STEM Content Beyond the Screen: Turning Curiosity Into Experiments
Transform passive viewing into hands-on learning by leveraging the science creators your kids already love to spark real-world discovery.
TL;DR
If your kid is obsessed with Mark Rober or Emily's Wonder Lab, they’re already halfway to being a scientist. The goal is to move them from "watching a guy build a squirrel maze" to "building a better bird feeder."
Top Media Picks for STEM Inspiration:
- Best for Engineering: Mark Rober
- Best for Little Kids: SciShow Kids
- Best for Audio Learners: Wow in the World
- Best for High-Energy Experiments: Emily's Wonder Lab
Ask our chatbot for a list of household items you need for a DIY science day
We’ve all seen the "YouTube trance." It’s that glazed-over look kids get when they’ve been watching someone else play Minecraft or unbox toys for forty minutes. But STEM content is different—or at least, it can be.
When a kid watches a Mark Rober video, they aren't just looking at a glitter bomb; they’re watching the scientific method in action. They’re seeing a hypothesis, a failed prototype (usually several), and a final result. The danger is that they start to view science as a "spectator sport." They think science is something that happens to people with million-dollar budgets and warehouse spaces in California.
The "Screenwise" approach isn't about cutting off the videos—it's about using that high-production-value excitement as a launchpad. We want to turn "How did he do that?" into "How can we do a version of that?"
Not all science content is created equal. Some is just "brain rot" disguised as education (looking at you, weird AI-generated "facts" channels). Here are the creators who actually respect your kid's intelligence and inspire them to get their hands dirty.
Ages 8-108. He is the undisputed king of modern STEM content. His videos on engineering, physics, and biology are cinematic, funny, and incredibly smart.
- The Action Pivot: Don't just watch the squirrel maze. Challenge your kid to build a "gravity-defying" obstacle course for their LEGO figures or the dog.
- The Reality Check: Mark often promotes his CrunchLabs kits. They’re actually pretty good, but you don't need a subscription to be an engineer. Cardboard and hot glue are the original engineering tools.
Ages 4-9. Emily Calandrelli is basically a modern, high-energy Ms. Frizzle. Each episode is short, punchy, and features a "do it at home" experiment.
- The Action Pivot: This one is easy. Every episode literally ends with instructions. If they watch the "Oobleck" episode, have the cornstarch and water ready. It’s messy, but it’s real-world physics.
Ages 3-7. This is the gold standard for younger kids. It answers the "Why?" questions (Why is the sky blue? Why do we poop?) without talking down to them.
- The Action Pivot: Use their "Experiment" playlist. They have great guides on things like making a "rain cloud in a jar" using shaving cream and food coloring.
Ages 5-12. If you want to get them away from the blue light entirely, this podcast is the answer. Mindy Thomas and Guy Raz are hilarious, and the "scientific" explainers are top-notch.
- The Action Pivot: Listen to an episode in the car, then go home and try to find a "Wow" in your own backyard. Check out our guide on the best science podcasts for kids
Ages 8-14. Seeing kids their own age use power tools and data to debunk urban legends is incredibly empowering. It moves science out of the "adults in lab coats" category and into the "kids in safety goggles" category.
The secret to turning a video into an experiment is the question: "What if?"
When the video ends, instead of letting the autoplay take them to the next thing, pause and ask:
- "What if we tried that with [X] instead of [Y]?" (e.g., "What if we used vinegar and baking soda instead of those Mentos?")
- "Do you think that would work in our backyard?"
- "Why did his first try fail?"
This turns the kid from a passive consumer into a critical thinker. You're teaching them that the video is just a data point, not the final word.
- Preschool (3-5): Focus on sensory science. It’s less about "the laws of thermodynamics" and more about "look how the colors mix." PBS Kids has great simple resources for this.
- Elementary (6-10): This is the sweet spot for cause and effect. Building simple machines, mixing safe chemicals (kitchen science), and observing nature.
- Middle School (11-14): They can handle complexity and failure. This is the age for Scratch coding, more advanced Roblox studio builds, or even basic electronics.
Let’s be real: Science is messy and occasionally a little bit dangerous. That’s why kids like it.
- YouTube Safety: YouTube is a minefield. Even "educational" channels can have weird comments or lead to "suggested videos" that are definitely not STEM-related. Use YouTube Kids for the younger ones, or better yet, watch the "big" creators like Mark Rober together on the main TV.
- Physical Safety: Eye protection is a "cool" thing in STEM videos—use that to your advantage. If they see their favorite creator wearing goggles, they’ll be more likely to wear them when they’re "experimenting" with household cleaners (which, by the way, maybe keep a lid on that).
- The Mess Factor: If you aren't prepared for a kitchen covered in flour or a backyard full of "inventions" made of trash, STEM parenting is going to be a struggle. Set boundaries (e.g., "The slime stays on the tray"), but accept that learning is rarely tidy.
You might hear people say that games like Roblox or Minecraft are teaching kids "entrepreneurship" or "engineering." Is it true? Sort of. Building a complex Redstone circuit in Minecraft is logic and engineering. Creating a popular game in Roblox does require understanding user experience and basic monetization.
However, don't let the "educational" tag blind you to the fact that these platforms are also designed to keep kids stuck to the screen. The best way to "STEM-ify" gaming is to move them from playing to creating.
- If they love Minecraft, show them Minecraft Education.
- If they love Roblox, download Roblox Studio and see if they can actually build a room rather than just buying "skins."
Learn more about the difference between passive gaming and active creation
STEM content is the "vegetables" of the digital world—but if kids only watch people eat vegetables, they aren't getting the nutrients.
Your job isn't to be a science teacher. You don't need to know how a centrifugal pump works. Your job is to be the Chief Resource Officer. Provide the cardboard, the tape, the baking soda, and the "What if?" questions.
When your kid says, "I want to try that," the best answer you can give—even if it means a messy kitchen—is "Let's see what happens."
- Audit the Subscriptions: Check your YouTube "History" or Netflix "Continue Watching." If it's all "Skibidi Toilet" and no SciShow, introduce one of the creators above.
- The "Science Bin": Get a plastic tub and fill it with "trash" (paper towel rolls, egg cartons, old CDs) and "tools" (tape, string, rubber bands). This is their "Mark Rober Lab."
- Schedule a "Demo Day": Once a week, let them show you one "experiment" or "invention" they worked on. It doesn't have to work—in fact, it's better if they can explain why it didn't work.
Ask our chatbot for a 5-minute science experiment you can do right now