Engineering for Kids | Building with Jelly Beans

If you have been a regular around here, you know just how much we love building with different materials. We love any sort of project that encourages engineering for kids. We have built with pumpkins, hearts, gumdrops and now jelly beans. Each time we change our challenge just a tad. This time the challenge was to “build”.

Engineering with Jelly Beans

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Building Structures with Jelly Beans

Building structures with marshmallows is a classic engineering project for all ages. We absolutely love building with toothpicks and candies. It is quick and simple and loads of fun! Normally, we do several challenges along with our building, however this time around, we wanted to “grow” our creations. You can choose to lead your children in an activity or let them freely explore.

Setting up the Experiment

Building with Jelly Beans

Materials:

Toothpicks

Jelly Beans

Building Blocks with Jelly Beans

Jellybean Building

As with most of the projects I give the boys, I let them lead. This project was no different. I never imagined that my 7 year old would decide to make building blocks for his project. In fact, we made a challenge to build using 100 jelly beans and toothpicks but this is what he turned it into instead. I am glad he did, because the results were really cool!

Jellybean engineering Lesson

Building with Jelly Beans Structures

It was really cool when he was finished, because the learning was just beginning. Once he built around 20 cubes he was ready to build on a another level completely. This time he took the blocks and built towers, buildings, and structures. He enjoyed making his towers grow as he tested and balanced the blocks.

Building with Jellybeans

The blocks lasted over a month and became a permanent art fixture in our living room when he was done. I just love how this simple science/math project of building with jelly beans turned into such a great expression of creativity!

STEAM Power Yellow

This post is the last week in month long series with some of my favorite bloggers who all love STEAM. Because learning with Science, Technology, Engineering, Art & Math gives kids the power to do almost anything they can dream up. This week is all about ways to Grow.

DIY Salt Crystal Landscape  //  Babble Dabble Do

All About Tinker Trays  //  Meri Cherry

14 Activities with Balloons  //  All For the Boys

Transforming Ninja Star  //  What Do We Do All Day?

How to Grow Aragonite Crystals  //  TinkerLab

Frugal Fun For Boys

 

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24 thoughts on “Engineering for Kids | Building with Jelly Beans”

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  3. How fun! We will have to try this this week since we’ll have jellybeans on hand 🙂

  4. Great way to use some of those Easter jelly beans! There are so many great, simple and engaging engineering ideas. It’s really just limited to our imagination. Thanks for sharing! I’m enjoying your blog.

  5. great idea! but I’m sure my kids would just eat them!

  6. Melanie

    Thanks for sharing this idea! I did this with my 4 year old this morning and he really loved it. It was a little bit advanced for him, but it challenged him to concentrate and focus. He worked on for over an hour! We’ll definitely be doing it again!

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  13. Love, love! I’ve put jelly beans on my list just for this. One of my boys often has a particular need for activities that help him calm and allow him to use his creativity at the same time.

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  15. What a fun idea. I am featuring this with a link on my blog.

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  20. Great article, but are you sure this is how it really works?

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