Once you have a general idea for your STEM project, there is something important you need to do before doing formal experiments or building your innovation. First, you need to mess around!

Messing around means playing with your idea in a low-pressure way. It’s a critical step that is often left out of the so-called “scientific method.” Try little tests, explore materials, look at how things react, or sketch out different designs. It’s not about collecting final data or having a perfect plan—it’s about having fun while figuring out what’s possible.

Why Mess Around?

• Discover possibilities. You might notice something surprising that sparks a better idea.
• Shape your question or design. The things you try out will help you decide exactly what experiment to run or what problem your innovation will solve.
• Narrow your focus. You’ll figure out what’s realistic for your time, resources, and skills.
• Build confidence. The more you explore, the more comfortable you’ll feel when it’s time to get serious.

What Does Messing Around Look Like?

• Doodle different designs or ideas – just getting a general sketch on paper makes your idea start to come to life!
• Do mini experiments on different parts of your idea. What do you observe? What could be changed? What surprised you?
• Trying different materials – How do they feel? How will they hold up? Might there be better/cheaper/lighter/more environmentally friendly options?
• If you’re thinking about coding, play around with short bits of code to test what features are possible.
• Build a basic model out of LEGO blocks or cardboard, just to see what your idea might look like. What works? What doesn’t?
• If you’re developing a survey, start by asking a few informal questions to friends and family to see what kinds of answers you get.
• Have fun with your research! Start with videos, interesting articles or stuff on social media to explore and get inspired. Later in your adventure, move to more trustworthy and academic sources.

By the end of the messing around phase, you should have a clearer idea of:

• What specific question you want to ask (for a Discovery project), or
• What problem you want to solve and how (for an Innovation project)

If things aren’t any clearer after messing around, don’t worry! Jump back to the brainstorming and research stage and try asking a slightly different question or look at the topic from a different angle. Consider talking with a teacher, parent or mentor about your project idea and where you could take it.

Think of messing around as a playground for your project—a chance to explore, try things out, and let your curiosity guide you! And most importantly: have fun!