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Building and Engineering Activities for Kids

Mar 12, 201442,683 views
Construction
Building and engineering activities for kids Save

by TurkeyMom in Construction

Ages3–8 yrs
Ideas26
From22 blogs
Leveleasy
MessMedium
Works for1:1 · Small group · Class

A roundup of simple "invitation to build" ideas that go beyond blocks, sorted by the main material: Styrofoam, cardboard, paper, food and loose parts. Each idea is credited to the blog that shared it.

⚠️ Safety first

  • Several ideas use small loose parts such as bottle caps, buttons and corks. These are a choking hazard, so supervise closely with kids who still mouth things.
  • The food-building ideas (sugar cubes, spaghetti and gumdrops, apples, watermelon, orange peels) are building materials, not snacks. Watch for food allergies: spaghetti contains wheat and orange peels are citrus.
  • The meat tray idea is a glue gun project. An adult handles the hot glue gun or supervises it closely.
  • Toothpicks used for building with produce have sharp points. Supervise their use.
  • Wash recycled meat trays and other containers thoroughly before kids build with them.

26 ideas

Building with Pipe Cleaners

Building with Pipe Cleaners

A building activity using pipe cleaners. Listed in the Styrofoam section.

by TurkeyMom

Invitation to Build with Styrofoam

A Styrofoam building station for making structures.

by Mama.Papa.Bubba.

Geoboard Building Activity

Make your own geoboard for kids to build on.

Idea from Meri Cherry

Styrofoam Structures

Build structures with Styrofoam packing peanuts.

by Housing A Forest

Build with Meat Trays

A glue gun project that turns foam meat trays into mosaic structures.

by Happy Hooligans

Invitation to Build with Cardboard

A homemade cardboard construction set.

by Happy Hooligans

Paper Rolls and Straws

A building activity with paper towel rolls and straws.

Idea from Frugal Fun for Boys

Build a Cardboard Castle

Build a castle from cardboard. This one is more involved and great for school-age kids.

Idea from Acorn Pies

Index Cards and Straws

Build with index cards and straws. Scroll down on the original page to find the idea.

by Artchoo!

Paper Building Blocks

Science and engineering with building blocks made from paper.

by Babble Dabble Do

Build with Newspaper

Build with newspaper. The author called it an AMAZING idea!

Idea from Modern Parents Messy Kids

Sugar Cube Structures

Build structures out of sugar cubes.

by Mama.Papa.Bubba.

Build with Watermelon

Use watermelon as a building material.

by Fantastic Fun and Learning

Orange Peels and Toothpicks

Build with orange peels and toothpicks.

by Buggy and Buddy

Spaghetti and Gumdrop Towers

Build towers from spaghetti and gumdrops as a group challenge.

by Composition Classroom

Build with Apples

Use apples as a building material.

by Fun at Home with Kids

Magnetic Building Blocks

An invitation to build with a DIY magnetic building set.

by What Do We Do All Day

Build with Bottle Caps

Build and play with bottle caps.

by Mama Pea Pod

Tabletop Loose Parts

An open-ended tabletop building activity with loose parts.

by No Time For Flash Cards

Pool Noodles and Pipe Cleaners

Build with pool noodle pieces and pipe cleaners.

by And Next Comes L

Button and Cork Builders

A building activity with buttons and corks.

by No Time For Flash Cards

Build with Cups

Explore and build with colorful cups.

by Teach Preschool

Build with Ice

Build with Ice

Build with colored ice blocks.

by TurkeyMom

Sticky Craft Sticks

Build with sticky craft sticks.

Idea from Hands On: As We Grow

Blocks and Shaving Cream

Stick blocks together with shaving cream.

by Fit Kids Clubhouse

Straws and Spools

Build houses with straws and spools, Three Little Pigs style.

Idea from Make Do and Friend

Tips

  • My kids have always loved building activities, any kind of building! As long as it means putting together something, they are game.from the author
  • The ideas are grouped by the major material needed, so you can pick one based on what you already have on hand.from the author
  • Build with random objects. It's the most versatile, open-ended building activity for kids.from the author
  • The cardboard castle is more involved and great for school-age kids.from the author

The story behind it

By TurkeyMom · March 2014
Building and engineering activities for kids
For my kids it has always been building activities, any kind of building! Here is a super fun roundup with 25 ideas. C'mon, let's build with something other than blocks!
1 / 1

Building and Engineering Activities for Kids: the original post

All kids are creative and love to play! Am I right? It’s just the matter to exposing them to the right kind of stimulation that gets their creative juices flowing. For some this stimulant is art and art activities, for some, it could be setting up sensory activities, for some it could be simple tinkering games and for my kids it has always been building activities - any kind of building! As long as it means putting together something, then they are game. Here is a super fun round up with tons of ideas for creating simple “invitation to build”. There are 25 ideas. C’mon, let’s build and build with something other than BLOCKS! I have categorized the ideas according to the major material needed. All the images will take you to the original blog.

STYROFOAM

Building activity with pipe cleaners from Blog Me Mom

Invitation to build with Styrofoam from Mama.Papa.Bubba.Blog Geoboard Building Activity from Meri Cherry Blog

Styrofoam Structures from Housing A Forest Build with meat trays from Happy Hooligans

CARDBOARD

Invitation to build with cardboard from Happy Hooligans

Building activity with paper rolls and straws from Frugal Fun for Boys

Build a castle with cardboard from Acorn Pies ( more involved- great for school age kids)

PAPER

Build with index cards and straws from Artchoo! (scroll down for the idea)

Build with paper blocks from Babble Dabble Doo

Build with newspaper!!! from Modern Parents Messy Kids (AMAZING IDEA!)

FOOD

Build with sugar cubes from Mama.Papa.Bubba.Blog

Build with watermelon from Fantastic Fun and Learning Build with orange peels from Buggy and Buddy Building activity with spaghetti and gumdrops from Composition Classroom Build with apples from Fun at Home with Kids Saving the most versatile for the last - build with random objects. The most open ended building activity for kids.

LOOSE PARTS

Invitation to build with magnetic building blocks from Whatdowedoallday

Build with bottle caps from Mama Peapod Building activity with loose parts from No Times for Flash Cards Building with pool noodles from And Next Comes L

Button and Cork Builders from No Time for Flash Cards

Build with cups from Teach Preschool Build with ice from Blog Me Mom Build with sticky crafts sticks from Hands on: As we grow Blocks and shaving cream from Fit Kids Clubhouse Build with straws and spools from Make Do and Friend

Thanks for reading!

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💡 Ideas 🤝 Credits