Primary challenges (ages 3-11)


Typically completed by 3-11 year olds, CREST Star and SuperStar challenges relate to everyday experiences. Children complete six to 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 Sticky Problem

A Sticky Problem Organiser’s Card About the activity This activity is designed to get children thinking about the different properties of glue. The children have been asked to read a letter printed in the Weekly Woodworker magazine from Ineda Bond. She’s not sure which glue is the most suitable to build a cart and needs some help. Through this activity you will support your group to: • Make three different glue recipes • Conduct different tests on all their glue mixtures to compare different properties • Write a letter to tell Weekly Woodworker magazine about their results Kit list Glue ingredients: • Flour • Vinegar • Skimmed milk (or non-fat milk powder with hot tap water) • Baking soda (bicarbonate of soda, NOT baking powder) • Cornflour For testing: • Glue spreaders • Small blocks of wood, card or cork, wooden lolly sticks • Force meters (optional) • Funnel • Beaker • Paper towels • Bowls or pots to make the glues in • Samples of cloth, large bowl of warm soapy water, timer • Labels, or pens to label the different glues

What to do 1. Introduce the activity using the letter from Ineda Bond. Ask them about the different properties of glue. 2. Give out activity cards and equipment to the children. 3. Explain that they will be using the equipment provided to make three different glue mixtures and test them. 4. Encourage children to discuss their ideas and how to carry out their investigations. Prompt questions: • What makes a ‘good’ glue? • What properties will they test and how will they test them? • How will they record their results? • How will they make sure their test is fair? 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 write a reply to Weekly Woodworker magazine. Could also take photographs or make drawings. Things to think about You should be able to store the glue in plastic containers in the fridge for a short time. Keep the containers sealed. If the paste dries up, just put the sealed container in a bowl of warm water. The only way to measure glue performance accurately is through laboratory testing. Because of this, the children’s tests will not be perfect, but it is important that they are encouraged to try to make fair comparisons between glues. Keywords • Glue • Adhesive • Bonds • Properties Watch out! These glues can be messy but are perfectly safe. Pay extra attention where hot water is used. Children need to wash their hands and rinse equipment when finished. They may need plastic aprons and gloves.. 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 6 and 7: A Hole in my Bucket Organiser’s C
  • 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 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
  • Page 23 and 24: Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Tape Ela
  • Page 25 and 26: Discuss Children may need to be sho
  • Page 27 and 28: Getting started How will you test y
  • Page 29 and 30: 5. Now give each group 5 sheets of
  • 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
  • Page 39 and 40: Getting started Where will you look
  • 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
  • Page 54 and 55: Cheesy Challenge Activity Card Cosm
  • Page 56 and 57: Colorado Brown Stain Organiser’s
  • Page 58 and 59: Colorado Brown Stain Activity Card
  • Page 60 and 61: Crafty Rafts Organiser’s Card Abo
  • Page 62 and 63: 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

  • Page 96 and 97:

    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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