16 Engineering Activities for Preschoolers

Are you curious how to teach engineering to preschoolers?   Engineering doesn’t have to be a scary word, phrase or term within our vocabulary.  Also it is not a learning style we should avoid because we feel like it’s only for elementary students or older.

Engineering is a process to solve problems.

Engineering is the process by which young children discover how the things in their world are built and how they work.

In the end: The goal of engineering is problem solving.

Today I’m sharing some great activities with you all to encourage engineering and problem solving for your preschoolers.

16 Engineering Activities for Preschoolers

Sixth Bloom – Alphabet Towers – Maximize indoor play time with having some “hands-on” learning activities.  Play-doh and ABC Letters can encourage engineering, fine motor skills, art, math and the skill of problem solving.

Sixth Bloom – Build a Bird Feeder – This Preschool Engineering project, building a bird feeder, is fun and enhances early education learning through exploration.  Give your young minds materials to engineer and build with, as we learn through this preschool engineering project .  We are firm believers of STEAM activities for preschoolers so you can brighten the future of our little ones world.

Little Bins for Little Hands – A simple Summer STEAM Activity with Pool noodles and shaving cream that kids will enjoy this summer! Pool noodles are everywhere once the warm weather hits.  A simple and inexpensive way to teach engineering to preschoolers.

Pink Stripey Socks – Are you looking for an easy, open-ended prompt to encourage children’s play and creativity?  How about a building challenge?  We’ve designed and built playdough and rock houses , cardboard bridges, boats from recycled materials, and super hero hideouts.  Today, we’re engineering and building a zoo!

Buggy and Buddy – In this STEM challenge, kids will create a Hexbug maze using straws, tape, and poster board!  It’s a super easy STEM activity to set up and gives children the opportunity to plan, build, and problem solve.

Buggy and Buddy  – This egg drop project is one of the most anticipated STEM and science activities of the year at school. Check out this year’s egg drop designs created by fourth grade students to get some inspiration for your own egg drop ideas and be sure to print out the free printable planning and recording sheets.

Teach Me Mommy –  This is a fun fine motor activity that can be turned into a family challenge- see who can engineer the highest tower!  Let the fun begin! Stack as many buttons and beads as you can! You can do it in any order as long as it does not topple over. Count how many buttons and beads you used then compare it to the other players.

Sixth Bloom – Build a Rain Gauge – Weather science is a fun activity for kids of all ages.  This STEAM activity includes all major elements of STEAM, including science, technology, engineering, art and math! Use this rain gauge activity to add to a complete weather unit study for even more weather learning fun!

Kids Craft Room – If your kids are anything like mine then you’ve probably got a constant hoard of sticks leaning up by your back door! What is it with kids and sticks? Natural magnetism to be sure!  Why not put some of them to good use with this Stick Raft Building STEM Project? (Science, Technology, Engineering & Maths) It’s a great way for kids to engage with Nature, learn new skills and have fun!

From Engineer to SAHM – I’m teaching my oldest son about different types of engineers. By helping him learn what different types of engineers do, I’m hoping he’ll have a better idea what an engineer really is! To teach him about being a process engineer, I created a simple game called “How’s it Made?”!

School Time Snippets –  Build a Rainbow STEM Activity – Rainbows are a classic spring theme.  Using beads, challenge your young kiddos in this rainbow STEM activity by having them build a rainbow.  This activity works on fine motor skills, patterning, and weaves in math and engineering skills.

Sixth Bloom –  Sprout House – learn to engineer a sprout house for a science project with toothpicks and sponges.  The kids creativity will soar!

The Preschool Tool Box Blog – Mondrian-Inspired Play dough Challenge- STEAM Education integrates the arts into STEM by recognizing that individual creative expression and quest for knowledge is an integral part the disciplines of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math!  STEAM Education compels kids to use cross-disciplinary  skills to gain new knowledge that they can apply to their everyday world.   Come explore how integrated learning can be EXCITING and FUN for kids through a STEAM Mondrian-Inspired Play dough Challenge for Kids!

Rainy Day Mum – Kids love making paper airplanes. It’s such a quick and easy way to spend the afternoon. It’s also the perfect STEAM activity. Take your paper airplane making session to the next level by designing a paper airplane experiment.

The Mama Workshop – Have fun making the peddler and stacking play-doh hats with your little ones!

Sixth Bloom – Cheerio Towers – Engineering Preschool Activities Engineering Preschool Activities are fun hands-on activities for toddlers and preschoolers to learn the concepts behind STEAM activities for preschoolers which include Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math.  Engaging early learners in preschool engineering projects strengthens their skills for years to come.

Sixth Bloom – Engineering Jelly Bean Shapes – Using toothpicks and jelly beans to build and engineer shapes as well as towers.

We are a husband and wife team, pairing our strengths together to teach our preschooler in the most fun and engaging way we possibly can.  The mister is a high school educator at Northlake Christian school in Covington Louisiana and over the Innovation Center, which is all things STEAM.  I am a SAHM that blogs pretty much everything we do in our little paradise, from what we eat, to where we travel to how we teach our little one.  We hope you are inspired to incorporate STEAM into learning with your children.