《Awesome Engineering Activities for Kids》包含50多个引人入胜的STEAM练习 让孩子

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在人工智能、工程技术飞速发展的今天，越来越多的家长意识到：
工程素养不只是未来职业选择，更是孩子解决问题能力的重要基础。

如果你正在寻找一本既能激发孩子兴趣、又能真正“动手学工程”的英文原版书，那么这本
《Awesome Engineering Activities for Kids》 非常值得关注。

一、这本书是做什么的？
《Awesome Engineering Activities for Kids》是一册面向儿童的工程实践活动书，以真实、可操作的工程任务为核心，引导孩子像工程师一样思考、设计、测试和改进。

与“只讲原理”的科普书不同，这本书强调：

工程不是看懂的，而是做出来的。

孩子将通过一系列有趣的挑战项目，亲手体验工程师的工作方式。

孩子们可以自己做的活动——通过牙签塔和纸杯电话等项目，让孩子们的工程变得简单有趣，这些项目使用了常见且便宜的家用材料，让他们随时都能玩耍和学习。
STEAM的力量——课程基于科学、技术、工程、艺术和数学，向孩子们展示这些东西无处不在，帮助他们成为更好的问题解决者和逻辑思考者。
工程基础——孩子们将通过简要的工程类型介绍、他们的工作内容以及成为工程师所需的知识，全面学习工程知识。

通过帮助孩子们学习、成长和创造力的练习，打开工程的世界。



二、核心内容与结构
全书围绕工程设计流程（Engineering Design Process）展开，通常包括以下关键步骤：

提出问题（Ask）

想办法（Imagine）

设计方案（Plan）

动手制作（Create）

测试与改进（Improve）

书中的每一个活动，都会自然融入这套流程，帮助孩子建立系统化的工程思维。

常见活动主题包括：
结构工程：

设计能承重的桥梁

搭建稳定的高塔

机械与运动：

制作简易机器

研究力与运动的关系

材料与设计：

对比不同材料的强度与用途

在限制条件下完成设计挑战

现实问题解决：

如何让结构更牢固？

如何在有限材料下达到最佳效果？



三、为什么它特别适合小学生？
1️⃣ 真正“以孩子为中心”的工程书
使用清晰、简洁的英文表达

每个任务都有明确目标和步骤说明

配有直观插图，降低理解门槛

即使是没有工程背景的孩子和家长，也可以轻松上手。

2️⃣ 材料简单，居家可操作
书中大多数活动所需材料都非常日常，例如：

纸张、吸管、纸杯

橡皮筋、胶带

纸板、回收材料

不需要复杂器材，也不依赖实验室环境，非常适合家庭亲子实践或学校课堂拓展。

3️⃣ 强调“失败也是学习的一部分”
书中反复引导孩子：

测试失败是正常的

工程设计可以不断修改

改进方案比一次成功更重要



这对培养孩子的：

抗挫折能力

批判性思维

成长型思维模式

都非常有价值。

图片
Have you ever played with a foosball table? Colorful figures are spun around as opponents play a miniature soccer game. While it is fun to play, there is also a lot you can learn about physics from the game. You will engineer your own mini foosball game in this challenge.

TIME: 45 MINUTES

DIFFICULTY LEVEL: CHALLENGING

MATERIALS NEEDED:

Permanent markers

10 clothespins

Shoebox

Ruler

Scissors

Hole punch

4 wood skewers

Marble

Colorful tape (optional)

CAUTION: Wood skewers have sharp, pointy ends. You may want to have an adult snip the ends off for you.

CAUTION: Marbles are a choking hazard for young children. Make sure all marbles are safely put away after this activity.

THE STEPS:

1 . Start by making your foosball characters. Choose 2 different colors of permanent markers. Make 5 clothespins one color and 5 clothespins the other color.

2 . Remove the lid from the shoebox.

3 . Use your ruler to draw a rectangle on each end of the shoebox, measuring 2 inches long and 1 inch tall. The rectangles should be centered along the bottom of the box’s ends.

Cut out both rectangles you drew. These will be the goals for your foosball game.

5 . Use your ruler to measure the length of your shoebox and determine where the middle is. Mark this on both sides of your shoebox.

6 . On one side of your box, draw a line 1½ inches to the right of where you marked the middle, going from the top of the box to the bottom. Then draw a line 1½ inches to the left of the middle marker. Repeat this on the other side of the box.

7 . Now measure 3 inches up from the bottom of the box along these 2 lines and punch a hole. Do this on both sides of the box.

8 . Thread a wood skewer through each of the 2 sets of holes from one side of the box to the other side so the skewers hang across the box. The skewers should hang evenly and be parallel with each other.

9 . Now measure 2 inches to the right of the right skewer and draw another line from the top of the box to the bottom. Do this on both sides of the box.

10 . Measure 2 inches to the left of the left skewer and make another line from top to bottom. Do this on both sides of the box.

11 . Once again, punch holes 3 inches up from the bottom of the box along these new lines. Thread the remaining 2 skewers through these holes. Make sure these new skewers hang straight and are parallel to the others.

12 . Clip 3 clothespins to each of the inner skewers. Make sure you clip 3 of the same color to each. Place one clothespin in the center and space the other 2 evenly on both sides.

13 . Clip the other 2 of each color onto the remaining skewers so all of the clothespins of one color hang on one side of the box and all the clothespins of the other color are on the other side of the box.

14 . If desired, you can decorate the outside of the box with colorful tape. Be sure not to cover the holes!

15 . To play, place the marble in the center of the box. Rotate the skewers back and forth to hit the marble with your clothespin foosball characters. Try to hit the marble into your opponent’s goal.

S T E A M CONNECTION : In this mechanical engineering project, you are using all the elements of STEAM. You use science as you deal with energy, levers, and the laws of motion. You are using the technology of clothespins (which are a type of lever themselves). Art is involved as you color the foosball characters. And you are also using math when you measure and make sure the skewers are parallel to one another.

Hows & Whys: The clothespins in your foosball game are a type of lever. The wood skewers are acting as the fulcrums for the levers. When the clothespin hits the marble, it causes the marble to roll. This is an example of Newton’s First Law of Motion (inertia), which says an object at rest will stay at rest unless acted upon by an outside force. Your game is also an example of potential and kinetic energy.

EXTENSIONS:

What happens if you substitute a pom-pom for the marble? Is it easier or harder to hit it into the goal?

Can you design something to catch the marble when it goes into the goal?

Notes from the Field

“As a research and development engineer, I come in to work every day and face a new challenge—sometimes it’s something no one in the world has tried before. It’s exciting, it’s fun, and it’s empowering.”

—Maggie Connell, chemical engineer

四、对家长来说，这本书能带来什么？
对于小学生家长而言，这本书不仅是“活动指南”，更是一个高质量的STEM启蒙工具：

帮助孩子从“照着做”转向“自己想”

培养逻辑思维与问题拆解能力

为后续学习科学、物理、编程打下基础

非常适合作为：

周末家庭项目

寒暑假学习补充

英文原版 STEM 阅读材料



五、适合人群建议
年龄段：小学中高年级（约 7–12 岁）

适合孩子：

对搭建、制作、实验感兴趣

喜欢“动手胜过刷题”的孩子

适合家长：

希望孩子接触工程与STEM

寻找高质量英文非虚构读物




《Awesome Engineering Activities for Kids》不是一本“讲工程的书”，
而是一本让孩子亲身成为小小工程师的书。

如果你希望孩子在快乐中学习、在实践中思考、在失败中成长，
这本书会是非常值得入手的一本工程启蒙读物。