I babysat my grandbaby this week and pulled out the letter B activities from the Peaceful Preschool (Volume 2 coming soon!)
I had paper plates, construction paper, glue and popsicle sticks on hand, so we set out to make a bunny mask.
However, when we got the beautiful ears glued to the plate, I realized they weren't going to stand up, so we fastened large popsicle sticks to the back.
Then the plate was flopping over when we stapled the popsicle stick to the bottom so we needed to fasten it in a different spot.
And it reminded me that crafts are engineering projects.
When we think about developing engineering skills, we might picture complex math problems, coding challenges, or building intricate machines. But often, the very first steps toward becoming a confident builder and problem-solver happen much earlier — with simple crafts.
Crafting isn’t just about creativity; it’s also about critical thinking, planning, and troubleshooting — the very skills that engineers use every day. Every time a child tackles a craft project, they’re learning to work with materials, understand structures, and find solutions when things don’t go exactly as planned.
In the case of the bunny mask, without even realizing it, we had walked through several steps that mirror an engineering design process:
• Identifying the problem: Floppy bunny ears.
• Brainstorming solutions: Different materials and methods to make them stand up.
• Testing ideas: Trying out card stock, staples, and eventually popsicle sticks.
• Iterating: Adjusting the design by trimming the sticks to just the right length.
• Success! A finished product that solved the original challenge.
Crafts like this build a natural understanding of material properties (what is flexible, strong, lightweight), structure (what supports weight, what needs reinforcement), and problem-solving (what to do when the first idea doesn’t work).
Encouraging Engineering Thinking at Home
If you want to encourage your children’s engineering instincts, crafts are a perfect place to start.
Simply open to the weekly project in the Peaceful Press curriculum and brainstorm the best solution with your children.
You’ll be amazed at how much “engineering” is happening at the craft table — and how these small, playful challenges lay the groundwork for big, future skills.
And who knows? Today’s floppy-eared bunny mask might just inspire tomorrow’s skyscraper or rocket ship.