Nature’s Architects: Inspiring Young Scientists and Engineers Through Fall Play

When we think of fall, we often think of leaves, apples, and pumpkins but fall is also the season when animals become busy builders. 

Birds are finishing nests, squirrels are storing food, spiders are spinning webs, and beavers are hard at work strengthening their dams before winter arrives.

This makes fall the perfect season to explore Nature’s Architects with preschoolers. 

Through playful, hands-on invitations, children can step into the role of scientists and engineers while learning how animals design and build.

Why “Nature’s Architects”?

Children are naturally fascinated by animals and when we pair that curiosity with building and creating, they start to see the world like both scientists and engineers:

• Scientists ask: Why do birds weave grass into nests? How do spiders catch food with a web?
  
• Engineers wonder: How can I build something strong enough to hold or protect?
  

Fall gives us so many natural building materials, sticks, leaves, pinecones, and acorns that children can experiment with just like the animals do.

Simple Fall Invitations to Try

🍁 Build Like a Bird

• Provide baskets of leaves, twigs, and yarn scraps.
• Invite children to design a nest that can hold a few “eggs” (pom-poms).

🕸️ Spin Like a Spider

• Stretch yarn or tape between two chairs to form a “web.”
• Challenge children to toss cotton-ball “flies” and see what sticks.

🦫 Dam Like a Beaver

• Use a water table (or tray) with sticks, sponges, and clay.
• Can children build a dam that slows or redirects the water?

Bringing It Back to Play-Based STEAM

Each of these invitations starts with a big question:

• How do birds build nests without glue?
  
• Why are spider webs sticky?
  
• How do beavers stop water with just sticks and mud?
  

As children explore, you can observe their problem-solving, creativity, and persistence — the very skills that make both scientists and engineers successful.

This fall, don’t just do “apple of fall crafts.” Invite your preschoolers to play like Nature’s Architects. With just a few loose parts and a big question, you can spark curiosity, creativity, and wonder that lasts all season long.

Want more ready-to-go STEAM invitations like these? They’re all waiting inside the Preschool STEAM Membership.