Kits & Resources
In this section, Langdon tells you about some of the great kits and resources he loves to use when exploring and learning about bridges. If you’re an organisation looking to purchase these or other kits for the purposes of STEM learning, you may be able to benefit from a grant of up to £300 towards the cost.
K’nex
Langdon loves K’nex! He thinks the kit “Intro to Structures” is best for children aged 7-11, working alone or in groups of up to four. All the instructions are in pictures which are colourful and easy to follow with minimal support needed. There are enough pieces and the instructions to build 13 different bridges (one at a time). Sometimes Langdon likes to follow the instructions and sometimes he likes to design his own bridges!
For children aged 9 years and older, particularly those who have some experience of K’nex already, Langdon loves the kit “Real Bridge Building”. It comes in two big storage tubs and contains enough bits to build seven different bridges (two at a time). Langdon loves that the models he can build with this kit are really big! Each one is five to six feet long. Teams of six to eight children can work on each model.
Roman Arch by Amazing Child Montessori
Langdon loved learning about the way the Romans built arches using this fun little kit. Langdon thinks this kit is great for children, working along or in teams of up to three, to practise their problem solving skills while learning about the engineering principles behind arch bridges.
Tower Bridge 3D Puzzle by Ravensburger
Langdon had a great time exploring the structure of the iconic Tower Bridge by building this model, which he thinks is suitable for children aged 7+ with some adult help or aged 10+ working unsupervised. After building this model, Langdon decided to find out more about Tower Bridge by downloading the Education Kit from his friend, Guy Fox, on the Tower Bridge website, and making a visit to the bridge himself!