Here’s another fun LEGO® building challenge – engineering wind powered LEGO® contraptions!

We wondered what (if anything!) we could build out of LEGO® bricks that could be powered with the wind from an electric fan. Surprisingly, we came up with some neat things – various wind mills and even a wind powered LEGO® car. Challenge kids to see what they can create that will be powered by wind!

LEGO STEM Challenge: Wind Powered LEGO Contraptions!

See our wind powered LEGO® contraptions in action:


Here are two wind mills that spin horizontally. (Does that make them something other than wind mills? I’m not sure!)

LEGO STEM Challenge: Wind Powered LEGO Contraptions!

The one on the left spins the best. Here’s how we built it.

LEGO STEM Challenge: Wind and LEGO!

Black Technic connector pins hold Technic bricks together.

LEGO STEM Challenge: Wind and LEGO!

Then attach the fins as shown. Build a stand for the wind mill. It needs to have a Technic brick in the middle so that the fins can be attached with a gray Technic connector pin. (Some of the pins spin freely, while others don’t. Find one that spins freely.)

LEGO STEM Challenge: Wind and LEGO!

Stick the connector pin into the base and then attach the fins.

LEGO STEM Challenge: Wind Powered LEGO!

Here’s another style of wind mill. I built this one using windows for the fins – they catch a lot of air!

LEGO STEM Challenge: Wind Powered LEGO Contraptions!

This one uses a basic propellor. I used a bracket, a Technic brick, and a connector pin to attach the propellor.

LEGO STEM Challenge: Wind Powered LEGO Contraptions!

Here is the finished wind mill. You may have noticed in the first photo that this wind mill is positioned over to the side of the fan. You have to have air blowing on one side of the wind mill for it to work well! This is something fun to experiment with.

LEGO STEM Challenge: Wind Powered LEGO Contraptions

Aidan experimented with a wind mill that would turn vertically.

This one didn’t work! (See the little pair of legs behind Aidan’s head?)

LEGO STEM Challenge: Wind Powered LEGO Contraptions!

(That was Owen, trying to pull out his very loose tooth! That’s how we roll around here. Always several things going on at once!)

LEGO STEM Challenge: Wind Powered LEGO Contraptions!

Here is Aidan’s final wind mill design:

LEGO STEM Challenge: Wind Powered LEGO Contraptions

Aidan also designed a wind powered LEGO® car. This is super simple – just a large platform to catch the air.

LEGO STEM Challenge: Wind Powered LEGO Contraptions!

Have fun engineering!

More LEGO® engineering ideas:

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LEGO STEM Challenge: Wind Powered LEGO Contraptions!

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