Primary challenges (ages 3-11)


Typically completed by 3-11 year olds, CREST Star and SuperStar challenges relate to everyday experiences. Children complete eight activities to gain a CREST Award, with each activity taking between 45 minutes and one hour to complete.

The activities are designed to be easy-to-run and low-cost. You don’t need to be a teacher, have a science background or have access to specialist equipment to run them. The packs contain helpful hints and tips for you to use, explaining the scientific themes and offering guidance on conversation topics for your children.

There are more CREST approved resources that have been developed by our partners and providers specific to your region.


To browse the packs, click the buttons below or scroll down.

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All SuperStar challenges

  • Text
  • Handson
  • Stem
  • Challenges
  • Discussion
  • Explore
  • Create
  • Experiment
  • Investigate
  • Toothpaste
  • Materials
  • Glue
  • Tomato
  • Yoghurt
  • Superstar
The activities in this pack have been selected from our library of CREST SuperStar challenges. Children need to complete eight challenges to achieve a CREST SuperStar Award. If you want, you can mix and match challenges from different packs, as long as children complete eight SuperStar challenges. This resource is published under an Attribution - non-commercial - no derivatives 4.0 International creative commons licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

A Hole in my Bucket

A Hole in my Bucket Organiser’s Card About the activity This activity is designed to get children thinking about materials, liquids and testing methods. Just like the song ‘There’s A Hole In My Bucket’, the children are asked to find a way to plug the hole in a container to stop water pouring out. Through this activity you will support your group to: • Carry out their own tests to compare different sticky materials • Observe, measure and record results carefully • Respond creatively, writing new lyrics for a well-known song. Kit list • A selection of different materials for testing, eg: sticky tape, fabric, Blu-Tack, cotton wool, tissues, straws etc. • Plastic containers with holes cut into the bottom • Ruler • Timers • Washing up bowls or containers • Measuring jugs • Scissors • Plastic aprons • Paper towels

There’s a hole in my bucket, dear Liza, dear Liza There’s a hole in my bucket, dear Liza, a hole. Then mend it dear Henry, dear Henry, dear Henry Then mend it dear Henry, dear Henry mend it. With what shall I mend it, dear Liza? . . . With a straw, dear Henry . . . The straw is too long . . . Then cut it . . . With what shall I cut it? . . . With a knife . . . The knife is too blunt . . . Then sharpen it . . . Material With what shall I sharpen it? . . . With a stone . . . The stone is too dry . . . Blu-Tack Then wet it . . . With what shall I wet it? . . . Sticky tape With some water . . . With what shall I fetch it? . . . With a bucket . . . Glue BUT THERE’S A HOLE IN MY BUCKET! Chewing gum We are going to use clean plastic drinking cups, with the same sized holes cut in the bottom of each, then try out our ideas. Some of your fellow investigators have some ideas! “I think we should try to fix the hole, then put water in and just watch what happens.” “We could do some timing to find out how long it is before the water starts to leak out.” “Let’s measure how much water leaks out in 2 minutes. We could put marks up the side of the ‘buckets’ to help us.” What do you think? Do you have another idea? Straw How much water leaked through? Liza and Henry need your help. Can you find something that will stop Henry’s bucket Were from there leaking? any problems with your tests? How Liza suggests using straw to fix the hole. Do you think that would work well? could you improve them? What about sticky materials? Would any of them be better for mending the hole How in Henry’s easy did bucket? you think it was to keep your tests fair? Why? Which material should Liza and Henry use to fix a hole in their bucket? • Which materials will you test? • How many different materials will you compare? • Does it matter how you use your material to fill the hole? British Science Association Registered Charity No. 212479 and SC039236 • What will you need to observe or measure in your tests? On which side of the hole should they stick it? Why have you chosen this material? Why not re-write the words to the song to include what you have found out? What to do 1. Introduce the activity using the song ‘There’s a Hole in my Bucket’, ask them if they think they can help Liza and Henry by finding out the best way to fix the hole in their bucket. 2. Give out activity cards and equipment to the children. 3. Explain that they will be using the equipment provided to test the best way to stop a leak. 4. Encourage children to discuss their ideas and how to carry out their investigations. Prompt questions: • What materials will they test? • How will they cover the leaky hole? • How will they make sure their test is fair? • How will they record their results? 5. Support children to conduct their tests and make their own records of their results. They could also take photographs or make drawings. 6. Ask the children to present their findings to the rest of the group, they can be as creative in their presentation as they want - the activity card suggests they could re-write the words to the song, using their findings. Getting started A Hole in my Bucket Test your ideas Do you know the tune to this well-known You could song? use a table like this to record your findings: If not, see if you can find out about it. Your challenge Do some tests to find out the best method of fixing a leak! Discuss Activity Card Share your ideas 2/2 Discuss Children may have difficulty keeping some tests fair, e.g. how to compare sticky tape with glue or Blu-Tack etc. The following prompts will help them to think about how to keep their tests fair. Make sure they place a bowl under the bucket or cup to collect the leaking water. If they use just one bucket for all of the tests, it must be dried thoroughly after each test. A new material might not stick properly to a wet surface and results will be inaccurate. If they succeed in stopping the leak, they will need a new bucket! Keywords • Observation • Measurement • Volume Watch out! Cut holes in buckets, cups or clean yoghurt pots before any tests begin and check that there are no rough edges around the hole. When using water, make sure you have paper towels handy to mop up spills, especially on the floor. British Science Association Registered Charity No. 212479 and SC039236

  • Page 1 and 2: Challenges collection Suitable for
  • Page 3 and 4: Contents Activity Page A hole in my
  • Page 8 and 9: A Hole in my Bucket Activity Card D
  • Page 10 and 11: A Special New Tree Organiser’s Ca
  • Page 12 and 13: A Special New Tree Activity Card De
  • Page 14 and 15: A Sticky Problem Organiser’s Card
  • Page 16 and 17: A Sticky Problem Activity Card Dear
  • Page 18: Test your ideas You may want to rec
  • Page 21 and 22: What to do 1. Introduce the activit
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  • Page 25 and 26: Discuss Children may need to be sho
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  • Page 31 and 32: Test your ideas Test it with weight
  • Page 33 and 34: Things to think about Birds often w
  • Page 35 and 36: Getting started What materials can
  • Page 37 and 38: Things to think about It is possibl
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  • Page 41 and 42: Bumblebee Mystery Pollinator 1 1 2
  • Page 44 and 45: Buy Them Try Them Organiser’s Car
  • Page 46 and 47: Buy Them Try Them Activity Card To:
  • Page 48 and 49: Camouflaged Creatures Organiser’s
  • Page 50 and 51: Camouflaged Creatures Activity Card
  • Page 52 and 53: Cheesy Challenge Organiser’s Card
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    Colorado Brown Stain Organiser’s

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    Colorado Brown Stain Activity Card

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    Crafty Rafts Organiser’s Card Abo

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    Crafty Rafts Activity Card NEWS CRA

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    Disappearing Dinosaurs Organiser’

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    Disappearing Dinosaurs Activity Car

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    Discus Dilemma Organiser’s Card A

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    Discus Dilemma Activity Card Mr Cle

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    Drifting Dandelions Organiser’s C

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    Drifting Dandelions Help our Raveno

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    Fantastic Fingerprints Organiser’

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    Fantastic Fingerprints Activity Car

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    Fossil Folly Organiser’s Card Abo

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    Fossil Folly Activity Card A box of

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    Uncle Astro Get Set Jellies Organis

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    Get Set Jellies Activity Card Uncle

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    Goodbye Old Tree Organiser’s Card

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    Goodbye Old Tree Activity Card NEWS

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    Hoodie Hearing Organiser’s Card A

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    Hoodie Hearing Activity Card Headte

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    How Do You Drink Yours? Organiser

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    How Do You Drink Yours? Tea rituals

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    Share your ideas Do most people dri

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    What to do 1. In advance prepare th

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    NVESTIGATING INK Discuss What ways

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    Things to think about Encourage the

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    Getting started Think about how oth

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    Things to think about The cups and

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    Getting started Some of your fellow

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    CALAMITY What to do 1. Read the ACT

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    Getting started A kite is made up o

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    What to do MAKING TOOTHPASTE 1. Rea

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    Your challenge Bright Smile Toothpa

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    OUTDOOR GYM OUTDOOR GYM Outdoor Gym

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    Outdoor Gym R GYM Activity Card You

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    Test your ideas Which parts of the

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    Things to think about In this activ

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    Discuss Can you think of any intere

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    Playground Games PLAYGROUND GAMES O

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    Playground Games PLAYGROUND GAMES A

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    Polymer Problem Organiser’s Card

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    Polymer Problem Activity Card To: Y

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    Protecting Polymers Organiser’s C

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    Protecting Polymers Activity Card Y

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    ACING ROCKETS Racing Rockets Organi

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    Keywords • Aerodynamics • Fligh

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    Discuss Are all rockets the same sh

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    What to do 1. Read the ACTIVITY CAR

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    RECYCLE REUSE Recycle Reuse Activit

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    Spinning Solutions Organiser’s Ca

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    Spinning Solutions Activity Card Ri

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    Super Spinners Organiser’s Card A

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    SUPER SPINNERS Take it further In t

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    Getting started SUPER SPINNERS You

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    Things to think about Many of the p

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    Getting started Here is what Frank

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    Testing and Comparing Tea Organiser

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    Testing and Comparing Tea Activity

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    Tomato Sauce Organiser’s Card TOM

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    Keywords • Sauce • Viscosity SA

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    Discuss TOMATO SAUCE How thick do y

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    Things to think about Some trees wi

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    Getting started Some fellow investi

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    What to do 1. Read the ACTIVITY CAR

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    TUMBLING TOAST Tumbling Toast TUMBL

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    Under Your Feet Organiser’s Card

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    Take it further There is a wide ran

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    Getting started Cut a big foot shap

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    Things to think about Scientists ar

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    Getting started You could start by

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    Windy Ways Organiser’s Card About

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    Windy ways Activity Card NEWS NEWS

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    Worm Charming Organiser’s Card Ab

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    Keywords • Nature • Vibration

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    WORM CHARMING Getting started Make

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    6. Help the children to make their

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    Getting started Before you start wa

Star level

Collections of one hour challenges recommended for children aged 3-7 years that relate to children’s everyday experiences. Find out more about this level and how to gain a CREST Award on the CREST Star page.


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SuperStar level


Collections of one hour challenges recommended for children aged 7-11 years that relate to broader situations that children are likely to have come across. Find out more about this level and how to gain a CREST Award on the CREST SuperStar page.


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