
What are Engineers?
Practice engineering skills like problem solving with Murray.
Children are full of curiosity—they’re naturally observing, questioning, testing, and collecting information. These are the important critical thinking and problem-solving skills of engineers. Explain that engineering is the process of planning, building, or constructing something. Add these facts:
- Engineers work to find a solution to a problem (such as how build a bridge to get people across a river).
- Engineers draw a plan or design before they begin building.
- Engineers also think about which materials they use (such as the strongest material for a bridge).
- Engineers test their design and then redesign, or make changes, as they go.
Try these activities:
Design a Fort. Help set up a problem to solve by asking, “What materials could we use to build an indoor fort we can crawl into?” Encourage children to design and build a fort using pillows, chairs, and blankets.
Build a City. Collect materials such as empty plastic bottles, egg cartons, popsicle sticks, and empty cereal boxes to engineer a “city” on top of a flattened cardboard box. Draw on the box to make roads, and glue or tape the materials on to create buildings, houses, and parks.

Elmo’s Wonderful World: Sun
Learn about our sun—a star that provides warmth, light, and energy for plants, insects, animals, and people to live and grow.

Bug Boogie
Sing and dance with Elmo, Abby, and some bug pals and learn the wonderful things that insects do for plants and gardens.

Exploring Sunshine & Shadows
A fun science experiment for kids to learn about the sun.

Sounds of Rain
You and your child can create the many sounds of a rainstorm through play and arts and crafts!

Plant, Water, Grow!
Use this fun science experiment to teach kids about how plants grow.

Insect Scavenger Hunt
Embark on a scavenger hunt together with little ones to look for insects!

Zap Game
Play this fun game to learn more about insect metamorphosis.