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/).

Fantastic Fingerprints

Fantastic Fingerprints Activity Card Fantastic Fingerprints NEWS Fantastic Fingerprints Fantastic Fingerprints Teachers at Startown Primary School are wondering if they can use fingerprints to take registers, log children on to computers and borrow library books. Teachers at Startown Primary School are wondering if they can use fingerprints to take registers, log children on to computers and borrow library books. NEWS NEWS Teachers at Startown Primary School are wondering if they can use fingerprints to take registers, log children on to computers and borrow library books. The fingerprint pad designer told our reporter, “Electronic pads scan the fingerprints. They change the fingerprint pattern into a code. The code is saved on a computer. Children only need to touch a pad to register. The possibilities are endless.” The fingerprint pad designer told our reporter, “Electronic pads scan the fingerprints. They change the fingerprint pattern into a code. The code is saved on a computer. Children only need to touch a pad to register. The possibilities are endless.” The fingerprint pad designer told our reporter, “Electronic pads scan the fingerprints. They change the fingerprint pattern into a code. The code is saved on a computer. Children only need to touch a pad to register. The possibilities are endless.” Mrs Teachem, the school’s Head told our reporter, “I’m not sure it will work. Are fingerprints really all different? I would like to know what your readers think.” Mrs Teachem, the school’s Head told our reporter, “I’m not sure it will work. Are fingerprints really all different? I would like to know what your readers think.” Mrs Teachem, the school’s Head told our reporter, “I’m not sure it will work. Are fingerprints really all different? I would like to know what your readers think.” Your challenge Find out if everyone’s fingerprints really are different. Discuss How do you think fingerprints are collected? Look at your fingerprints with a hand lens or microscope. What do your own fingerprints look like? Are they the same as your partner’s prints?

Getting started You either need to rub pencil onto a piece of paper or you can sprinkle a small amount of dust on a table. Now put your thumb in the dust or on the pencil rubbing. Place your thumb firmly on the sticky side of a piece of sellotape. Now stick your sellotape onto a piece of paper. You may need to experiment to get clear prints. Test your ideas Look at the prints, do you have any of these patterns? ARCH LOOP WHORL Compare your prints with other people. Are they all different? Can you find other ways to collect fingerprints? Share your ideas Share all the fingerprints. Can you work out which are yours? You could let Mrs Teachem have copies or drawings of fingerprints. Extra things to do Look for fingerprints on surfaces such as glass. Can you identify who made them? Some people think children’s fingerprints should not be used as records in schools. What do you think? Can you find out other ways of identifying individuals? British Science Association Registered Charity No. 212479 and SC039236

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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