This study aimed to discover the implications of using different teaching approaches for a hands-on STEAM activity for junior high school students’ STEAM knowledge, creativity, and hands-on performance. The teaching contents used in the study were designed based on the project-based learning (PBL) strategy and the cognitive–affective interaction model (CAIM). The students’ learning outcomes were tested through a hands-on activity with the theme of electric boat creation. PBL with the CAIM was the strategy used to implement the hands-on STEAM activity and to achieve the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4). In this study, a quasi-experimental design was used for 10 weeks, and the 366 students who participated in the experiment were divided into experimental groups (EGs, 199 students using PBL with the CAIM) and control groups (CGs, 167 students using PBL only). Through the analysis of covariance, the results showed that students in the EGs achieved higher academic performance in terms of STEAM knowledge, creativity, and hands-on performance. The study also found that the hands-on STEAM activity had a positive effect on creativity for students in the EGs, allowing them to develop different modes of thinking in the processes of designing and producing the finished product, which in turn enhanced the innovativeness of their products and solutions. In addition, using PBL with the CAIM in the hands-on STEAM activity brought about positive learning outcomes and creative abilities for the students, achieving the SDG 4 objectives. Moreover, the outcomes of this study are in line with the current international trend in the development of education, providing reference examples for the future development of STEAM activities and teaching materials at the junior high school level.

High-quality STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics) activities can promote the development of children’s motor skills, creativity, and hands-on performance. However, to acquire and integrate STEAM knowledge, kindergarten educators need to adopt effective teaching strategies to teach STEAM concepts, fine motor skills, hands-on performance, and creative thinking in their classrooms. This study combined creative thinking strategies with the 6E (Engage, Explore, Explain, Engineer, Enrich, and Evaluate) model in STEAM education to develop two hands-on activities aimed at enhancing children’s performance in STEAM learning. Through purposive sampling, five kindergarten classes totaling 75 children aged five to six years were selected as effective samples. Participants were divided into an experimental group (EG), which received Williams’ (1972) creative thinking strategies and the 6E model, and a control group (CG), which received traditional lecturing strategies. The results showed that children in both the EG and CG improved their fine motor skills. In terms of hands-on performance, children in the EG outperformed those in the CG, demonstrating that EG children learned application and exploration strategies through Williams’ creative thinking strategies and the 6E model, thereby showing better performance in hands-on activities. Additionally, the study found that incorporating hands-on activities into the curriculum was beneficial for both the development of children’s fine motor skills and their creativity, emphasizing the importance of fostering children’s fine motor skills and creativity through STEAM activities, which is crucial for their development and learning.