Little ones can learn while they play at these STEM-powered Orlando attractions.
Innovation is at the heart of everything we do in Orlando, from our groundbreaking roller coasters and attractions to our high-tech hotels and boundary-pushing cuisine. Inspire your little innovator to join the creative fun with hands-on learning at Orlando-area STEAM attractions where science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics take center stage. With STEAM-inspired learning, it’s one small step for kids, one giant leap toward a better tomorrow.
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What are STEAM attractions and why do they matter? We spoke to two local experts to find out more.
“STEM encompasses educational disciplines in science, technology, engineering and math,” says Gloria Meeks, education curriculum manager at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. The acronym STEAM has also become more popular in recent years. STEAM attractions include an additional emphasis on the arts, which can provide a playful, innovative approach to critical thinking and problem-solving.
Taylor Smart, marketing development manager at WonderWorks, adds that STEM plays a part in all our lives. “Whether it’s as grand as inspiring the next generation of scientists or as simple as using critical thinking to solve everyday problems, STEM/STEAM education is the foundation of forward progress. STEM attractions, like our own, highlight a world of possibilities many don’t know about.”
Meeks agrees. “STEM attractions are a great way to demonstrate the infinite possibilities for human advancement when creative minds work together to find a solution.”
STEAM Learning at Orlando Attractions
Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens
Explore dozens of exhibits dedicated to animal science at the Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens. The zoo is home to over 100 animal species, including amphibians, birds, invertebrates, mammals and reptiles. You can even meet some animals up close in the form of keeper chats, rhino encounters, giraffe feedings and monthly Conservation Days. A splash pad, playground and petting zoo offer even more hands-on fun for kids.
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Gatorland
You can also learn about the natural world at Gatorland, an iconic Orlando attraction that’s been around for over 75 years. Gatorland is home to hundreds of alligators and crocodiles, plus birds, wild cats, capybaras, snakes and other reptiles. Explore educational (and hilarious) shows and tours or sign up to meet some of your favorite critters for even more hands-on learning.
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iFly Indoor Skydiving
Explore physics in motion at iFly Indoor Skydiving, where you’ll suit up, enter a wind tunnel, and learn just how fun motion, gravity and velocity can be. An expert instructor will show you how to angle your body, then help you adjust to practice new tricks and movements. There are no dioramas, audio guides or illusions here. Just immersive, STEM-powered fun.
Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex
Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex
Just one hour east of Orlando on Florida’s Space Coast, Kennedy Space Center is the site of countless historic shuttle launches, including the 1969 space mission that landed the first man on the moon.
Save on discount tickets: Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex
“From the dawn of space exploration to current and ongoing missions, you can get an up-close, hands-on feel for the story of humans in space,” says curriculum manager Meeks. And it seems like there’s something new to discover with each visit. Kennedy Space Center recently unveiled The Gantry at LC-39, a multi-level exhibit where you can see a simulated shuttle launch from the ground, explore augmented reality learning, and customize, launch and tinker with your very own virtual rocket.
Discover: Things to Do at Kennedy Space Center
The Gantry joins iconic attractions like the Space Shuttle Atlantis exhibit, where you can come nose to nose with a real space shuttle, buckle up to relive a historic shuttle launch, and explore over 60 interactive exhibits. Depending on when you visit, you might even meet an actual astronaut, see restricted launch areas, or catch a real, modern-day shuttle launch, all included with admission.
Museum of Illusions Orlando
Step into a world of mind-bending fun at Museums of Illusions, a unique ICON Park® attraction packed with over 50 bewildering exhibits. Each interactive installation will trick your senses and challenge your sense of reality — then tickle your brain with by explaining the science behind the illusion.
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Orlando Science Center
The Orlando Science Center near downtown Orlando is packed with STEM-based learning opportunities, from thrilling Science Live shows to permanent exhibits featuring conservation, artificial intelligence and VR flight simulation. Explore the science of combustion in the explosive Kaboom! live show, unleash your inner scientist at Dr. Dare’s lab, and witness your own starry night via Florida’s largest publicly accessible telescope.
Kids under 8 can also explore new scientific principles in KidsTown while their older counterparts play with 3-D modeling software, 3-D printers, circuit boards and more in The Hive: A Makerspace. Along with dynamic live shows, a STEAM-inspired art gallery and four floors of hands-on learning, Orlando Science Center hosts frequent events designed to explore foster curiosity and exploration in visitors of all ages.
SEA LIFE Orlando Aquarium
If your kiddo is into marine life, explore nine interactive zones of underwater fun at SEA LIFE Orlando Aquarium, part of the ICON Park entertainment complex on International Drive. Learn about micro-habitats and touch invertebrates at the Coastal Rockpool Exhibit, take a deep dive on the Undersea Explorer virtual reality experience, and get a new perspective on life under the sea at Florida’s only 360-degree ocean tunnel. For the ultimate learning experience, embark on a 30-minute Behind the Scenes Tour to discover a day in the life of a SEA LIFE aquarist.
Save on discount tickets: SEA LIFE Aquarium
WonderWorks
You might recognize WonderWorks as that famous upside-down building on International Drive, but its gravity-defying exterior is just the beginning of the story. The Pointe Orlando attraction features over 100 hands-on exhibits for all ages spread across six engaging Wonder Zones. Taylor Smart of WonderWorks shares: “Often times when our guests are interacting with our exhibits, they’re having fun without even knowing they’re learning. We like to lead with excitement and intrigue, and then we encourage [you] to dig deeper to better understand what’s really going on with the exhibit.”
Discover: Must-Try Experiences at WonderWorks Orlando
“Aside from our eye-catching, upside-down exterior, WonderWorks takes a closer look at the science behind classic, beloved attractions. While we offer things like our virtual roller coasters, the glow-in-the-dark ropes course, and our Hurricane Shack, we also highlight the science behind them. Our virtual coasters highlight physics and technology. Our Bed of Nails exemplifies the principles of pressure. Our Bubble Lab incorporates chemistry and atoms … and the list goes on and on and on.”
STEAM Learning at Orlando Theme Parks
EPCOT®
Spark your imagination and celebrate the wonders of nature, science and technology at EPCOT®, home to the largest concentration of STEM-inspired attractions at Walt Disney World® Resort. Step inside the park’s 180-foot-tall geodesic sphere to explore the history of communication, catch a glimpse of the future, and explore hands-on gaming at Project Tomorrow.
Discover: Things to Do at EPCOT
You’ll find even more STEM-inspired fun throughout the park, particularly in the new World Discovery and World Nature pavilions. Explore forward-thinking auto design at Test Track, pilot a rocket to Mars on Mission Space, see agricultural innovation in action aboard Living With the Land, discover a world of underwater fun at The Seas Pavilion, and explore the boundless possibilities when you Journey into Imagination with Figment. And that’s just the front half of the park!
Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Park
Meanwhile at Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Park, you and your little ones can celebrate the magic of nature, come face-to-face with exotic animals, and immerse yourself in the otherworldly beauty of Pandora — The World of Avatar.
Discover: Things to Do at DISNEY’S ANIMAL KINGDOM® Theme Park
Embark on a guided tour of the African Savanna aboard Kilimanjaro Safaris®, spot captivating creatures along the Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail and Maharajah Jungle Trek, and chat with animal experts to learn more about your favorite wild animals. You’ll find plenty of hands-on fun along the way, including learning about conservation at Rafiki’s Planet Watch. Snag a free Wilderness Explorers Handbook when you arrive to unlock even more special activities and earn STEM-friendly merit badges throughout the park.
SeaWorld® Orlando
A world of aquatic wonder awaits at SeaWorld® Orlando, where you can see dolphins, beluga whales, sea turtles and more. Head to the SeaWorld Rescue Center to learn about SeaWorld’s marine rehabilitation and conservation efforts — they’ve cared for over 42,000 rescued animals in the past 50 years — then meet some of your favorite creatures at mesmerizing encounters and aquariums throughout the park.
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Little ones can also play their way through a world of interactive fun at Sesame Street Land™. Create beautiful melodies at Rosita’s Harmony Hills play area, control a virtual tricycle, create your own digital monster, whip up a meal with Cookie Monster and Gonger, and play with Elmo and the gang on one of the most educational streets in the neighborhood.
LEGOLAND® Florida Resort
Harness the power of play at LEGOLAND® Florida Resort, where you can construct and test your own LEGO® creations in real-world scenarios. Design buildings, bridges, spacecraft and cars at The Imagination Zone; design and test your own vehicle at the LEGO® Ferrari Build & Race experience; pedal your way to freedom on the Technicyle; and let your imaginations run wild at Rebuild the World.
Discover: Things to Do at LEGOLAND Florida Resort
Little ones can learn a thing or two at the DUPLO® Tot Spot or DUPLO® Valley Schoolhouse, or head to Peppa Pig Theme Park Florida for even more pint-sized fun. And the brand new SEA LIFE Florida Aquarium brings more ways to play with all-new themed areas and immersive natural exhibits.
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