35 min
Frozen Treasure Excavation
Freeze small toys in a tub of water and let them dig them out.
🎯
Cardboard Marble Run
Kitchen roll tubes taped to a wall, and a marble that keeps falling out.
A real engineering problem with instant feedback: either the marble makes it to the bottom or it does not.
Ce qu’il vous faut
- cardboard tubes
- masking tape
- a marble or small ball
- scissors
- a wall or large box
Comment faire
- Cut some cardboard tubes in half lengthways to make open channels.
- Tape the first one to a wall or the side of a large box, sloping downwards.
- Drop the marble in and see where it comes out.
- Add the next section wherever the marble actually lands, not where you planned.
- Keep going until the marble reaches the floor without escaping.
Pourquoi c’est bon pour eux
This is iterative problem solving with immediate, unambiguous feedback, which is rare and valuable. Children learn that a design that fails is information rather than a mistake, and that adjusting one section is more effective than starting again.
Adapter selon l’âge
4 to 5 yearsTwo sections only, and tape them yourself while they direct.
10 to 12 yearsAdd a rule: it must include one loop, or the marble must take at least five seconds.
Sécurité
Marbles are a choking hazard. Do not use this with under-threes in the house. Adult does the cutting.
Astuce rangement
Masking tape peels off paint cleanly. Test one strip first if the wall is freshly painted.
Dans le même esprit
30 min
Paper Aeroplane Testing Lab
Three designs, one tape measure, and an argument about which flies furthest.
25 min
Draw What You Can See
One window, one pencil, twenty minutes of genuine quiet.
25 min
Tallest Straw Tower
Twenty straws, some tape, and one rule: it has to stand on its own.
30 min
Origami Jumping Frog
Fold it in five minutes, then race it across the table for half an hour.
30 min
Build a Card House
One deck of cards and enormous patience.