perhaps an aviator cap or a football-style chapeau. Your students will become milliners for the day while they create a new hat that won’t fly off in the wind!
Make it easier: For your youngest students, gather various hats from around your home: baseball caps, winter hats, sun hats, costume hats, etc. Have your kids make guesses as to which will stay on or come off with wind.
Test it out: Make sure your students test their designs. Get your wind tunnel ready (a desk fan will do though) and make sure it doesn’t fly away!
Broomstick Repair
The broomstick snaps in half during the story. Before creating a new broomstick (we’ll get to that), why not see if you can fix the old one! For this you can use an old pencil, bamboo skewer, etc. (be careful with splinters, but if you are doing this at home I prefer to use wood) and snap it in half or an index card as shown above. Students should then repair the broom so it’s serviceable.
We live in an age where it’s often just easier to throw away something old and buy a new one. I am guilty of this, too, sometimes, but it isn’t always the best way. Why not encourage your kids to be fixers?
Make it easier: For your young kids, build a simple broom with legos, duplos, or snap cubes. Show them the broom (or take a photo) and then ask them to put it back how it was.
Test it out: Fly the broom around! Does it stay together?
Cauldron Stand
Create a stand for a cauldron! Students can design and create their own cauldron first or you can supply a small paper or plastic cup to use. The witch is cooking up a feast with all the ingredients the animals found. Help them out with a new cauldron stand!
Make it easier: The sample above shows a handle and the cauldron supported from above. For your little ones, have them create a table, perch, or other structure that supports the cauldron from the bottom. Ask them to measure it with standard or nonstandard units (lego bricks, snap cubes, etc.)
Test it out: If you are at home, fill with a tasty beverage! Then allow your child to drink the “soup” – they can even mutter a spell, “Iggety, ziggety, zaggety, ZOOM!” and then move on to the last step – a truly magnificent broom!
A Truly Magnificent Broom
The final broom in this story is just full of fun and imaginative features: the light, the seats, the shower! What can your kids think of to make a truly magnificent broom for the witch and her friends!
Brainstorm some ideas of what the various animals might like, or have them think of a feature they would like if they were riding on the broom. Use recyclables, legos, Kinex, etc. to create a truly magnificent broom!
Get the Printable Characters & More!
More detailed instructions, recording pages, and a fun bonus activity are all included in the Bookshelf STEM resource:
Share Your Kids’ Creations!
Did you try any of these activities with your kids? I’d love to see them! You can tag me on Instagram @meredithanderson_momgineer or on Twitter at @momgineerMA
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