Featured Challenge
Balloon-Powered Car
Design a car powered only by a balloon and discover how thrust, alignment, and lightweight design change the outcome.
Design Thinking Series
404 Challenges
Quick-fire, low-prep projects that turn everyday materials into engineering, design thinking, and creative problem-solving in 30 to 60 minutes.
Challenge Library
Pick one, gather materials, and start making.
Each challenge is built to work with a real classroom rhythm: short prep, visible testing, and room for iteration.
Structures
60 minutes
Bridge Builder Challenge
Engineer a bridge that spans a gap, holds weight, and reveals why trusses matter in real structural design.
View challengeMotion Design
45-60 minutes
Cardboard Creature
Build a moving creature from cardboard, tape, and scissors while exploring motion, joints, and creative character design.
View challengeMechanisms
60-65 minutes
Cup Stack Claw
Build a mechanical claw that can grip and stack cups using only simple materials and smart linkage design.
View challengeSTEM Systems
60 minutes
Earthquake-Proof Structure Challenge
Test how well a structure can survive a shaky foundation while students learn about stability and seismic design.
View challengePhysics Play
45-60 minutes
Marble Maze Master
Create a marble maze that slows the path strategically and makes gravity, friction, and timing visible.
View challengeAerodynamics
45 minutes
Paper Airplane Olympics Challenge
Design, test, and refine paper airplanes for distance, accuracy, and hang time while learning aerodynamics.
View challengeSystems Thinking
40-45 minutes
Paper Clip Chain Reaction
Engineer a chain reaction with simple materials and reveal how energy transfer and sequencing really work.
View challengeAir Resistance
30-45 minutes
Parachute Drop Challenge
Design a parachute that slows a falling payload as much as possible using only a plastic bag, string, and a small weight.
View challengeLevers
45-60 minutes
Popsicle Stick Catapult
Build a catapult from popsicle sticks and rubber bands that launches a marshmallow as far and accurately as possible.
View challengeElastic Energy
45-60 minutes
Rubber Band Racer
Build a car powered by a wound rubber band and engineer it to travel as far as possible in a straight line.
View challengeRotation
30-40 minutes
Spinning Seed Challenge
Cut and fold a strip of paper into a spinning seed that stays airborne the longest when dropped from height.
View challengeStructures
30-45 minutes
Straw Tower Challenge
Build the tallest freestanding tower possible using a limited set of straws and tape.
View challengeBuoyancy
30-45 minutes
Tinfoil Boat Challenge
Fold a single sheet of tinfoil into a boat that floats and holds the most weight before sinking.
View challengeNeed a first pick?
Start with one challenge this week.
Try a single build, watch how students iterate, and let that momentum shape what you do next.
See the starter pathLead The Session
Tips for making the challenge work in a real room.
- Set the rules clearly, then stay out of the way long enough for students to experiment.
- Celebrate early failures because they create the best discussion and redesign moments.
- Ask students what changed between versions so iteration becomes visible, not accidental.
- End with a gallery walk so students learn from multiple approaches, not just their own table.
Best First Uses
Where 404 Challenges fit especially well.
- Warm-ups before a larger maker or STEM unit.
- Centers and rotations where groups need a clear build target.
- Sub plans that still feel hands-on and worthwhile.
- Community-building projects at the start of the school year.