Some of the team delivered a session to the local Scout Squirrel Drey with the aim of introducing young children to the fundamental ideas behind engineering in an engaging, age appropriate, and hands on way.
The session began with a simple discussion about what engineering is and where engineers can be found in everyday life. The children were encouraged to share their own ideas, which helped frame engineering as something familiar rather than abstract.
The core of the session focused on a few hands on design and build challenges. The children were encouraged to think about:
- What they were trying to build
- What materials might work best
- How their design could be improved
They explored basic design principles such as stability, shape, and strength without using technical language. This allowed them to experiment freely and learn through trial and error.
A key element of the session was teamwork. The children worked together in small groups, learning to:
- Share ideas
- Take turns
- Listen to each other
- Solve disagreements constructively
This reinforced the idea that engineering is rarely a solo activity and that collaboration plays a major role in successful outcomes. EB supported the groups by asking guiding questions rather than providing solutions, allowing the children to develop confidence in their own ideas.
Once the building phase was complete, the children tested their creations. Testing was presented as a positive and exciting step rather than a judgement of success or failure. When something did not work as expected, the children were encouraged to think about:
- Why it didn’t work
- What could be changed
- How the design might be improved
This introduced the concept of iteration, improving designs through testing which is a fundamental engineering process.
Towards the end of the session, the focus shifted to safety and real world engineering environments. The children were introduced to common items of Personal Protective Equipment, including:
- Hard hats
- Gloves
- Safety goggles
They were given the opportunity to try the PPE on, which generated enthusiasm and helped reinforce the importance of safety when working in engineering settings.
By the end of the session, the children had:
- Gained a basic understanding of what engineering is
- Experienced the design, build, test process firsthand
- Developed teamwork and communication skills
- Learned the importance of safety in engineering.
How Exciting!
