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The Ultimate List of Fun Engineering Activities for Kids

What is engineering? Why are engineering activities for kids important?

Engineering uses science and math to solve real-world problems. Engineering is used for everything from building roads to completing data analysis tools at an insurance company. There is almost no career today that does not use engineering in some capacity.

Although many children are born with natural engineering tendencies and curiosities, we lose a lot of these skills as we age. Providing thoughtful engineering activities for kids as a part of STEM activities will provide a solid knowledge of engineering that any child can take into adulthood.

But engineering projects are not all boring! In fact, engineering activities are some of the most fun and hands-on STEM activities for kids that children can do.

Engineering activities for kids teach a lot of useful skills, like circuits, properties of matter, physics, design, spatial awareness, and more! Kids will have a blast with these engineering activity ideas and engineering for kids has never been so fun! #engineering #engineeringactivities #stemed #stemactivities

Try these super-fun engineering activities for kids with your classroom or at home!

Fun Engineering Activities

Use these engineering activity ideas to go along with your STEM activities for kids!

What are Engineering Projects for Kids?

Engineering activities for kids teach a lot of useful skills, like circuits, properties of matter, physics, design, spatial awareness, and more! Kids will have a blast with these engineering activity ideas and engineering for kids has never been so fun! #engineering #engineeringactivities #stemed #stemactivities

Most children start from a place of engineering when they are young. Toddlers and preschoolers continually build, test, experiment, and play with materials to learn more about the world around them.

But for some reason, we often lose that sense of curiosity as we age. Adding more hands on engineering projects for kids and engineering activities for kids in the classroom setting helps foster that sense of wonder longer, while helping children see how all the subjects of school work together. In a simple engineering activity, kids may engage in activities such as:

  • Building and design
  • Construction
  • Selecting the right materials
  • Circuits and electrical engineering
  • Physics
  • Cause and effect
  • Living math
  • Prototype building and testing
  • Creativity
Engineering activities for kids teach a lot of useful skills, like circuits, properties of matter, physics, design, spatial awareness, and more! Kids will have a blast with these engineering activity ideas and engineering for kids has never been so fun!

Why Do Kids Engineering Activities?

elementary stem challenge cards

Engineering activities are a lot of fun to try with kids. Engineering is a fun hands-on way to see some areas of science, like physics, the properties of matter, and structural integrity of materials up close and personal.

Kids who love hands on activities will find engineering lessons so much more engaging than simple worksheets. Engineering activities often incorporate all elements of STEM learning, including science, technology, engineering, and math, making them some of the most comprehensive STEM activities that children can do.

You can try these engineering activities in the classroom or at home with your kids!

WHAT CAN KIDS LEARN BY DOING ENGINEERING ACTIVITIES?

Engineering activities for kids teach a lot of useful skills, like circuits, properties of matter, physics, design, spatial awareness, and more! Kids will have a blast with these engineering activity ideas and engineering for kids has never been so fun! #engineering #engineeringactivities #stemed #stemactivities

Kids can learn a lot by doing engineering activities! Some of the most important lessons and skills that kids learn by doing engineering activities include:

  • Building science and math skills
  • Learning to work as a team
  • Gathering problem-solving skills
  • Learning how to use the right materials to find the right solution for any problem

Supplies for Engineering Challenges for Kids

Use these supplies to make your engineering activities easier! This post contains affiliate links.

SmartLab Toys Smart Circuits Games & Gadgets Electronics LabSmartLab Toys Smart Circuits Games & Gadgets Electronics LabThames & Kosmos Structural Engineering: Bridges & SkyscrapersThames & Kosmos Structural Engineering: Bridges & SkyscrapersNATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Mega Construction Engineering Set - Build 35 Unique Motorized Models: Helicopters, Cars, Animals and More - STEM LearningNATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Mega Construction Engineering Set – Build 35 Unique Motorized Models: Helicopters, Cars, Animals and More – STEM LearningUno Starter Kit For Arduino Projects Kits With USB Wires Breadboard Leds Ir Sensors 5V Relay Controller Board Servo Motor 64 Items Electrical Engineering AccessoriesUno Starter Kit For Arduino Projects Kits With USB Wires Breadboard Leds Ir Sensors 5V Relay Controller Board Servo Motor 64 Items Electrical Engineering AccessoriesKids First Intro to Engineering KitKids First Intro to Engineering KitThames & Kosmos Mechanical Engineering Robotic ArmsThames & Kosmos Mechanical Engineering Robotic ArmsLearning Resources Playground Engineering & Design STEM Set, 104 PiecesLearning Resources Playground Engineering & Design STEM Set, 104 PiecesAMOSTING Engineering Toys STEM Construction Building Blocks Set Educational Learning Kit for Kids – 148pcsAMOSTING Engineering Toys STEM Construction Building Blocks Set Educational Learning Kit for Kids – 148pcsSquishy Circuits Deluxe KitSquishy Circuits Deluxe Kit

BOOKS ON ENGINEERING FOR KIDS

Basic Machines and How They WorkBasic Machines and How They WorkBasic Electricity (Dover Books on Electrical Engineering)Basic Electricity (Dover Books on Electrical Engineering)The Book of ForcesThe Book of ForcesMistakes That Worked: 40 Familiar Inventions & How They Came to BeMistakes That Worked: 40 Familiar Inventions & How They Came to BeSTEM Starters for Kids Engineering Activity Book: Packed with Activities and Engineering FactsSTEM Starters for Kids Engineering Activity Book: Packed with Activities and Engineering FactsGetting Started with Engineering: Think Like an Engineer! (Dummies Junior)Getting Started with Engineering: Think Like an Engineer! (Dummies Junior)The Way Things Work NowThe Way Things Work NowRosie Revere, EngineerRosie Revere, EngineerEngineering: Feats and Failures (TIME FOR KIDS® Nonfiction Readers)Engineering: Feats and Failures (TIME FOR KIDS® Nonfiction Readers)STEAM Kids: 50+ Science / Technology / Engineering / Art / Math Hands-On Projects for KidsSTEAM Kids: 50+ Science / Technology / Engineering / Art / Math Hands-On Projects for Kids

THE ULTIMATE LIST OF ENGINEERING ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS

fun engineering activities

Try these fun engineering activities for kids and have an engineering activity for every occasion imaginable!

These engineering activities for kids are perfect for any time of year!

Engineering Activities for Toddlers

engineering activities for toddlers

Toddlers will have fun completing these toddler engineering activities.

Testing the Strength of Aluminum Foil

Playdough Towers

Apple Stacking

Engineering Activities for Preschoolers

Try these simple engineering activities for preschoolers and start to discover engineering in the preschool classroom!

How to Build a Q-Tip Tower

How Strong is Spaghetti?

Melty Bead Rainbow

Build a Monster

Engineering Activities for Elementary Students

engineering activities

Elementary kids will have a blast trying out these unique and creative engineering activities for elementary!

Will an Egg Crate Airplane Fly?

Airplane Engineering Challenge

How to Use Squishy Circuits

Squishy Circuit Mermaid

Paper Air Plane Engineering

Engineering Activities for Middle School

engineering activities for elementary

Middle schoolers will love these engineering activities for middle school students.

Egg Drop Experiment

Draw with a 3D Pen

3D Carbon Atom Model

Squishy Circuit Unicorn

DIY Zipline

ENGINEERING ACTIVITIES FOR SPRING

Try these fun engineering activities for kids during the spring!

Peeps are super fun to get at Easter. But if you have some leftover, try these Peeps marshmallow engineering activities! The marshmallow activities and marshmallow STEM challenge will delight your kids. Peeps STEM activities are the best! #easteractivities #peeps #stemactivities #engineering

Peeps Engineering Challenges

Love PEEPS®? Then you're going to love this fun PEEPS® boat engineering challenge! It's a fun way to learn about STEM activities during the spring.

Build a Peeps Boat

Love science? Love PEEPs? Then you will love this PEEPs science experiment where the challenge is to power a PEEP entirely with soap. Fun for all ages!

Make a Soap-Powered Peeps Boat

Learn the basics of engineering with the egg drop engineering project! Part of the 31 days fo STEM activities for kids series.

Egg Drop Engineering Challenge

Looking for PEEPs activities for kids? These three PEEPs STEAM activities are perfect for kids of all ages and are the perfect way to use uneaten PEEPs.

Build a Peeps Rainbow

St. Patrick's Day doesn't have to be just about crafts! Bring some STEM to the holiday with these hands on St. Patrick's Day STEM activities for kids!

Perler Bead Rainbow

Inspired by LEGO Creations by Sara Dees, this LEGO rainbow can be made using bricks you already own! It's harder than you think!

LEGO Rainbow

Want to make your Easter projects more fun? These exploding rainbow Easter eggs are a blast to make, and produce explosive fun!

Exploding Easter Eggs Engineering Experiment

ENGINEERING ACTIVITIES FOR SUMMER

Try these summer engineering activities when it’s hot out!

Engineering activities for kids teach a lot of useful skills, like circuits, properties of matter, physics, design, spatial awareness, and more! Kids will have a blast with these engineering activity ideas and engineering for kids has never been so fun!

Confetti Fireworks

Engineering activities for kids teach a lot of useful skills, like circuits, properties of matter, physics, design, spatial awareness, and more! Kids will have a blast with these engineering activity ideas and engineering for kids has never been so fun!

Engineer a Skatepark

ENGINEERING ACTIVITIES FOR FALL

Kids will love doing these fun fall engineering activities.

Bring engineering skills to life with this fun engineering activity where kids build a 3D monster craft for Halloween. Engineering has never been so fun!

Design a Monster Craft Engineering Activity

Engineering activities for kids teach a lot of useful skills, like circuits, properties of matter, physics, design, spatial awareness, and more! Kids will have a blast with these engineering activity ideas and engineering for kids has never been so fun!

Mini Pumpkin Engineering Activities

Engineering activities for kids teach a lot of useful skills, like circuits, properties of matter, physics, design, spatial awareness, and more! Kids will have a blast with these engineering activity ideas and engineering for kids has never been so fun!

Apple Engineering Activities

Engineering activities for kids teach a lot of useful skills, like circuits, properties of matter, physics, design, spatial awareness, and more! Kids will have a blast with these engineering activity ideas and engineering for kids has never been so fun!

Thanksgiving Engineering

ENGINEERING ACTIVITIES FOR WINTER

Simple Engineering Projects: Construct a New Hat for Santa

Christmas STEM Challenge: Design a New Sleigh for Santa

STEM Experiments: Build a Christmas Tree from Playdough

Christmas Engineering: Bubbling Snow Globe

Christmas Ideas for Preschoolers: Hide the Deer

cool-stem-experiments-f

Cool STEM Experiments: Design a Snow Globe

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Christmas Activities for Children: Design Your Own Wrapping Paper

If your kids are budding engineers, they will love these engineering project ideas to light up a Christmas tree! Technology and engineering in one!

Engineering Project Ideas: Light Up a Christmas Tree

Engineering activities for kids teach a lot of useful skills, like circuits, properties of matter, physics, design, spatial awareness, and more! Kids will have a blast with these engineering activity ideas and engineering for kids has never been so fun!

Conversation Heart Structures

Engineering activities for kids teach a lot of useful skills, like circuits, properties of matter, physics, design, spatial awareness, and more! Kids will have a blast with these engineering activity ideas and engineering for kids has never been so fun!

Build a LEGO Heart

Engineering activities for kids teach a lot of useful skills, like circuits, properties of matter, physics, design, spatial awareness, and more! Kids will have a blast with these engineering activity ideas and engineering for kids has never been so fun!

Design a Love Bug Engineering Activity

Engineering activities for kids teach a lot of useful skills, like circuits, properties of matter, physics, design, spatial awareness, and more! Kids will have a blast with these engineering activity ideas and engineering for kids has never been so fun!

Squishy Circuit Heart

Build STEM skills in a fun way! The leprechaun trap STEM activity is a fun STEM activity for St. Patrick's Day that kids of all ages will love. Try the leprechaun trap challenge in your classroom or at home! #stemactivities #stpatricksday #kidsactivities #stem

Leprechaun Trap STEM Activity

Engineering activities for kids teach a lot of useful skills, like circuits, properties of matter, physics, design, spatial awareness, and more! Kids will have a blast with these engineering activity ideas and engineering for kids has never been so fun!

Squishy Circuit Shamrock

elementary stem challenge cards

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