Five engineering challenges for kids – with wooden clothespins, binder clips, and craft sticks! It’s a simple STEM activity that kids of all ages will love.

Move over, expensive building sets! These simple materials were a huge hit with my boys. The first time we got them out, Owen (almost 7) spent well over an hour busily creating all kinds of designs. And that’s saying something, because out of all of our kids he has the shortest attention span by far.

 5 Engineering Challenges with Clothespins, Binder Clips, and Craft Sticks

Kids will have a blast just exploring with these materials, and it’s a great activity for hand-eye coordination. After they have had a chance to experiment with building, expand the activity with these fun engineering challenges!

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Five Engineering Challenges with Clothespins, Binder Clips, and Craft Sticks

Materials Used:

We used a train table board as a building surface.

Challenge #1: Build a structure that can support the most possible weight.

For this one, you could either challenge kids to build a true bridge, or just a structure that supports weight.

Two clothespins with a craft stick between them make great supports for a structure.

Five Engineering Challenges with Clothespins, Binder Clips, and Craft Sticks

We couldn’t believe how much weight this could hold! We didn’t keep going to find the capacity on this one, but Gresham built another one that held many, many chapter books (about 25!) before collapsing!

Five Engineering Challenges with Clothespins, Binder Clips, and Craft Sticks

Then we tried building bridges. Gresham came up with this design.

Five Engineering Challenges with Clothespins, Binder Clips, and Craft Sticks

Then he tested the strength of his design with books.

Five Engineering Challenges with Clothespins, Craft Sticks, and Binder Clips

It held 8 books and then collapsed, which was not too bad!

Five Engineering Challenges with Clothespins, Binder Clips, and Craft Sticks

Then we tried a bridge with triangles in the design (since I knew that triangles are a stronger shape).

Five Engineering Challenges with Clothespins, Binder Clips, and Craft Sticks

As expected, this one held a lot more weight. It collapsed after 13 books.

Five Engineering Challenges

Challenge #2: Build the tallest structure.

Colored craft sticks make this whole activity a work of art as well as design!

Five Engineering Challenges with Clothespins, Binder Clips, and Craft Sticks

This was Owen’s tallest structure that he built completely himself (he’s almost 7).

Five Engineering Challenges with Clothespins, Binder Clips, and Craft Sticks

And Aidan’s (age 12.5). As you can see, this is an activity that works well for a wide range of ages.

Five Engineering Challenges with Clothespins, Binder Clips, and Craft Sticks

Challenge #3: Build the tallest structure with the fewest clothespins.

It doesn’t seem like it would be possible, but we were able to build structures with only two clothespins at the bottom!

Five Engineering Challenges with Clothespins, Craft Sticks, and Binder Clips

Five Engineering Challenges with Clothespins, Binder Clips, and Craft Sticks

Challenge #4: What can you build with triangles?

This one was my favorite. Triangles lend themselves to really neat designs.

Owen started this one, and I made it into a hexagon. I never would have thought to balance the triangles on the binder clips the way he did, but it worked very well!

Five Engineering Challenges with Clothes Pins, Binder Clips, and Craft Sticks

Here is Aidan’s triangle design.

Five Engineering Challenges with Clothespins, Binder Clips, and Craft Sticks

Challenge #5: Build a domino chain.

Gresham discovered that he could make “dominoes” out of craft sticks and clothespins!

Five Engineering Challenges

Five Engineering Challenges

Then we came up with several designs that didn’t really fit any particular challenge. The kids just had a great time exploring!

Five Engineering Challenges

Who knew clothespins could be so much fun?

Five Engineering Challenges with Clothespins, Binder Clips, and Craft Sticks

Order Supplies on Amazon:

I am storing our “building set” in a plastic shoebox. We have about 36 binder clips, 150 craft sticks, and about 50 clothespins. That has been plenty for three kids building at one time. If you have a classroom of kids, you might want to get more.

Five Engineering Challenges with Clothespins, Binder Clips, and Craft Sticks

Also, be sure to check out our Engineering Challenges with Craft Sticks, Cups, and Wooden Cubes!

Five Engineering Challenges with Clothespins, Binder Clips, and Craft Sticks

21 Comments

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  1. Almost Unschoolers May 9, 2016

    Okay, I'm in love with this!

    Reply
    1. Sarah May 11, 2016

      Aw, thanks! It's a fantastic project for kids! (And I enjoyed it too!)

      Reply
  2. Pritika Gupta May 13, 2016

    This is amazing! I will give the supply and this artcile as as my son's birthday return gift :)

    Reply
  3. Michelle Marr May 22, 2016

    This is such a great idea! My boys have been building huge structures with craft sticks and the hot glue gun. Only problem with that is that they're permanent.

    When you're doing projects like the bridge and testing strength, do you wind up with broken pieces?

    Reply
    1. Nick Oct 10, 2022

      It shouldn't break any sticks since the weakest part of the structure is the joints, and because they are held together with friction, they just slide apart. If they were glued or nailed or screwed together, then the wood pieces would break first.

      Reply
  4. Miksci May 26, 2016

    I can't wait to get the supplies and have my students challenge each other when exams are over. When we let kids create there is no telling what they will come up with and what effect it has on their confidence.

    Reply
  5. Merrilyn Velcek Aug 7, 2016

    great activities for exploring engineering concepts in the classroom. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
  6. Amber Nov 13, 2016

    My boys are enjoying these challenges. Last week, my eldest was able to make a structure that held 78lbs! He was quite impressed. I have it set up that they can explore with the challenge all week and at the end of the week, we sit down together and do our "final" creation. It's working out well! Thanks for the post!

    Reply
  7. Andy Feb 13, 2017

    Go to dollar tree. They have all of this for one dollar

    Reply
  8. Kiri Jun 8, 2017

    I did this activity today with a class of 5-6 year olds. They loved it!! Fantastic idea, very engaging and fun. I would highly recommend it. Thank you!!

    Reply
  9. Edda Vargas Aug 30, 2017

    I really liked it.
    I tried with narrow/regular sticks, and it was harder, but my kids had about an hour of fun.

    Also, cheaper clothes pins don't balance well by themselves. So, I'll but a little more expensive ones for next try. ?

    Reply
  10. Keitha Nov 20, 2017

    Thanks so much for sharing your fabulous ideas. My Christmas elf is gearing up for another visit and has decided to leave a box of craft sticks, binder clips, and clothespins with your challenges written on a note. The elf used your blocks, craft sticks, & cup challenges in 2015 and your craft stick chain reactions last year.

    Reply
  11. rogayah abu bakar Feb 26, 2018

    your activities gives me an ideas to teach my pupils about strenght and stability. thank you

    Reply
  12. Safia Mar 11, 2018

    I m very thankful to you. You give us such a great ideas .I share these ideas with my kids .send me thinking ideas.how ask question to our kids thanks

    Reply
  13. Cathy Hobart Jun 22, 2018

    Your challenges are such a great way for the regular classroom teacher to bring engineering into their classroom!!! So many different ways to create with such simple supplies. Students with all abilities can be successful in their own way. Thank you so much for sharing!!!

    Reply
  14. Debbie Vann Feb 3, 2019

    I just want to say thank you for freely sharing so many wonderful ideas.I love that you don't charge and just want to share with the community of educators. I've used many of your ideas.

    Reply
  15. Marth Matsko Jun 25, 2019

    great!

    Reply
  16. Magali Feb 13, 2020

    I love your activities. They show so much creativity and understanding of children likes! Thank you for sharing.

    Reply
  17. Kayla Mar 10, 2020

    Velcro dots on the ends of popsicle sticks work great to.

    Reply
  18. Vicki May 3, 2020

    Thanks so much for sharing these creative projects! I sent my grandchildren these supplies, and we are enjoying the challenges over 3 states! Keep your ideas coming!

    Reply
  19. kusum Oct 27, 2020

    Thanks for sharing your great ideas.

    Reply
  20. Velena Jul 24, 2022

    Wow, Thank you so much for the idea. I am so glad I found you.

    Reply
  21. Charlie Dec 7, 2022

    This is fantastic. I am building a discover museum type program for third graders and this will make an excellent activity to go with 6-7 others.

    Reply

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