bridge building

Eb has long been a fan of this game. We actually like quite a few of the games on the Try Engineering website - bionic arm building any one?


On this occasion it was Mb who was asking me for "some thing to do". So I gave him the tub of corks, some lollipop sticks and a couple of envelopes and asked him to build me a bridge strong enough to wheel a toy car on.

I gave him no more information than this, and whilst I got on with doing some dishes and folding laundry, I watched him try out various methods - and get annoyed enough to dash all the corks across the table when he didn't get it right.

There were some lessons learnt, that bases need to be strong, that balance is important, that cars are wider than one lolly stick...that controlling your temper is a good thing.

I didn't plan to do a project on bridges, but life is funny some times. This was a thrown together idea, to occupy and challenge Mb. A day later we were on the Severn bridge, and Mb asked how it was supported, how the bridge is in the water, and so we found this website on our return about how suspension bridges are made, and we've pored over these photographs.

Whilst in Wales, we found a park with a bridge, which we found to be wobbly when crossed (much to Od's concern - I see a career in Health and Safety for her.)


Now we are day dreaming of making our own model one out of toothpicks.

Who knew a box of corks would make for such a drawn out project.

(And what were we doing in Wales? You'll just have to wait and see.....)