STEM Challenge Printables

Choose one build-and-test activity

Children make a first design, try it under agreed conditions, change one feature and test again. Use one challenge for the session so there is time to revise it. These three existing resources each have a two-page A4 printable: a child-facing planning sheet and educator guidance.

• Paper Bridge Design Challenge: span a 20-centimetre gap between stable supports. Add identical lightweight counters, note what bends or moves, then change one feature. Gather paper, tape, two stable stacks of books, a ruler and counters.
• Foil Boat Capacity Challenge: shape a foil boat, predict its capacity and add identical counters one at a time. Record where water enters before reshaping or rebuilding. Gather equal-sized foil sheets, a shallow water tray, counters, towels and a waterproof work surface.
• Straw Tower Engineering Challenge: make a freestanding tower from paper straws and tape, measure its height and try a gentle table tap. Observe which joint moves before revising it. Gather equal small bundles of paper straws, tape and a ruler; use a stable clear table.

The resources suggest ages 6–12. Choose by the group’s familiarity with the tools and test rather than age alone. Check actual supplies and supervision before offering the activity. A paper bridge is a useful starting option when water trays are unavailable.

Prepare before children arrive

Allow around 10 minutes to print the selected guide, gather supplies and set out one test area. Try the test yourself so the supports, tray or table are ready. Reserve enough material for a second version. Put pencils and a shared recording sheet beside each work area; individual sheets are optional.

Keep walking routes clear. Use lightweight counters and stable bridge supports, and move fingers clear before adding a load. For boats, supervise the shallow water tray, manage spills promptly and check whether small counters are suitable for the children present. For towers, use straws as construction materials only; supervise any cutting and collect fallen pieces. Apply your setting’s procedures to the actual equipment and group.

Run a 45-minute session

This example includes making, revision and pack-up. Shorten it or pause unfinished work when the group needs more time; it is not a promise that every design will be completed.

1. First 5 minutes: show the materials and explain the chosen test. Invite a prediction. Demonstrate adding one counter or making one gentle table tap without giving children a design to copy.
2. Next 10 minutes: draw or explain a first idea and build it. Offer builder, materials helper, recorder or observer roles. Children can change roles, work alongside a partner or pass.
3. Next 5 minutes: test the first version and record what happened. For a bridge or boat, count the counters using the same loading method each time. For a tower, measure from the table and describe what moved.
4. Next 10 minutes: choose one feature to change, explain the choice and make the revision. Keep the comparison conditions steady: bridge gap and counter type; foil area, counter type and loading method; or tower materials, table and test method.
5. Next 5 minutes: test again. Compare the two results and describe what changed. A smaller count or a fallen tower is still a result to discuss.
6. Final 10 minutes: invite a short explanation, sort reusable materials and clear the test area. Empty trays with adult help and dry the surface. Offer somewhere to keep an unfinished design if possible.

Change the task for your group

For children new to building, shorten the bridge gap, help shape a foil base, or offer rolled paper tubes and pre-cut tape for a tower. Keep the same easier conditions for both tests. An adult can count while a child places counters or points to a result.

Older or experienced children can compare two base shapes, limit the paper or tape available, or explain which connection they expect to move. Change one constraint at a time. Avoid turning the results into a ranking of children or teams.

Offer drawing, speaking, pointing or a scribe instead of written answers. An observer can describe what bent, leaked or moved. Keep a quieter place for sketching and permission to stop. Do not require names or personal explanations on a shared display.

Ask about the evidence

Useful questions are “What stayed the same?”, “Which part changed?” and “What happened in the second test?” Record the child’s explanation or the visible design change. Completing the sheet does not demonstrate that a learning outcome has been achieved, and a single test does not establish a general rule about every bridge, boat or tower.

Use the activity feedback sheet builder if you want children to suggest a change to the materials or instructions. Use the program planner to record preparation, equipment and a quieter alternative for the session.

Print the selected resource

Open the chosen activity page to preview both pages and download its existing PDF. These three downloads are A4; check the print preview on a Letter printer and use fit to printable area if an edge would otherwise be clipped. Keep the writing and drawing spaces large enough to use. This guide does not add a separate Letter edition or change the original downloads.