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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Eurotunnel Journeys Challenge Pack

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/).

Journey Stick

Journey Stick Organiser’s Card About the activity The children have been asked to follow in the footsteps of the Aboriginal Australians and create a journey stick. This has objects attached in chronological order to remind them of their journey and to help with storytelling. When Australian Aboriginals went on long journeys they tied objects to a stick. They would start at one end of the stick and work along it as they travelled. The objects would help them to remember events and experiences on their journey and to tell others of their adventures. In this activity, the children will collect objects to make their own journey stick. Kit list • Sticks (children might choose their own) • Something to fasten the objects to the stick e.g. string, tape, cotton thread, elastic bands • Coloured wool or strips of fabric in a large tray or little bags for each group. They can represent places and events on the journey e.g. blue wool for water or red fabric for the sun setting as the journey ended. What to do 1. Read the ACTIVITY CARD to familiarise yourself with the activity. 2. Check the Kit list to ensure you have collected the necessary resources. 3. Set the scene by discussing the idea of the journey stick. It helps to think about Aboriginal people. There are many websites giving background information 4. Show the children a stick and discuss possible ways of recording things on the stick. Remember to think about recording events as well as objects. 5. Give children time to discuss what they might find and experience on their journey. They might also help to plan their route. 6. Remind children about safety and plants they must not pick. 7. Set the groups off on their challenge. If they go in different directions to increase the variety, you may need to ask additional adults to help you. 8. Remind the children to record things in order and not to have too many items. 9. Give the children about 20 minutes for their journey. 10. When the children return give them time to discuss what they are going to talk about. 11. Form a circle and share stories of their journeys using the journey sticks.

Things to think about Encourage the children to attach their own items to the stick and to record events and experiences as well as objects. Some plants are poisonous or irritate skin. Others are rare and should not be collected. If you are uncertain, check with someone or avoid the area. Children should avoid pulling whole plants out of the ground. Animals should not be attached to the stick! This activity will be most successful outdoors, but could be carried out indoors, if appropriate. Take it further Sticks also have another significance for Aboriginal people. Sometimes they were called talk sticks. Whoever held the stick was allowed to talk while everyone listened. You could use your journey sticks in this way when the children are sharing their ideas. Keywords • Journeys • Travel • Mementos Watch out! Children must wash their hands after the event. No fingers in mouths! Avoid poisonous or prickly plants. Avoid going too close to water. Think about the number of adults needed if you are working outdoors. If you go outside school grounds, make sure you follow school and local authority procedures

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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