What the workshop is for

The aim is not to teach formulas. Children aged 7 to 12 should leave able to describe a force as a push or a pull, notice that shape changes strength, and explain one change they made to their design and why.

Engineering adds a second habit: working to a brief with limits. When materials are restricted, children have to think before they tape, and a collapse becomes information rather than a disappointment.

Children take away their test records, the knowledge that folding and rolling make paper stronger and a design they improved themselves.

Sample session: the paper bridge (60 minutes)

Suitable for 8 to 16 children working in pairs. Materials per pair: 10 sheets of A4 paper, 50 cm of masking tape, two stacks of books set 20 cm apart, a small paper cup, and a bag of coins or metal washers for loading.

• 0-10 min: Lay one flat sheet across the gap and add a coin. It sags at once. Ask pairs to predict how many coins a folded sheet could hold.

• 10-20 min: Quick tests. Fold a sheet into a zigzag, roll one into a tube, fold one into a U-shaped channel. Load each and record the number of coins.

• 20-45 min: Build. Each pair designs a bridge using only their allowance, then tests it by adding coins to the cup one at a time.

• 45-55 min: Improve. Pairs change one thing only and test again, recording both results.

• 55-60 min: Share. Each pair names the change that made the biggest difference.

Safety and practical notes

Keep loading at table height so nothing heavy falls far. Scissors should be round-ended for younger groups. Collect coins or washers at the end and count them, especially if younger siblings are nearby, as small metal items are a choking risk.

Set a clear rule that only the builders touch their own bridge during testing. It reduces arguments and keeps the results fair.

Adapting for different ages

For 6 and 7 year olds, drop the recording sheet and use a tally on the board. Let them compare just two shapes, flat and folded. For 10 to 12 year olds, add a cost: each sheet costs two points and each strip of tape one point, and the winning bridge holds the most coins per point.

Older children can also draw a labelled diagram showing where the bridge bent first. That links the activity to the idea of load and support without needing technical vocabulary.

Key points

• Start with a quick failure so children see the problem before they solve it.

• Limit materials so design choices matter.

• Ask for one change at a time and a result for each.

• Finish with children explaining their best idea in their own words.

Ready-made resources

Printable session plans and materials for this topic are available from EduTrend Contents: W4C-110 Physics & Engineering Clubs.

Photos: Vitaly Gariev, ONUR KURT / Unsplash