How Engineers Solve Problems: The Design Process for Kids

SciShow Kids

This engaging, compilation-style educational video introduces young students to the fundamental concepts of engineering and the engineering design process (Ask, Imagine, Create, Improve). Hosted by Jessi and her robot mouse friend Squeaks, the video uses relatable, kid-friendly problems—like an itchy back that can't be reached or bubbles that pop too fast—to demonstrate how engineers think and work. The video breaks down complex methodologies into simple, actionable steps, showing that engineering is about solving problems through creativity, testing, and resilience. The video explores several key STEM themes, including the iterative nature of design, the importance of prototyping and modeling, and the use of simple machines like levers and pulleys. It features distinct segments that cover different aspects of engineering: building a backscratcher to learn the design process, constructing stomp rockets to understand propulsion and aerodynamics, creating Rube Goldberg machines to explore cause-and-effect chain reactions, and mixing bubble solutions to learn about material science and testing variables. Collaboration is also highlighted as a critical skill through a segment featuring puppet characters Bill and Web. For educators, this video is a goldmine of hands-on lesson starters. It provides a shared vocabulary for the design process that can be applied to any project-based learning activity. The clear examples of "improving" a design teach students that failure is not a stopping point but a necessary step in innovation. Whether used to introduce a unit on simple machines, launch a rocket-building competition, or simply inspire creative problem-solving, this video offers versatile classroom applications across the K-3 science curriculum.