Your Child Will Learn
How to use tools and materials to solve an engineering problem
Here’s What to Do
- Ask your child to think of what materials they would need to build a fort. Gather the materials from around the house. Consider using blankets, sheets, kitchen chairs, or even low tables in your home. Clothespins, large clips, and rubber bands can also be helpful!
- Ask your child their plan for building the fort, then build! Encourage your child to do as much as they can by themselves.
- Ask your child to assess your design. Does it seem sturdy? Can people fit inside? How can it be improved? Revise the fort if needed.
- Go inside and play!
Put PEER Into Action
PAUSE
- Stretch to get ready for building: reach high into the sky, then touch your toes.
ENGAGE
- “What will you use to make the walls? What will you use to make the roof?”
- “What will keep everything from falling over?”
ENCOURAGE
- “Hmmmm… it looks like that blanket keeps falling down. What could we change to stop that from happening?”
- “Tell me where you want that clothespin to go and I’ll help you put it there.”
REFLECT
- How did we change our design to make it better? What materials and tools did we use to build our design?
Not Quite Ready
Build a smaller structure for toys, using more simple tools like blocks.
Ready for More
Encourage your child to design some interior features (like a bed, a light, or a place to store favorite toys).
As Your Child Masters This Skill
They will revise their ideas and understand how to build a more stable structure.
Time to Complete
30 minutes
Materials Needed
Fort building materials like blankets/sheets, cardboard boxes, chairs or other furniture, clothespins or heavy items to hold things in place.