Age
⚙ 3 years and up
Time and Place
⚙ Any time of day
⚙ Any time of year
⚙ Indoors
Materials
⚙ An electric fan
⚙ Different types of building materials (e.g., wooden blocks, foam blocks, popsicle sticks)
Safety
⚙ Supervise children at all times
⚙ Ensure children keep hands away from fans
Instructions
Play-based Context
If children have been noticing the effects of wind, challenge them to build wind resistant structures with different construction materials. To simulate wind, set up the fan at an appropriate distance from the structure. Try different fan speeds to see what happens.
Questions You May Ask
⚙ How can you build a strong and sturdy structure?
⚙ What else can you use to make the air move?
⚙ What shapes are there in your structure?
⚙ Which structure was best at resisting the moving air from the fan?
⚙How can you build a sturdier structure?
Related Children's Books
⚙ I Face the Wind by Vicki Cobb
⚙ Three Little Pigs illustrated by Giuseppe Di Lernia
⚙ Kate, Who Tamed The Wind by Liz Garton Scanlon
⚙ The Wind Blew by Pat Hutchins
On a windy day, a group of children watched the wind move leaves and other objects around the play area. The educator encouraged the children to feel the effect of the wind on their bodies. Later that day, when the children were building during free play, the educator brought out a fan and challenged the children to build sturdy structures,
