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In this activity, learners design miniature cars. Learners can create a telephone car, soccer car, merry-go-round car, or any other theme car they can imagine.

In this activity, learners construct drawing machines using a cup, some markers, and a cricket to control the movement. A programmed LEGO RCX or Cricket is required for this high-tech version.

In this mechanical engineering activity, learners design shadow puppets with moving parts and use them to tell stories.

In this engineering activity, learners explore simple machines and then build cardboard automata using cams.

In this activity, learners construct a playable kazoo from inexpensive materials. They will experience how vibration creates sound waves and music.

In this activity, learners construct drawing machines using a cup, some markers, and a battery pack. The markers act as "legs" for the machine, making a drawing that records as it moves.

In this activity, learners try to float ink on the surface of water to create a pattern and then capture it with absorbent paper.

During this hands-on activity, learners are briefly exposed to moviemaking and animation, when they create their own thaumatropes.

In this design challenge activity, learners build a tower that’s at least 12 inches high with two or more parts that move (spin, sway, or flap) in the wind.

In this experience, learners use the internet to research physical details about Chihuly's Fireworks of Glass "Tower" and "Ceiling" and consider the decisions Chihuly had to make as he was planning th

Learn how to make and fly a paper helicopter! This simple activity includes a template (for the copter "blades") and instructions for folding, flying, and testing designs.

In this activity, learners construct three quick and simple mechanisms to start building a pop-up book. Learners fold, cut, and glue paper to make a bird beak, parallelogram, and V-fold.

In this activity, learners explore the question "What is paper?" Learners discover the processes and materials required to make paper while experimenting with different recycled fibers and tools.

In this activity, learners build a simple tabletop seesaw to test how different variables (the position of the fulcrum, distance, weight) affect its balance under increasing weight loads.

In this activity, learners build small animated toys that move.

In this activity, learners build a mini crank machine to make a bird "fly." This engineering activity introduces learners to automata, rotational motion, cranks and cams.

In this activity, learners make mobiles to explore the concepts of balance, counterbalance, weight, and counterweight.

In this activity, learners construct a projector out of cardboard to view their favorite images (such as storybook illustrations) on the wall.

Experiment with friction and make bearings for a whirligig! This activity is a nice introduction to friction and bearings and demonstrates why bearings are useful for spinning.

In this activity, learners are challenged to design and construct a jointed figure that moves in a motion (something like jumping jacks) when a string is pulled.