Keeping curious minds occupied isn’t always easy, especially when you’re trying to limit screen time. But you don’t need a fancy laboratory to spark a love for science and technology. In fact, some of the best engineering challenges start with a simple question: “What can we build with this?”
Engineering is really just creative problem-solving. So, introduce your kids to these fun engineering projects they can try at home!
1. Build a Bridge Kit
Model bridge building kits are a great way to introduce engineering concepts to your child in a fun and engaging way. They aren’t just learning about it, but applying it to their own building process! All you need to do is purchase the kit and help them through the directions. Before purchasing it, compare wood and plastic model bridge kits to see what works for you.
What You’ll Need:
- Bridge Building Kit (All parts should come with it)
- Child-safe glue
- A clean place to work
The Challenge:
The goal is to construct a bridge that can hold weight without collapsing. The trick is to create a strong yet lightweight structure. Use the kit materials to build it, securing them with glue and reinforcing the structure with string if needed. Once completed, test your bridge by gradually adding weight, like coins or small objects, to see how much it can support!
2. The Balloon-Powered Car
This project introduces mechanical engineering and physics concepts like propulsion and friction. It turns recycling bin scraps into a race car.
What you need:
- A plastic water bottle or cardboard tube (for the body)
- 4 plastic bottle caps (for wheels)
- Wooden skewers or straws (for axles)
- A balloon
- Tape
- A flexible straw
The Challenge:
The objective is to build a car that moves solely by the air escaping from a balloon. The tricky part is reducing friction. The wheels need to spin freely, and the axles need to be straight. Tape the balloon to the flexible straw so no air escapes, then attach the straw to the car body. Blow up the balloon through the straw, pinch it shut, set the car on a smooth surface, and let go!
3. The Unbreakable Egg Drop
The egg drop challenge is a fantastic lesson in shock absorption and material engineering. It challenges kids to think about how to protect a fragile object from a high-impact collision.
What you need:
- Raw eggs
- Various recycling materials (bubble wrap, cardboard, plastic bags, cotton balls, straws, newspaper)
- Tape
The Challenge:
The mission is simple: design a container or landing craft that can protect a raw egg when dropped from a height (like standing on a chair or a balcony).
Encourage your kids to think about two main strategies: slowing the descent (like a parachute) or cushioning the impact (like a roll cage or padding). Once their device is built, find a safe drop zone and let gravity do the rest. If the egg survives, try dropping it from a higher point!
Start Building Today
These fun experiments are a great chance for kids to engage with engineering. They can fail, adjust, and try again! Next time you hear “I’m bored,” open the junk drawer and challenge your kids to build a solution. They might come up with some ingenious inventions.
