Looking for a winter STEAM activity that goes beyond worksheets and crafts—one that invites students to think creatively, collaborate, and work through a real problem together?
Yeti’s Winter Workshop Sorter is a hands-on STEAM challenge designed to do exactly that.
In this playful, winter-themed scenario, a snowstorm has swept through a Yeti’s workshop, mixing up decorations just days before the Winter Festival. Students will step in as problem solvers, working in small teams to design and build a device that can pick up the decorations and transport them to the correct locations.
It’s imaginative, open-ended, and grounded in the kind of student-led, collaborative learning Destination Imagination is known for.
What the Challenge Looks Like
Students are given a mix of simple materials and a bowl filled with three different types of decorations: Fluffy Snow Sprinkles (pom-poms), Frosty Orbs (Ping-Pong balls), and Festival Discs (felt circles). All three are mixed together, and the goal is to move each decoration from the bowl to its correct labeled area inside the workshop space.
At first, the task sounds straightforward: pick up a decoration and place it in the right spot. But once teams begin designing their device, the challenge quickly becomes more complex and engaging.
Students must figure out how to pick up each decoration, secure it using their team-created device, transport it across the space, and place it accurately in the correct location—all while staying behind a boundary and relying entirely on the design of their device.
A device that works well for lifting a Ping-Pong ball may struggle with a pom pom or felt disc, so teams often find themselves making small adjustments, talking through ideas, testing new approaches together, and figuring out what works best.
The challenge is designed for students in grades 2–12 and may take younger teams a bit longer as they work through the task together. Depending on the age group, educators or adult leaders can adjust the time limit to give teams the space they need to plan, test, and refine their ideas.
There’s no single right solution. Every device reflects a team’s thinking, creativity, and problem-solving process—and that’s exactly where the learning happens.
What Students Practice Through This STEAM Challenge
As students work through the Yeti’s Winter Workshop Sorter STEAM Challenge, they’re practicing skills that support learning in and out of the classroom.
They learn how to break down a task, share and refine their ideas with others, respond when something doesn’t work the first time, and keep going. They practice communicating clearly, managing time and materials, and learning from both successes and setbacks.
These moments—the designing, testing, adjusting, and trying again—are what make these STEAM challenges so powerful.
A Note on the Creative Process
If you’re familiar with Destination Imagination, you may recognize elements of the DI Creative Process at work here. As students engage with the challenge, they identify the problem, imagine possible solutions, collaborate to build and test ideas, and reflect on what they’ve learned.
Teachers can choose to introduce and reference the Creative Process explicitly or allow students to experience it naturally through the activity. Either approach supports thoughtful problem-solving, iteration, and teamwork in a way that feels authentic and engaging for students.
Materials: Simple, Low-Prep, and Classroom-Friendly
One of the reasons this activity works well in classrooms and clubs is that students work with a small set of everyday, easy-to-find materials, like cardboard tubes, rubber bands, string, and tin foil. Most supplies are inexpensive, reusable, and commonly used for educational or art-related projects.
With a limited set of materials, students are encouraged to think creatively about how to use what they have.
How Long Does the Challenge Take?
Yeti’s Winter Workshop Sorter is designed to fit comfortably into a single class period or club/team meeting.
Most groups complete the activity in 20–30 minutes, including time to plan, build, test, and complete the transport task. Teachers or adult leaders who want to extend the experience can also add reflection or discussion time at the end (reflection questions are included in the download).
Ready to Try the Challenge?
If you’re looking for a winter STEAM challenge that encourages creativity, collaboration, and hands-on problem-solving, Yeti’s Winter Workshop Sorter is ready to go.
👉 Download the STEAM Challenge and see how your students approach it!
Sometimes the best learning starts with a little chaos… and a Yeti who could use a hand. 🤝❄️
Want More Experiences Like This?
For many educators, a challenge like this is a starting point—a way to see what’s possible when students are given space to think, build, and collaborate.
Destination Imagination offers a range of programs that build on these same ideas, giving students ongoing opportunities to design solutions, work as a team over time, and tackle open-ended challenges. If you’re curious about what Destination Imagination experience might be the right fit for your classroom, club, or school, you can explore your options here.
