Category: Lil Engineers

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Balanced Mobile

Balanced Mobile!

Learn about balance while making a decoration

Balanced Mobile!

Learn about balance while making a decoration

Create a free-hanging sculpture that moves in the air!

Materials

  • String or yarn
  • Scissors
  • Pencil
  • Straws
  • Holepunch
  • Paper or card
  • Optional template (download here)
  • Tape (just in case something breaks or tears)

Instructions

Step 1:
Draw some shapes onto the pieces card, or download our template to use as stencils.

Step 2:
Cut the shapes out and punch a hole in each one

Step 3:
Grab a piece of yarn or string (approximately 30cm) and tie around the middle of the straw, adjust the string so the straw balances flat. If the straw is leaning down to one side, which way do you need to move the string across?

Step 3:
Grab some more pieces of yarn (around 30cm) and tie them to the shapes using the hole.

Now tie them one by one to the end of the straw, what happens when you tie just one? The straw dips down to the heavy side. What happens when you tie one to the other side? Does it balance out?

Can you move the shapes across to make it perfectly level?

Can you balance an odd number of shapes?

Keep experimenting to learn how different weights can affect the strings balance.

If you are up to a challenge, tie another straw cross-ways to the first one and add shapes to that as well!

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Newspaper Constructions

Newspaper Constructions!

What can you make with just three items?

Newspaper Constructions!

What can you make with just three items?

Get your engineering hat on and see what you can build with newspaper!

Materials

  • Newspaper
  • Scissors
  • Masking tape

Instructions

Tear the newspaper into strips and roll up tightly to create beams. Assemble using masking tape!

Can you build a platform?

How strong can you make it?

If it is not strong enough to hold an apple, what reinforcements can you make to strengthen it?

Can you build a bridge?

Can you make it strong enough for a toy car to travel across? What about multiple cars?

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Shoebox Marble Maze

Shoebox Marble Maze!

Make your own game

Shoebox Marble Maze!

Make your own game

A creative activity that can keep you occupied for ages! It provides an opportunity to plan, design and construct your own game.

Materials

  • Paddlepop sticks and/or paper straws
  • A marble
  • Tape
  • Scissors
  • Shoebox – preferrably one with a lid that comes seperate
  • Pencil and eraser
  • Marker

Instructions

Step 1:
Using the lid of a shoebox (or if possible cut the shoebox down to be more shallow, the box I used was quite deep which made it a little tricky to stick the paddlepop sticks down).

Draw the start, finish, and where the walls for your maze will go. For an extra challenge – draw some spots where you can cut a hole for the marble to fall out (game over – start from the beginning!)

Step 2:
Cut and stick the walls of the maze down using sticky tape, and carefilly cut holes where the marble will fall through

Step 3:
Using the marker, write start and finish

Pick up the marble maze with two hands and place the marble at the start. Carefully moving and tilting the box around, can you get the marble to the finish?

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Conveyor Belt

Conveyor Belt!

Made from household items

This fun little activity is a great way to demonstrate how such an integral system component such as the conveyor belt, follows rather simple properties.

Materials

  • 2 x rubber bands
  • 2 pieces of scrap paper
  • 1 milk carton
  • 2 x fat pens (must be longer than the width of the carton, from the start of the cap to the end of the pen – see step 3 for what I mean)
  • Scissors
  • Tape
  • Spare cardboard – for reinforcements

Instructions

Step 1:
Wash and dry the carton

Step 2:
Cut the spout end of the carton, and one of the faces:

Step 3:
Poke two holes on each side, making sure you line them up as best you can. Make the holes wide enough to fit the markers through

Step 4:
Pull the markers back out from the second hole, and wrap a rubber band around each one tightly, and then slot back into the hole

Step 5:
Cut a piece of paper shorter than the width of the carton. You may need to attach another piece of paper the same width to the end to make it longer.

Step 6:
Feed the paper around the pens and pull it taut then tape together. Also tape the edges of the spare paper that is inside the conveyor belt to tuck it away.

Step 7:  Feel free to decorate the belt!

Your conveyor belt is ready to operate! Start off with light items, then progress to heavier ones. Will it need any reinforcements? If so, use the spare cardboard, and figure out the best way to improve it’s structural integrity.

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