They just don't always know it yet.

Engineer @ Home was created to help families discover the engineering that already exists in everyday life. Through play. curiosity, and shared problem-solving, we help children develop confidence, creativity, and a lifelong sense of belonging in STEM.

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Woman and boy building a geometric structure with wooden sticks and connectors at a table.

Stylized green hills with a small sprouting plant on the left and layered brown and beige hills on the right.

The Engineering Cycle

ASK

What is the problem?
What do we want to learn?

Imagine

Brainstorm ideas and plan possibilties

Create

Build a prototype using materials and ideas.

Test

Try it out! Collect data and observe.

Improve

What worked? What can we make better?

Engineering is a Cycle

We ask, imagine. create, test, and improve-then we start again.

How We’ll Engineer

In this unit, your family will try ideas, notice what happens, test designs, make changes, and try again. There is no single perfect solution—the goal is to learn from each attempt.

What You'll Explore

Stability & Balance

Shapes & Strength

Materials & Forces

Design & Constraints

Problem Solving

About This Collection

Structures are everywhere your child already looks. Bridges, tables, playground frames, the shelf above the sink. Every one of them is solving the same problem: how to hold weight without falling down. This collection takes that ordinary question and turns it into five activities you can do at the kitchen table.

Over about six weeks your child will build a bridge from paper, test which shapes carry the most weight, raise a tower as tall as it will stand, shake a structure to see how it copes, and design a playground for people who are not them. Everything uses what is already in your house. Nothing needs to be bought.

You do not need an engineering background for any of this. Your job is to ask a few questions and let your child do the building. When something collapses, and it will, that is the activity working rather than failing.

Ages
6-10

5
Activities

Low Prep
30–60 min

Everyday
Materials

Connect to
real Life

Key concepts

^Stability

How structures stay balanced and standing.

^Strength

How structures hold weight without bending or breaking.

^{Weight
Distribution}

How weight is spread across different parts of a structure.

^{Shapes & Supports}

How shapes and supports help structures become stronger.

^{Testing & Redesign}

How engineers test ideas and improve their designs.

What you'll need

Most activities use simple household materials. Gather what you have, substitute when needed, and keep it easy for your family.

Basic Materials

Paper or construction paper
Tape
Cardboard

Paper or plastic cups
Straws or craft sticks
Markers or crayons

For Testing

Coins or small objects of similar weight
Two books of about the same thickness
A tray, baking pan, or flat piece of cardboard

Optional Extras

Scissors
Ruler
Blocks

Clean recycled materials such as tubes, containers, and lids

Use what you have.
You do not need the exact materials listed. Substituting materials and making choices together can be part of the engineering process.

The lessons

At a Glance

Challenge: Build a bridge between two books and test how much weight it can hold.
Ages: 6–10
Time: About 25–40 minutes
Engineering Field: Civil Engineering
Engineering Practice: Test, notice, and improve
Content Focus: Strength, support, and weight distribution
Caregiver Role: Stay curious, ask a question or two, and let your child lead when possible.

Materials

You don’t need everything listed below. Start with the recommended materials, then substitute or add materials as your child’s ideas grow

Start With This

2–3 sheets of paper
Tape
2 books to create the gap
10–20 coins or other small objects for testing

You Can Substitute

Construction paper
Thin cardboard
Index cards
Small blocks or other equal-height objects instead of books

Why These Materials?

‍
Paper is easy to fold, curve, layer, and redesign. Using the same two supports and small test weights makes it easier to notice how changes in shape affect how much weight the bridge can hold.

Optional Extra Challenge
‍

Try one of these after your first bridge works:

Build a bridge using only one sheet of paper.
Use less tape in your redesign.
Make the bridge hold more weight than your first design.
Keep the bridge strong while using fewer materials.

For Caregivers: 👋

You don’t need to have the answers. Just stay curious, ask a question or two, and let your child lead when possible.

You don’t need to ask every question below; pick what feels natural.

Start Here: Get Curious Together

Have you ever crossed a bridge and wondered… how does this stay up?

Bridges help people cross water, roads, and valleys safely. Around the world, engineers design bridges in many different ways depending on the place, materials, and needs.

Choose Your Starting Point

Choose the approach that feels most interesting to your child. You can try one or explore more than one.

Story Connection

A small group of animals needs a safe way to cross from one side to the other. Can you design a bridge that helps them cross safely and stays strong?

Real-World Connection

Imagine your community needs a stronger bridge for people, bikes, or wildlife. Can you design a bridge that is safe and can hold weight?

Open Challenge

Build a bridge between two supports. How much weight can it hold, and how could you make it stronger?

‍

Make It Your Own

Choose the level of support and challenge that works for your child. These are flexible options, not age requirements.

Getting Started

Build one bridge and notice what happens. Help with folding or taping if needed. Your child can explain their idea by talking, drawing, or building.

Ready for More

Compare two designs, count how much weight each can hold, or redesign the bridge using fewer materials.

‍

Ask Your Child💬

What do you notice about bridges you’ve seen?
What do you think makes a bridge strong?
What might happen if a bridge isn’t strong enough?

Optional: Watch a short video or look at pictures of bridges together.

Meet Engineers

Engineers around the world design bridges in many different ways.

If you’re curious, you can explore a few people who have worked on bridges and structures:

Dr. Hadi Moghaddam: works on making bridges safer during earthquakes
‍
Ayanna Howard: engineer and innovator who works on large systems that support infrastructure
‍
Santiago Calatrava: designs bridges that are both strong and artistic
‍
Dr. Norbert Delatte: studies why bridges fail so we can build better ones

You might say:

“Engineers solve real problems in different ways. Today, you’re going to do the same thing.”

‍

^{Try It Out}

Ready to engineer? Design a pathway to move water from one place to another. Test your ideas and discover how you can guide the water where you want it to go! 💧

Go to Activity

At a Glance

Challenge: Explore how different shapes and supports affect the strength of a structure.
Ages: 6–10
Time: About 25–40 minutes
Engineering Field: Civil Engineering
Engineering Practice: Compare, test, and redesign
Content Focus: Shapes and supports
Caregiver Role: Encourage your child to test ideas, notice patterns, and talk about what they observe.

‍
Materials

You don’t need everything listed below. Start with the recommended materials, then substitute or add materials as your child’s ideas grow

Start With This

Paper
Tape
Straws, craft sticks, or rolled-paper tubes
A few books or small objects for testing weight

Optional

Scissors, with caregiver support as appropriate

You Can Substitute

Index cards
Thin cardboard strips
Paper tubes
Recycled paper or lightweight packaging materials

Why These Materials?
‍

These materials can be folded, rolled, connected, and arranged into different shapes. This makes it easier to compare how shape, thickness, and supports affect strength.

Optional Extra Challenge

Test two different shapes using the same amount of material.
Predict which design will hold more weight before testing.
Strengthen your structure without adding more material.
Redesign it so it holds the same weight using fewer materials.

For Caregivers: 👋

You don’t need to have the answers. Just stay curious, ask a question or two, and let your child lead when possible.

You don’t need to ask every question below; pick what feels natural.

Start Here

Look around your home or neighborhood. Buildings, bridges, towers, playgrounds, and even furniture use different shapes to stay strong and stable.

‍

Choose Your Starting Point

Choose the approach that interests your child most. You can try more than one or move between them as you explore.

Story Connection

A family is building a small shelter for their pets, but the roof keeps bending and falling down. Can you explore different shapes and supports to design a stronger structure?

Real-World Connection

Engineers need to make roofs, bridges, and buildings strong enough to hold weight safely. Can you test different shapes and supports to find out which designs are strongest?

Open Challenge

Use paper and simple materials to create and compare different structures. Which shapes hold the most weight, and how can you make them stronger?

‍

Make It Your Own

Choose the level of support and challenge that works for your child. These are flexible options, not age requirements.

Getting Started

Choose one shape to build and test. Help with folding, rolling, cutting, or taping materials if needed. Focus on noticing what happens rather than getting a “right” answer.

Ready for More

Compare two or more shapes, predict which will hold more weight, record the results, or change the supports and test again.

‍
Ask your child:💬

What shapes do you notice?
Which shapes seem strongest?
Why do you think engineers use certain shapes?

Optional: Look up examples of arches, triangles, or truss bridges together

‍
Meet Engineers

Civil and structural engineers think carefully about how shapes and supports help structures stay standing.

Fazlur Rahman Khan

Julia Morgan

Maria Garlock

Santiago Calatrava

^{Try It Out}

Ready to engineer? Design your own water filter, test how well it removes visible materials, and discover how you can improve your design!

Go to Activity

At a Glance

Challenge: Design and build the tallest stable tower you can.
Ages: 6–10
Time: About 25–40 minutes
Engineering Field: Civil Engineering
Engineering Practice: Build, test stability, and improve
Content Focus: Balance, stability, and foundations
Caregiver Role: Encourage experimentation and redesign. The tower does not need to work perfectly the first time.

Materials

You don’t need everything listed below. Start with the recommended materials, then substitute or add materials as your child’s ideas grow

Start With This
‍

For an easy starting point, choose one main building material:

Paper or plastic cups
Tape

Optional:

Ruler or measuring tape

You Can Substitute
‍

If you do not have cups, try:

Blocks
Small cardboard boxes
Rolled paper
Cardboard pieces
Other lightweight recycled materials

Why These Materials?
‍

Starting with one main type of building material makes it easier to notice how the base, balance, height, and placement of materials affect stability. After the first design, children can add or change materials as part of redesigning.

Optional Extra Challenge

Build the tallest tower that can stand on its own.
Build a tower that can hold a small object at the top.
Use the same number of pieces to create two different tower designs.
Make the base narrower while keeping the tower stable.
Measure your first tower, then redesign it to be taller without becoming less stable.

‍

For Caregivers: 👋

You don’t need to have the answers. Just stay curious, ask a question or two, and let your child lead when possible.

You don’t need to ask every question below; pick what feels natural.

Start Here

Some towers are designed to be very tall while still staying stable and safe.

‍

Choose Your Starting Point

Choose the approach that interests your child most. You can try more than one or move between them as you explore.

Story Connection

A community wants to build a tall lookout tower so people can see what is happening far away. Can you design a tower that is tall but still stable and safe?

Real-World Connection

Cities need tall structures that can stay standing through wind, movement, and changing weather. Can you design a tall tower with a strong base and good balance?

Open Challenge

Build the tallest tower you can that stays standing on its own. Test it, notice when it starts to wobble, and improve your design.

‍

Make It Your Own

Choose the level of support and challenge that works for your child. These are flexible options, not age requirements.

Getting Started

Build one tower and focus on helping it stand on its own. Help your child connect or balance materials when needed, and talk about what seems to make the tower stable.

Ready for More

Measure the tower’s height, compare different base designs, add supports, or redesign the tower to make it taller while keeping it stable.

‍

Ask your child:💬

Why do tall towers sometimes fall over?
What helps buildings stay standing?
What do engineers need to think about when designing tall structures?

You can also look at pictures of towers or skyscrapers together.

‍

Meet Engineers

Engineers design tall structures to handle wind, weather, weight, and movement.

Fazlur Rahman Khan

Zaha Hadid

William LeMessurier

‍

^{Try It Out}

Can you build the tallest tower that still stands on its own? Let's build a stable tower.

Go to Activity

At a Glance

Challenge: Build a structure and test how it responds to shaking and movement.
Ages: 6–10
Time: About 30–45 minutes
Engineering Field: Civil & Structural Engineering
Engineering Practice: Test, observe, and redesign
Content Focus: Forces, movement, and structural stability
‍Caregiver Role: Focus on testing and redesign rather than perfection.

Materials

You don’t need everything listed below. Start with the recommended materials, then substitute or add materials as your child’s ideas grow

Start With This

Blocks or cups for the structure
Tape
A tray, baking sheet, or sturdy piece of cardboard to use as the shake surface

You Can Substitute
‍

For the structure:

Small cardboard boxes
Craft sticks
Rolled paper
Lightweight recycled containers

For the shake surface:

A flat pan
A cutting board
A stiff piece of cardboard

Why These Materials?
‍

A simple building material and a movable surface let children test the same structure more than once, notice what moves or falls first, and make specific changes before testing again.

Optional Extra Challenge

Start with gentle shaking, then test a little more movement.
Change only one part of the structure before the next test.
Compare two different base designs.
Add supports or braces and see whether they make a difference.
Try to improve stability without making the structure shorter.

For Caregivers: 👋

You don’t need to have the answers. Just stay curious, ask a question or two, and let your child lead when possible.

You don’t need to ask every question below; pick what feels natural.

‍

Start Here

Some places experience earthquakes, so engineers design buildings that can better handle shaking and movement.

‍

Choose Your Starting Point

Choose the approach that interests your child most. You can try more than one or move between them as you explore.

Story Connection

A family lives in a place where the ground sometimes shakes. They need a building that can stay standing and help keep everyone safer. Can you design a structure that handles shaking?

Real-World Connection

Engineers in earthquake-prone communities design buildings to better withstand movement. Can you build, shake-test, and improve a structure to make it more stable?

Open Challenge

Build a structure on a movable surface. Test it by gently shaking the surface, observe what happens, and redesign it to improve stability.

‍

Make It Your Own

Choose the level of support and challenge that works for your child. These are flexible options, not age requirements.

Getting Started

Build one simple structure and test it with gentle shaking. Notice what moves first, then make one small change and test again.

Ready for More

Compare several structures, predict which will stay standing, try different levels of shaking, or redesign the base and supports to improve stability.

‍

Ask your child:💬

What happens during an earthquake?
Why might some buildings fall?
What could help a structure stay standing?

The emphasis here is testing and redesign—not making a perfect structure on the first try.

‍

Meet Engineers

Structural engineers study how buildings respond to forces such as earthquakes.

Dr. Hadi Moghaddam

Emily Warren Roebling

^{Try It Out}

Ready to build? Build a structure, shake it gently, and investigate what helps it stay standing.

Go to Activity

At a Glance

Challenge: Design a playground that is fun, safe, and accessible.
Ages: 6–10
Time: About 30–45 minutes
Engineering Field: Civil Engineering & Human-Centered Design
Engineering Practice: Design for people, gather feedback, and improve
Content Focus: Safety, accessibility, and user needs
Caregiver Role: Encourage creativity and conversation. There is no single “right” design.

Materials

You don’t need everything listed below. Start with the recommended materials, then substitute or add materials as your child’s ideas grow

Start With This

Paper
Pencil
Markers or crayons

Start by drawing and labeling your playground idea.

Ready to Build a Model?
Add:

Cardboard
Tape
Blocks
Small recycled materials

You Can Substitute

Index cards
Paper tubes
Craft sticks
Small boxes
Clean recycled packaging

Why These Materials?
‍

Starting with a drawing keeps the focus on ideas and the people who will use the playground. Building a model later gives children another way to test placement, movement, accessibility, and how different parts of the playground work together.

Optional Extra Challenge

Design for a child with a different need or ability.
Include a place for active play and a place for quiet/resting activities.
Ask another person for feedback and change one part of the design.
Build a model using only a limited number of materials.
Redesign one area so that more people can use it.

For Caregivers: 👋

You don’t need to have the answers. Just stay curious, ask a question or two, and let your child lead when possible.

You don’t need to ask every question below; pick what feels natural.

‍

Start here

Playgrounds are designed so children can play, explore, and stay safe. Ask what makes a playground fun, what keeps people safe there, and how a playground can work for many different children.

‍

Choose Your Starting Point

Choose the approach that interests your child most. You can try more than one or move between them as you explore.

Story Connection

A group of children wants a new playground where everyone can play, including children with different abilities and interests. Can you design a playground that is fun, safe, and welcoming for everyone?

Real-World Connection

Your community is planning a new playground and wants ideas from young designers. Can you create a playground that considers safety, accessibility, movement, and fun?

Open Challenge

Design your own playground. Think about who will use it, what features they need, and how you could improve the design after getting feedback.

‍

Make It Your Own

Choose the level of support and challenge that works for your child. These are flexible options, not age requirements.

Getting Started

Draw a simple playground idea or build a small model. Let your child focus on the features that matter most to them and explain how people would use the space.

Ready for More

Ask someone else for feedback, redesign part of the playground, add more accessibility features, or adapt the design for a different group of people.

‍

Ask Your Child: 💬

What makes a playground fun?

What helps keep people safe?

How can a playground work for many different children?

‍

Meet engineers

Engineers and designers help create parks, playgrounds, and public spaces for communities.

Maya Lin, a civil engineers who design parks and recreation spaces, and designers who focus on accessibility and inclusion.

^{Try It Out}

Ready to build? Create a playground that is fun, safe, and welcoming for many different children.

Go to Activity

Engineering Challenges

Easy

Build a Paper Bridge Design a bridge that can span a gap using just paper and tape.

30 min

Easy

Try different shapes and supports to discover which designs can hold the most weight.

40 min

Easy

Medium

Test Strength with Weights How much weight can your structure hold?

45 min

Medium

Test how your structure responds to shaking, then redesign it for greater stability.

30 min

Medium

Easy

Design a playground that is fun, safe, accessible, and welcoming for different users.

45 min

Easy

You Did It!

You’ve completed Unit 1: Structures & Bridges.

Tell Us About Your Experience

Thank you for exploring Unit 1 with your family. Your feedback helps us improve the lessons, website, and activity materials for future families. The survey takes about 5–7 minutes.

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Family Story

"We built a bridge out of cereal boves and tape. It kept falling down until we changed the triangles." Now we build better ones!
— The Nguyen Family

Smiling family of four assembling a craft project together at a wooden table outdoors.

Where will you engineer next?

Explore another collection and keep the engineering fun going.

Helping families discover the engineering that already happens in everyday life.

Engineer at Home is supported by the National Science Foundation under Award No.2520318.

Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed on this website are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

Structures & Bridges

They just don't always know it yet.

The Engineering Cycle

Engineering is a Cycle

How We’ll Engineer

What You'll Explore

About This Collection

Key concepts

Stability

Strength

WeightDistribution

Shapes & Supports

Testing & Redesign

What you'll need

Most activities use simple household materials. Gather what you have, substitute when needed, and keep it easy for your family.

The lessons

Engineering Challenges

^Stability

^Strength

^{Weight
Distribution}

^{Shapes & Supports}

^{Testing & Redesign}