Answers.Body: <p>This is a tricky question and really depends on the individual child.  For my children I sometimes provide them with Lego sets that are too complicated for their age and we build it together so that I can teach them as we go.  They build until they get stuck, or something isn't working right, and then I help them solve the problem.  They are usually very proud of the end result and appreciate the functions of the more complex sets.  When a set falls apart I encourage them to try to fix it themselves before asking for help.  </p>
  
  <p>I also have them "help" me with fixing things around the house, or on our cars, in hopes that they will pick some of it up just from being part of the process.  I try to talk through what I'm doing, and why, so they are involved to some degree.  </p>
  
  <p>Here are a couple links to some sites with Lego related ideas with varying degrees of difficultly to help you get started:</p>
  
  <p><a href="https://frugalfun4boys.com/lego-projects-for-kids/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://frugalfun4boys.com/lego-projects-for-kids/</a>  </p>
  
  <p><a href="http://www.educatingyoungengineers.com/lego-club-activity-ideas" rel="nofollow noreferrer">http://www.educatingyoungengineers.com/lego-club-activity-ideas</a></p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2019-08-28T15:03:45.170Z
Answers.Text: thanks a lot, 2nd link is very useful
Answers.UserDisplayName: Emin Hasanov
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2019-08-28T14:52:13.950Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2019-08-29T10:32:28.093Z
Answers.LastEditDate: 2019-08-29T10:32:28.093Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: JohnnyB
Body: <p>My son is 7 yrs. old and has really creative ideas with his bricks. I see it challenging him and wonder, "How can I help develop his product engineering/design skills?"  What kind of tasks can I give him?  Ideas and/or advice please.</p>
  
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2019-08-28T14:33:54.117Z
Comments.Text: Somewhat related: https://bricks.stackexchange.com/questions/3187/whats-a-good-age-to-start-getting-into-mindstorms-with-my-child/4221#4221
Comments.UserDisplayName: JohnnyB
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2019-08-28T14:36:15.453Z
Comments.Text: ,,and this:  https://bricks.stackexchange.com/questions/893/what-are-some-free-kid-friendly-tutorials-to-get-started-with-mindstorms-nxt-2-0
Comments.UserDisplayName: JohnnyB
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2019-08-28T14:49:35.640Z
Comments.Text: I thnik while he is not able to read freely, Mindstorm is not a good idea..
Comments.UserDisplayName: Emin Hasanov
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2019-08-28T14:53:18.463Z
Comments.Text: He can work towards it, I understand he is very young still :)
Comments.UserDisplayName: JohnnyB
Tags: <technic><building>
Title: Ideas to help develop a child's engineering skills?
UserDisplayName: Emin Hasanov
ThreadText: # Ideas to help develop a child's engineering skills?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2019-08-28)
  
  My son is 7 yrs. old and has really creative ideas with his bricks. I see it challenging him and wonder, "How can I help develop his product engineering/design skills?" What kind of tasks can I give him? Ideas and/or advice please.
  
  **Tags:** technic, building
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_1**: Somewhat related: https://bricks.stackexchange.com/questions/3187/whats-a-good-age-to-start-getting-into-mindstorms-with-my-child/4221#4221  
  > **username_1**: ,,and this:  https://bricks.stackexchange.com/questions/893/what-are-some-free-kid-friendly-tutorials-to-get-started-with-mindstorms-nxt-2-0  
  > **username_0**: I thnik while he is not able to read freely, Mindstorm is not a good idea..  
  > **username_1**: He can work towards it, I understand he is very young still :)  
  
  ---
  
  ## 1 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_1 on 2019-08-28. Score: 1 | Accepted answer
  
  This is a tricky question and really depends on the individual child. For my children I sometimes provide them with Lego sets that are too complicated for their age and we build it together so that I can teach them as we go. They build until they get stuck, or something isn't working right, and then I help them solve the problem. They are usually very proud of the end result and appreciate the functions of the more complex sets. When a set falls apart I encourage them to try to fix it themselves before asking for help.
  
  I also have them "help" me with fixing things around the house, or on our cars, in hopes that they will pick some of it up just from being part of the process. I try to talk through what I'm doing, and why, so they are involved to some degree.
  
  Here are a couple links to some sites with Lego related ideas with varying degrees of difficultly to help you get started:
  
  <https://frugalfun4boys.com/lego-projects-for-kids/>
  
  <http://www.educatingyoungengineers.com/lego-club-activity-ideas>
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_0**: thanks a lot, 2nd link is very useful  
  
  ---
  
  