20+ Books About Architecture and Engineering for Kids

by Meghan

After all the fun we had in 2015 with our Art History for Preschool series, I decided to explore some of the other STEAM categories.  Introducing our newest series – Architecture and Engineering for Kids: STEM for Preschool.  To kick things off, today I am sharing a great list of books that will inspire our activities over the next few weeks, encourage all kids to dream big, and how to make those big dreams and ideas a reality.  They cover a range of building, construction, architecture and engineering topics and are targeted to the preschool to early elementary-aged child.

20+ Books About Architecture and Engineering for Kids - STEM for Preschool


15 Books About Architecture for Kids

I have loved architecture ever since I was a little kid.  I remember using graph paper to draw out floor plans of my future dream home.  My love only deepened while living in Chicago after college – I toured the Frank Lloyd Wright homes and took everyone who came to visit on the River Architecture Tour. And Big M (age 4) was bitten by the building bug over the last year, as she watched our house go from paper prints to life-size reality.

We read some of these books during the construction of our home, but have grown the list as her interest has increased and in preparation for some of our upcoming activities!  Architecture is literally all around you – which makes these 15 books about architecture for kids completely captivating for preschool-aged children.

15 Books About Architecture for Preschoolers - A STEM for Kids Series

13 Architects Children Should Know by Florian Heine

13 Buildings Children Should Know by Annette Roeder

Around the World from a to z by Christinia Cheung & Han Tran

Building Our House by Jonathan Bean

Geometry through Architecture: The Chartres Cathedral by Han Tran & Christinia Cheung

Frank Lloyd Wright for Kids by Kathleen Thorne-Thomsen

Iggy Peck, Architect by Andrea Beaty

Let’s Build a Doghouse! A Bubble Guppies Book

Look at That Building! A First Book of Structures by Scot Ritchie

Not a Box by Antoinette Portis

Roberto, the Insect Architect by Nina Laden

Sky High by Germany Zullo

The Story of Buildings: From the Pyramids to the Sydney Opera House and Beyond by Patrick Dillon

The Three Little Pigs, An Architectural Tale by Steven Guarnaccia

When I Build with Blocks by Niki Alling


8 Books about Engineering for Kids

I wish I would have better understood exactly what engineering was, and how broad an opportunity set it could create, before going to college.  With engineering, you can make anything you imagine a reality.  And these 8 books about engineering for kids do just that.  As we read these books throughout the series, I will use them to encourage the girls to dream big, and put their dreams to paper and then physical reality.

8 Books About Engineering for Kids

Twenty One Elephants and Still Standing by April Jones

Engineering the ABCs: How Engineers Shape Our World by Patty O’Brien Novak

Girls Think of Everything: Stories of Ingenious Inventions by Women by Catherine Thimmish

Mistakes that Worked by Charlotte Jones

The Most Magnificent Thing by Ashley Spires

Oh, The Things They Invented by Bonnie Worth

Rosie Revere, Engineer by Andrea Beaty

What Do You Do With an Idea? by Kobi Yamada


This is the first post in our Architecture & Engineering for Kids – A STEM for Preschool series. Stay tuned for next week’s post covering all the fun toys and materials we will be using over the coming month as we explore the topics, ideas and creativity inspired by our reading.

Architecture & Engineering for Kids - STEM for Preschool

 

 

4 comments

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Roberto, The Insect Architect Activity ⋆ Playground Parkbench April 12, 2016 - 8:28 pm

[…] fast favorite from our collection of Architecture and Engineering Books for Kids was Roberto, The Insect Architect.  The girls made me read it every night for two weeks, taking […]

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Invitation to Build a Tower ⋆ Playground Parkbench February 10, 2016 - 6:45 am

[…] girls and I are mutually enjoying all of our collection of architecture and engineering literature. A sure favorite is Sky High, a mostly pictorial tale of neighbors who seek to outdo each other […]

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Architectural Scavenger Hunt for Kids ⋆ Playground Parkbench January 28, 2016 - 9:00 pm

[…] you enjoyed this post, you might also enjoy Making Monuments and 20+ Architecture & Engineering Books for Kids.  You can find all of these on the Architecture and Engineering for Kids – STEM for […]

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Architectural and Engineering Toys for Kids ⋆ Playground Parkbench January 12, 2016 - 9:30 pm

[…] that you are all armed with your reading list for the series and school supply list, next week we will be ready to get to work!  For our first activity we will […]

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