Deep inside every child (regardless of age) there lurks a design engineer. “Tim the Toolman” Taylor was always tinkering with things to make them perform better. We know what Tim’s results were; we saw them on television watching “Tool Time.”

Educational Hobbies in the Classroom

Balsa Bridge Examples

Teachers can release the creativity in their students through simple exercises in design. An example of this would be to have your students create bridges.

Students would create a balsa bridge across a specified span … say twenty-four inches that would support the greatest amount of weight.

Alternatively, students could use such things as plastic drinking straws, toothpicks, popsicle sticks, paper or other materials deemed appropriate in the ground rules for the project.

Whether it is in the classroom, the family room or kitchen at home, this can be a fun and exciting project for the whole family.

You can find many of the items needed for these projects at your local hobby shop, craft store or even at your favorite grocery store.

This experiment in design has an International following. Students around the globe compete at sanctioned events to test their design and building skills. Who knows, maybe one of your kids might be the one who designs the next major bridge expanse such as the Gold Gate Bridge in San Francisco.