In our Melody Maker STEAM Challenge, students will team up to design and build a musical instrument using just four materials. But the challenge doesn’t end there—each group will also create and present a short, 2-minute performance that features their new instrument.

Building and performing with their instrument lets students experience how creativity, communication, and problem-solving come together. Just as important, it gives kids a chance to practice speaking and presenting in front of others—building confidence in their voices while having fun experimenting and surprising themselves with what they can create.

The Challenge

Using only 4 materials, work together as a team to design and build an instrument that can make at least three distinct sounds. Then, create a short performance that shows off your instrument, your creativity, and your teamwork skills. 

Materials 

Choose any 4 items from the suggested materials list below to create your instrument. Think about how each material might make sound—can it be struck, plucked, blown, or shaken?

Team Note: Scissors may be used for designing and building, but may not be included in your solution.

Facilitator Note: For younger students, you may want to guide them toward exploring how different objects can work together to produce different types of sounds, such as something hollow, something stretchy, and something hard.

Time Limit

Teams will have 20 minutes total to complete the challenge:

• 15 minutes to choose materials, design, build, and test the instrument
• 5 minutes to plan and practice the performance

Scoring (Up to 100 points)

A. 5 points for each distinct sound your instrument makes (Up to 15 points)
B. Up to 20 points for the creative use of materials in your instrument design
C. Up to 20 points for the overall effectiveness of your presentation (how everything comes together, including the instrument, the sounds, and the story)
D. Up to 20 points for the creativity of your performance
E. Up to 25 points for how well your team works together

Reflection Questions

• What type of instrument did you make? How did you work together to make it create different sounds?
  
• What was the most challenging part of the activity, and how did your team handle it?
  
• How did your team decide what to include in your instrument and your performance? How did it feel to share your ideas in front of others?
  
• If you could do this challenge again, what instrument would you make or what would you do differently?

Ready to Play?

Grab your team, gather four materials, and see if you can turn them into music. Share your team’s design with us on social media using #DestinationImagination.

The post Turn Everyday Items Into Music with the Melody Maker STEAM Challenge appeared first on Destination Imagination.

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At first glance, tower challenges might seem simple—but don’t be fooled. These quick-build activities pack a powerful educational punch and are perfect for kicking off your school year. Beyond reinforcing foundational STEM concepts, tower challenges promote essential classroom skills like collaboration, communication, creative and critical thinking, and problem-solving. They’re also low-prep, highly flexible, and a fun way to build classroom culture from day one.

In this Back-to-School Build-Off STEAM Challenge, students will work in small groups to design and build the tallest freestanding tower they can using only paper and paper clips—all within a 10-minute time limit. Teams may test and adjust their towers as they go, but once the 10 minutes are up, their final design must be ready to hold at least five hardback books. Feel free to modify materials or time based on your classroom needs to encourage even more creative collaboration.

Challenge Instructions

Objective: Build the tallest freestanding structure possible using only paper and paper clips that can hold at least five hardback books.

Materials: 20 sheets of paper, 20 paper clips, 5+ hardback books

Time: 10 minutes (you can modify the time limit for younger children)

Scoring:

A. 10 points if your paper tower is between 5-11 inches tall; 15 points if your paper tower is between 12-21 inches tall; 20 points if your paper tower is 22 inches or taller
B. 10 points if your structure is holding 5 hardback books; 15 points if your structure is holding 7 or more hardback books
C. Up to 20 points for the creative use of materials
D. Up to 20 points for how well your group works together
E. 10 points for thoughtful responses during the reflection discussion, sharing what your team built, how you worked together, what challenges you faced, and what you might do differently next time.

Processing Questions:

• What strategy did your team use when starting the tower—and did it change along the way? Why?

• How did your group share ideas or make decisions during the challenge?

• What surprised you the most during the building or testing phase?

• If you could redesign your tower from scratch, what would you try differently?

• How did the limited materials affect your design choices?

• What skills did you notice yourself using today (e.g., problem-solving, teamwork, creativity)?

• How might this challenge connect to real-world engineering or design problems?

 

 

Want More Creative, Low-Prep STEAM Activities?

Looking for meaningful, low-prep ways to integrate creativity and collaboration into your classroom? Our Teacher’s Guide to the Creative Process is your go-to resource. This free download features:

10 engaging STEAM activities that foster curiosity and innovation
Guided reflection questions to deepen learning and discussion
A clear breakdown of what the creative process is—and why it matters
Insight into how students benefit from creative, student-driven learning

Whether you’re teaching STEM, art, or any subject in between, this guide will help you build a learning environment where problem-solving, imagination, and ownership thrive.

Download the guide now and start sparking creativity from day one.

The post Back-to-School Build-Off: A STEAM Challenge for Teamwork & Creativity appeared first on Destination Imagination.

Whether you’re a returning DI team or just discovering our global creativity and innovation program, our upcoming Team Challenges promise to spark excitement, curiosity, and unforgettable growth in students of all ages. Here’s a sneak peek at the 2025-26 Challenge lineup:

Technical Challenge: Win it Big

The lights, the glamour, the prizes! Your team will create and present your own game show, complete with a host, contestant(s), and dazzling effects that ramp up the tension.

• Create and present a game show.
• Include a host character and at least one contestant.
• Build tension with a raising-the-stakes event.
• Design and create a gimmick, a reveal, and a razzle-dazzle effect for your game show.
• Create and present two Team Choice Elements that show off the team’s interests, skills, areas of strength, and talents.

Scientific Challenge: Unforgettable

Can your memory be trusted? Dive into the science of human memory and misdirection as your team brings a memory to life and reveals how it leads to a powerful realization.

• Create and present a story about how a character recalling a memory leads to a realization.
• Integrate your team’s research about the science of human memory into the Presentation.
• Create and present a memory depiction. Enhance the memory depiction with a special effect.
• Include a misdirection in your Presentation.
• Create and present two Team Choice Elements that show off the team’s interests, skills, areas of strength, and talents.

Engineering Challenge: Above and Beyond

How far can you push the limits—literally? In this challenge, teams will design a structure that holds weight placed far from the center, testing both creativity and engineering smarts. Alongside their build, they’ll tell a dynamic story where something expands, extends, or goes above and beyond, with an exciting visual effect to bring it all to life.

• Test how much weight a team-created structure can hold by placing weights onto the Structure as far from the center as possible.
• Create and present a story in which something important expands, extends, or goes above and beyond.
• Begin the Presentation with an in medias res scene.
• Include an expansion effect.
• Create and present two Team Choice Elements that show off the team’s interests, skills, areas of strength, and talents.

Fine Arts Challenge: Becoming Super

What happens when two characters make one tough choice but take totally different paths? Create an origin story for both a superhero and a supervillain, and bring their transformation to life with theatrical effects.

• Create and present an origin story that shows how one character becomes a superhero and a different character becomes a supervillain.
• Use theatrical methods to portray a difficult decision, situation, and/or event.
• Use stage makeup on at least one team member.
• Design and create one technical costume.
• Create and present two Team Choice Elements that show off the team’s interests, skills, areas of strength, and talents.

Improvisational Challenge: Casting Shadows

Use shadows and light to tell a powerful, improvised story based on opposing themes, an inciting incident, and a resolution trope—all in a randomly selected setting.

• Create and present an improvisational skit based on an inciting incident.
• Research pairs of opposing themes and incorporate a pair into the skit.
• Include a randomly selected setting.
• Research resolution tropes and incorporate one of them into the skit.
• Use a shadow screen and a box of materials to enhance the skit.

Service Learning Challenge: Give and Take

Take on a real-world project that meets a community need, then share the story of how two conflicting characters learn to work together, even through misunderstandings and differing viewpoints.

• Identify, design, carry out, and evaluate a project that addresses a need in a real community.
• Create and present a story about at least two conflicting characters who have to work together to address or resolve a dispute.
• Include a misunderstanding and at least two different viewpoints.
• Enhance your Presentation with a dispute depiction.
• Create and present two Team Choice Elements that show off the team’s interests, skills, areas of strength, and talents.

Early Learning Challenge: Helping Hands

Designed for our youngest creators, this Challenge celebrates the helpers who make our world better—and encourages kids to join in!

• Research different kinds of community helpers.
• Create and present a play about community helpers working together to solve a problem.
• Design and create a set that shows where at least one of the community helpers works.
• Create and present a song about helping.
• Create and present one Team Choice Element that shows off the team’s interests, skills, areas of strength, and talents.

Save the Dates!

• Team Numbers go on sale: July 15
• Challenge Season begins: August 1

Whether your team is ready to solve a memory mystery, face off as hero and villain, or lift a structure to new heights, this season will stretch their imagination, build their resilience, and forge lifelong skills.

Start your team, choose your DI Challenge, and get ready to create something extraordinary!

New to Destination Imagination?

If you’re curious about what DI is all about, we offer free monthly webinars where you can get an overview of our STEAM program, explore how it works, and ask any questions you may have.

Click here to register for an upcoming webinar.

The post Get Ready for the 25-26 Season of Destination Imagination! appeared first on Destination Imagination.

The Egg-stravagant Tower Challenge

Challenge: The Easter Bunny needs a new lookout tower to spot hidden eggs, and your team is here to help! Using everyday materials, your team will design and build the tallest freestanding tower that can hold at least one plastic egg for 10 seconds—without attaching the eggs to the structure.

Materials: 5 plastic eggs, 15 straws, 10 pipe cleaners, 1 paper plate, 2 plastic spoons, 2 sheets of paper, 1 foot of tape, scissors

Time Limit: 8 minutes

Scoring:

1. 1 point for every inch of height of your tower
2. 10 points if your tower successfully holds one egg; 5 points for each additional egg your tower successfully holds (25 points max)
3. Up to 20 points for how creatively you use the materials
4. Up to 20 points for how well your team works together

A Few Tips for Success

• Plan Before You Build – Take a minute to brainstorm ideas before jumping into construction. Talk about different ways to make the tower strong and stable.
• Test and Adjust – If your tower isn’t standing strong, try small adjustments. Think about balance, weight distribution, and structure.
• Use Materials Wisely – You have a limited supply, so be strategic! Consider how each material can add height, strength, or support for the egg.
• Communicate & Collaborate – Work together and listen to everyone’s ideas. Great teamwork leads to better results!
• Think Like Engineers – Engineers test, improve, and redesign their creations. If something doesn’t work, figure out why and try again!

Reflection Questions
After completing the challenge, take a few moments to reflect on your process as a team:

1. What strategies did you use to make your tower strong and stable?
2. How did you decide on the best way to use your materials?
3. Did your tower hold an egg successfully? If not, what would you change if you could try again?
4. How did your team communicate and work together?
5. What was the biggest challenge, and how did you overcome it?
6. If you had unlimited materials, what would you do differently?
7. How does this challenge connect to real-world engineering or problem-solving?

Keep Building, Keep Learning!

This challenge is a great way to explore the creative process while practicing teamwork, problem-solving, and hands-on STEAM skills. Whether your tower stood tall or toppled over, every experiment is a step toward learning and innovation. So, keep creating, keep testing, and keep having fun!

The post Egg-stravagant Engineering: A STEAM Challenge for Easter appeared first on Destination Imagination.

Here’s how it works:

The Challenge

Your team has been given a very special mission—to deliver one very important Valentine using a zipline system called the Kindness Carrier! But this is no ordinary delivery. You must also create a short performance that tells a story about why this Valentine is so meaningful. Is it a message of friendship? A long-lost love note? A kindness award? Be creative and make your delivery the most meaningful one ever!

Setup

• Attach a string or yarn between two stable objects at different heights to create the zipline (e.g., a chair to a table).
• Place one special Valentine (a paper heart) at the start point (Cupid’s Kindness Cove).
• The delivery point (Mailbox of Kindness) is at the bottom of the zipline.

Materials

Each team can use the following materials:

• 1 small paper Valentine
• 1 paper cups
• 6 pipe cleaners
• 2 paper clips
• 1 rubber band
• 3 straws
• 4 craft sticks
• 6 inches of masking tape
• 1 balloon

Challenge Steps (10 minutes)

Part One: Plan, Build & Test (8 minutes)

• Use the materials provided to design and build your Kindness Carrier.
• Plan and rehearse a short performance that explains the importance of this Valentine.

Part Two: Presentation (2 minutes)

• Present your story while delivering the Valentine using your Kindness Carrier.

Scoring

Your team can earn points in the following categories:

• 10 points if your story has a beginning, a middle, and an end.
• Up to 20 points for the creativity of your performance.
• 10 points if your zipline successfully delivers the Valentine.
• Up to 20 points for how creatively you use the materials in your Kindness Carrier.
• Up to 20 points for how well your team works together.

Tips for Success

Test Early: Use your time wisely—test your Kindness Carrier before the performance starts so you can make adjustments!

Keep it Secure: Make sure your Valentine won’t fall off during the zipline ride—think about how to keep it steady.

Be Creative: The more unique your story, the more memorable it will be! Think of an exciting or funny reason why this Valentine is special.

Use Everyone’s Ideas: Work together as a team and make sure everyone has a role in the story and the building process.

Make It Dramatic: Think about how your Valentine’s journey can be a big moment—will it be a race against time? A delivery to a secret admirer? A message of hope?

Have Fun! The best stories and designs come from teams who enjoy the challenge—so bring the energy and have a great time!

Why This Challenge Matters

This STEAM Challenge isn’t just about having fun (though that’s a big part of it!). Kids will develop critical skills like problem-solving, collaboration, and creativity while exploring key concepts in engineering and storytelling. Plus, it’s a great way to celebrate Valentine’s Day in a meaningful, screen-free way.

Get More Creative Activities

Want even more ways to keep kids engaged in hands-on learning? Check out our Creative Process Guides, packed with 10 exclusive Destination Imagination STEAM Challenges to inspire young innovators.

Parent’s Guide to the Creative Process: Download Here
Teacher’s Guide to the Creative Process: Download Here

The post Valentine’s Day STEAM Activity: Kindness Carrier appeared first on Destination Imagination.

In this activity, kids will have the chance to design and build their very own spooky experience for a local event. But it’s more than just Halloween fun—this hands-on activity blends creativity with STEAM learning. Whether it’s LED-lit ghosts, creaky moving doors, or clever gears and pulleys, students can bring their imaginations to life using everyday materials. The challenge is open-ended, giving kids space to explore, experiment, and discover new ways to combine curiosity, problem-solving, and creative thinking.

Ready to lead your young creators through a memorable STEAM adventure? Get the instructions below!

Challenge: Your team was hired to design and build a spooky experience for a local Halloween event. Your design must include at least one special feature that enhances the experience through the use of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). Your team will also demonstrate how it works.  

Materials:
Below is a list of suggested materials. Consider using recycled or reusable materials whenever possible.

General Materials – Cardboard, construction paper, cotton balls, chenille sticks (pipe cleaners), popsicle sticks, string, glue, tape, scissors

STEM Materials – LEDs, batteries, sensors, pulleys, gears, etc.

Time: 1 hour

Scoring:

1. Up to 20 points for the creativity of your spooky experience
2. 10 points if your spooky experience includes at least one working special STEM feature
3. Up to 20 points for the creativity of your special STEM feature
4. Up to 20 points for how well your team works together

Want More Halloween STEAM Fun?

Check out other Halloween activities on our blog, including our Candy Corn Cauldron STEAM Challenge and Spooky Scavenger Hunt!

Get Even More FREE STEAM!

Want more STEAM activities and resources like this for your classroom or home? Download our Creative Process Guide and get 10 free activities to help your students learn to think more critically and creatively, learn from failure, and push their boundaries.

The post Halloween Haunt STEAM Challenge appeared first on Destination Imagination.

In our Pool Party STEAM Challenge, kids will work together to design and build pool floats for their party guests.

This STEAM Challenge is perfect for:

• Encouraging creative thinking, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills
• Introducing basic engineering concepts like buoyancy and design
• Highlighting the importance of teamwork and collaboration
• Providing a fun and engaging way to learn about STEM principles

Check out the full challenge details below!

Pool Party STEAM Challenge Instructions & Scoring:

CHALLENGE: Marbles are having a pool party today and they forgot to get pool floats! Your task is to create 2 fun pool floats for their pool party. Each float has to hold at least two marbles at the same time.

SETUP: Using the materials below, create 2 pool floats that will hold marbles. You will test your floats by putting them in a bowl full of water. The devices should float for at least 15 seconds and keep the marbles completely dry.

MATERIALS: 3 index cards, 1 sheet of paper, 1 paper or plastic cup, 6 paper straws, 15 inches of rope, 5 paper clips, 12 inches of tape, 4 inches of aluminum foil, 1 press-and-seal bag, 1 pair of scissors, 20 marbles, 1 bowl or container filled with water
Note: You may substitute materials based on what you have available  

TIME: 8 minutes (6 minutes to build your floats and 2 minutes to test them on water)

SCORING:

A. 15 points if each pool float is successfully holding at least 2 marbles
B. 5 points for each pair of marbles that is floating on water (up to 50 points)
C. Up to 15 points for the creativity of pool float #1
D. Up to 15 points for the creativity of pool float #2
E. Up to 20 points for how well your group works together

For more STEAM activities like this, be sure to follow us on social and check out our blog.

The post Pool Party Challenge: Make a Splash with STEAM! appeared first on Destination Imagination.

Check out a sneak peek below and then head to our 2024-25 Challenge Previews page for full details.

Breaking Point (Technical Challenge): Build and destroy stacks of items while telling a story about overcoming frustrations. 

Worlds Beyond (Scientific Challenge): Explore the cosmos and tell a story about discovering life on another planet, complete with sci-fi technobabble. 

Less is More (Fine Arts Challenge): Craft a story about the impact of simplicity, evoking emotions through a small yet powerful element, and create a minimalist set design. 

Are We There Yet? (Improvisational Challenge): Present a story about a character’s journey between two locations and encountering a detour along the way.

High-Wire Act (Engineering Challenge): Test a transporter on a high-wire while presenting a circus-style story with daring displays. 

This or That (Service Learning Challenge): Address a real need in a community and present a story that includes a character who must make a critical choice, as well as a device that can complete two tasks at the same time.

Weather Together (Early Learning Challenge): Create a story about a character who is learning about one kind of weather for the very first time and include costumes and special effects in your presentation.

By participating in Destination Imagination, students gain valuable skills that translate directly to academic success and future career readiness. Our Team Challenges:

• Develop 21st Century Skills: DI fosters crucial skills like problem-solving, critical thinking, collaboration, and communication, preparing students for the demands of higher education and future careers.
• Engage Students in STEAM Learning: DI challenges seamlessly integrate science, technology, engineering, arts, and math concepts, making learning fun and fostering a love for exploration and discovery.
• Boost Student Confidence: The process of tackling unique challenges and presenting solutions empowers students to take ownership of their learning and builds their confidence.

A brand-new season of Destination Imagination begins August 1. Purchase your Team Number starting as early as July 15! 

To learn more about Destination Imagination, sign up for one of our upcoming webinars or email us at info@dihq.org.

The post Our 2024-25 Challenge Previews are Here! appeared first on Destination Imagination.

Hold the Pie STEAM Challenge

Challenge: Forget just eating pies – let’s build them! Using the materials below, design and create your own pie. Then create a freestanding structure as tall as possible that can hold your pie. The pie must rest on top of your structure and cannot be attached to your structure in any way. 

For this challenge, a “freestanding” structure is a structure that is not attached to anything. 

Materials:
Pie: 1 paper plate, 1 package of pom-poms, glue, crayons or markers
Structure: 6 paper straws, 4 pipe cleaners, 4 craft sticks, 3 index cards, 2 sheets of paper, 1 cardboard tube, 12 inches of tape

Time: 15 minutes

Scoring:

A. 3.14 points for each inch of your structure (50 points max)
B. 10 points if your structure successfully holds your pie
C. Up to 20 points for the creativity of your pie design
D. Up to 20 points for the creativity of your structure
E. Up to 20 points for how well your team works together

We wish you a happy Pi Day, and we can’t wait to see what your kids come up with! Be sure to share your creations with us on social using #DestinationImagination #PiDayChallenge. 

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