Free Resources About Engineering

How many of us are actually sure what an engineer actually does? We know it is a pretty cool profession, but explaining that to our kids can be a little tricky unless we do our research. If you are teaching your kids with STEM/STEAM (Science, Technology Engineering, Art, Mathematics) or want to expose your kids to basic engineering, these free resources about engineering will be perfect for your homeschool.

Thinking about our child’s future.

I have to admit that I am a pusher, and not really ashamed about it. I am pushing my son (10-years-old) to explore engineering projects. No worries, I promise not to go overboard.

For quite some time, my son wanted to be a superhero. Then a couple of years ago, his grandpa (a highly educated and high government official) asked him what he wanted to be when he grew up. My son said – a bus driver.

Now, a bus driver is a great and perfectly respectable profession. However, where we live in a second world country, bus drivers own their buses, which are run down, running on fumes, and look downright dangerous.

The buses have no doors, people hang over the side of them, and people pay to ride for pennies on the dollar.

All we could do was laugh and tell him he would make a great bus driver. We told him that he would be the best bus driver there was. Maybe he could even revamp the public transportation system here. That would be awesome! We have high hopes.

Now, he is getting into building things and creating makeshift tools. I am pretty excited he is interested in the very beginnings of what we call engineering.

What is engineering?

Engineering is the art of solving real-world problems by using the sciences and mathematics. I didn’t know just how much engineers do, but we found that they had many different disciplines, including civil engineering, electrical, transportation, chemical, mechanical to biomedical engineering. I literally found more than 40 different types of engineering.

When you stop to research what engineers do, you will see that they can be considered scientists, mathematicians, inventors, artists, architects, and definitely creative thinkers thinking outside of the box most of the time.

You will not want to miss this list of 10 Cool Things Engineers Do (with FREE printable reading passage). My son thought the list was “so cool,” especially when he saw the roller coasters and robotics.

Engineering in homeschool.

Thankfully we have resources to teach our children about basic engineering with amazing tools online. Providing kids with various activities, even if only one a month of STEM, will introduce them to the world of engineering and the critical thinking thought process.

Engineering projects are super cool and fun. They get kids engaged and produce a feeling of accomplishment right through the finished product or activity.

Here are a few tips for introducing your kids to engineering at home:

1. Explain to them what engineering is and who engineers are. Videos work great to explain what an engineer does. Check out this introduction to engineering videos from Generation Genius and NASA.

2. Teach your kids about the Engineering Design Process. There is a huge list of free resources and printables below to help you.

3. Put simple engineering challenges and activities into practice. Free resources can also be found below.

Explore these free resources about engineering to help you teach your kids:

28 Kid-Friendly Shows & Movies All About Engineering

Mini-Quest FREEBIE (Includes animated videos of an engineer, brainstorming worksheets, and more) | Growingeers

Engineering Science with The World’s Tallest Buildings Unit Study | Starts at Eight

25 Activities & Resources for Teens Interested in Engineering Careers | iHomeschoolNetwork

Teach Engineering Through Simple & Engaging Activities | TryEngineering

FREE The Engineering Design Poster for Kids | Fuel Great Minds

FREE Famous People Mini Quiz Pack Vol. 18 – Irish Engineers and Inventors

10 Inspiring Engineering Books for Kids | Growing Curious Minds

FREE Basketball Tower STEM Challenge | Laura Candler’s Teaching Resources

Practical Engineering Challenge with Apples | 123Homeschool4Me

5 Days Of Engineering Challenges – The Homeschool Scientist | The Homeschool Scientist

Our Favorite Engineering and Math Manipulatives for Kids | Arts & Crackers

Engineering Challenge: Building Bridges | Brooks Free Library Youth

35 Fun DIY Engineering Projects for Kids | BIG DIY Ideas

Five Engineering Challenges with KEVA Planks | Frugal Fun for Boys and Girls

100 Engineering Projects For Kids | The Homeschool Scientist

Top 10 STEM Space Engineering Challenges and Activities | Vivify STEM

Fairy Tale STEM FREE Printable: Literature-Based Math and Engineering | Math Geek Mama

Popsicle Stick Bridge Engineering Activity | Mommy Evolution

FREE Sugar Cube Engineering Challenges | Growing a STEM Classroom

Hands-On Science Investigations: Help Harry! | The Teacher Studio

Engineering Inquiry and Cooperative Group Work | The Teacher Studio

Engineering Feats: Hands-On Learning | Family-Style Schooling

STEM for Kids: Straw Rockets (with FREE Rocket Template) | Buggy and Buddy

Teaching The Engineering Design Process | STEM Activities for Kids

Spring Engineering Activities and FREE Printables with Jelly Beans | Teaching with Jennifer Findley

Fall Engineering Activities and Challenges for Upper Elementary | Teaching with Jennifer Findley

3 FREE Activities about Engineers | Engineer to Stay at Home Mom

The Ultimate List of Fun Engineering Activities for Kids | STEAMsational

Clothespin Airplane Engineering Challenge | 123Homeschool4Me

Engineering Activities for Kids to Get Their Hands On | Fun-a-Day

13 LEGO STEM Activities for Young Engineers | Mama in the Now

6 FREE Engineering Units | Only Passionate

FREE Engineering Units Grades 3-8 | Eclectic Homeschooling

Junior Engineer Intro. and FREE Printables | Doodles and Jots

Building Bridges: Picture Books for My STEAMers | Line upon Line Learning

12 Brilliant DIY Engineering Project for Kids | hello, Wonderful

Hands-on Engineering STEM Projects for Kids | Instructables Living

Engineering Adventures 10 Curriculum Units | EIE

15+ Genius Ideas – Engineering for Preschoolers | Preschool Powol Packets

Grab these FREE printable resources about engineering to use alongside your lessons and activities.

FREE Architects & Engineers Vol. 2 Notebooking Journal

FREE Printables for Engineering | Hip Homeschool Moms

FREE Elementary Engineering Framework What’s Your Problem? | Simone Ryals

Reverse Engineering FREE Printable Worksheets | The Homeschool Scientist

STEM Quiz, What Kind of Engineer Should You Be? (FREE) | Spacefem.com

Engineering Design Process Posters FREE | Teachers are Terrific

Download FREE Engineering Design Process Posters | Momgineer

Engineering Process FREE Flip Book | Simply STEAM

FREE Engineering Design Poster | Elementary Inquiry

FREEBIE! The Engineering Design Process (Science) | Science for Kids by Sue Cahalane

STEM Worksheets (FREE Printables) | Little Bins, Little Hands

National Engineers Week FREE Posters | STEM Activities for Kids

STEM Engineering Process Posters – FREE | Science Demo Guy

FREEBIE! Engineering Design Process Poster – 7 designs | Susan Morrow

Engineering Design Process FREEBIE | Taryn Nicholson

Your kids will enjoy these engineering games and apps:

List of Engineering Apps For Kids | Sunshine, and Hurricanes

10 Engineering Games and Apps for Kids | Learning Lift-Off

We may have felt that the subject of engineering was something children could decide on only when they are in college. With the introduction of STEAM learning and access to information, kids can explore fun engineering challenges right from home, today.

The idea of education and learning no longer fits into a traditional one-dimensional box but can transcend into fun learning experiences instead.