Educational resources you can use

Do-at-home activities for all ages

These activities have been designed to be done in the home using house-hold items for ages 4 upwards, with add-on challenges for 11-16s and 16-18s. Some parental supervision required.

Toilet roll roll

Find out how our sewer system stays clog-free in this fun gravity experiment – mess free we promise!

Home activity

Civil engineers make it happen

Let your imagination run riot and create a model piece of infrastructure you admire!

Home activity

Guide the TBM

Learn about giant Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs) in our version of the classic ‘egg-drop’ activity.

Home activity

Soil savers

Find out what civil engineers can do with the earth from big tunnelling projects and how it’s done by creating your own spoil-carrying barge boat.

Home activity

Water works

Build a water filter and pipeline to deliver clean water to a village or house.

Home activity

Baking bricks for brunch

Build yourself a solar oven and bake a ‘brick’ out of marshmallows!

Home activity

Chocolate bar bridges

Design and build a bridge entirely made of chocolate that can hold a heavy weight. Then stress-test until it breaks!

Home activity

Spaghetti skyscrapers

See how high you can build a strong and stable skyscraper out of spaghetti and marshmallows. A challenge for even the most experienced engineer!

Home activity

Propping up Pisa

Find out why the famous leaning tower nearly fell over and experiment with a solution for rebuilding it stable and straight.

Home activity

Sewer stoppers

Run some simple experiments to find out why our drains and sewers have been more blocked since we’ve been at home during the Covid-19 lockdown.

Home activity

Plastic pollution

Find out how civil engineers are helping to clean up the massive floating plastic ‘garbage patches’ in our oceans and build and test your own bathtub plastic-catcher.

Home activity

Melting Ice Movements

Find out what civil engineers need to know to plan flood defences for snowy regions and experiment by making and testing melting rates on orbs of ice.

Home activity

Road ruiners

Try this fun experiment at home to see how freeze-thaw erosion can damage buildings, roads, bridges and all the things civil engineers work hard to build and keep safe!

Home activity

Primary school (5-10 years)

Our aim is to help children of primary school age see that using maths and science can be fun and creative and that there are people called ‘engineers’ who make a real difference to the world. We are not worried about careers advice at this young age – but please do tell them you are an engineer and why you enjoy what you do!

Please do read our guidance for working with children and young people.

What is Civil Engineering

To help you introduce civil engineering for a talk to a class or assembly.

Presentation

Building Bridges

The Rochester Bridge Trust has an excellent range of resources and lesson plans for primary schools. Ideal for the older primary age groups.

Classroom / group activity

Water for Everyone Everywhere

A 100 minute long workshop for a class to explore the challenges associated with access to safe and clean drinking water for people all around the world. From Engineers Without Borders.

Classroom / group activity

Civil Engineering in Your Town

A 30-40 minute classroom activity for younger primary school children. Spot the civil engineering projects in this fun picture of a town.

Classroom / group activity

‘I Could Be a Civil Engineer’ Brownies and Scout Cubs

ICE Fellow Pippa Higgins has created a set of challenges that can entertain and challenge children over a number of activity sessions. Brownies can also earn badges.

Classroom / group activity

Engineering for Nursery and Reception Classes

Nursery rhymes contain a surprising amount of engineering. Here are some ideas you could discuss with the teacher if you want to engage the very young.

Classroom / group activity

CREST Awards

CREST awards are available for a range of civil engineering related activities (transport, environment, engineering, international development). Look for the Star and SuperStar Awards.

Posters and handouts

Discover the amazing world of civil engineering

An A2 double-sided classroom poster with fun facts and games to challenge which folds down to a handy A5 leaflet. Order printed copies by emailing us at [email protected] or download the PDF.

Posters and handouts

Primary Engineer

Primary Engineer has created an engineering curriculum that spans early years, primary, secondary and further education institutions.

Follow-up activity

BBC Bitesize

Some great resources mapped to the curriculum at all age groups and by UK nation.

Follow-up activity

ICE Exhibitions

Our central London exhibitions are free to go to and are accessible for young people and adults of all ages with plenty of hands on engineering fun too.

Follow-up activity

Secondary school – lower years (11-14 years)

Our aim is to help young people see that maths and science can be applied in creative and useful ways – and inspire them before choosing their subjects around age 14 (e.g. GCSEs in England, standard grades in Scotland etc.). We would like them to find out about civil engineering at this stage but are not worried about which kind of engineering inspires them.

Please do read our guidance for working with children and young people.

ICE 11-16 Civil Engineering Careers Guide

Featuring inspiring engineers and projects and useful information about subject-choices and study pathways. Order printed copies by emailing us at [email protected] or download the leaflet PDF.

Posters and handouts

What is Civil Engineering

To help you introduce civil engineering for a talk to a class or assembly.

Presentation

Make a difference - be an engineer

An introductory presentation about careers in all disciplines of engineering from Tomorrow’s Engineers.

Presentation

Rise to the challenge

A follow up presentation to 'What is Civil Engineering' for older pupils which gives more information on civil engineering careers and how to get into the industry.

Presentation

People Like Me Resource Pack

A great resource pack from WISE featuring a number of activities designed to show girls that science and engineering really is for people like them. Includes quiz, job analysis and role model examples.

Classroom / group activity

People Like Me Construction Pack

A similar pack to the above but targeted specifically at raising awareness of construction and civil engineering careers.

Classroom / group activity

Giant Tetrahedron Building

A 2 hour practical activity suitable for small and large groups. The giant tetrahedron (a triangular based pyramid) is an impactful activity, creating a 4 metre x 4 metre structure.

Classroom / group activity

Water for Everyone Everywhere

A 100 minute long workshop for a class to explore the challenges associated with access to safe and clean drinking water for people all around the world. From Engineers Without Borders.

Classroom / group activity

Beat the Flood

A great challenge for STEM clubs or classroom sessions with access to outside space. Pupils design and make a model of a home able to withstand the effects of flooding, then test it.

Classroom / group activity

What is Engineering?

A leaflet from Tomorrow’s Engineers to inspire and inform young people about careers in engineering including study routes, salaries and qualifications.

Posters and handouts

Parent's Guide to Engineering Careers

A parents' guide to engineering careers from Tomorrow’s Engineers. Order printed copies by emailing us at [email protected]

Posters and handouts

CREST Awards

CREST awards are available for a range of civil engineering related activities (transport, environment, engineering, international development). Look for the Star and SuperStar Awards.

Posters and handouts

BBC Bitesize

Some great resources mapped to the curriculum at all age groups and by UK nation.

Follow-up activity

ICE Exhibitions

Our central London exhibitions are free to go to and are accessible for young people and adults of all ages with plenty of hands on engineering fun too.

Follow-up activity

Tomorrow's Engineers

The ‘go to’ web-site for young people to find out about engineering. They also have great free printed resources to order for young people, teachers and parents.

Follow-up activity

Engineering Development Trust

Their First Edition, Go4SET and Open Industry schemes great ways to find out about engineering in more depth.

Follow-up activity

Dream Big film

An inspirational 3D film showcasing the work of engineers across the world.

Follow-up activity

Sixth-form colleges and upper secondary (15-18 years)

Our aim is to help young people who have chosen maths and sciences that engineering careers are creative, rewarding and fun, and to encourage those who show an interest in civil engineering. We assume most opportunities to engage with this age range will be through talks or school careers fairs rather than classroom sessions, but we have suggested some follow-up ideas as well.

Please do read our guidance for working with children and young people.

ICE 16-18 Civil Engineering Careers Guide

Featuring case studies and useful information about subject-choices and study pathways. Order printed copies by emailing us at [email protected] or download the leaflet PDF.

Posters and handouts

What is Civil Engineering

To help you introduce civil engineering for a talk to a class or assembly.

Presentation

Rise to the challenge

A follow up presentation to 'What is Civil Engineering' for older pupils which gives more information on civil engineering careers and how to get into the industry.

Presentation

Parent's Guide to Engineering Careers

A parents' guide to engineering careers from Tomorrow’s Engineers. Order printed copies by emailing us at [email protected]

Posters and handouts

From Idea to Career

A booklet from Tomorrow’s Engineers exploring 12 areas of engineering along with information on entry routes, salary ranges and useful websites. Order printed copies by emailing us at [email protected]

Posters and handouts

Vocational and apprenticeship routes into engineering

A booklet from Tomorrow’s Engineers about vocational routes into engineering. It explains the various levels and types of courses which are available and the opportunities for apprenticeships. Order printed copies by emailing us at [email protected]

Posters and handouts

Engineering at university

A booklet from Tomorrow’s Engineers about studying engineering at university. Order printed copies by emailing us at [email protected]

Posters and handouts

Arkwright Scholarships

Scholarships are awarded to high-calibre 16 year olds through a rigorous selection process and support students through their A-levels, Scottish advanced highers or equivalent qualifications.

Follow-up activity

Engineering Development Trust

EDT’s range of schemes offer exceptional opportunities to find out more about engineering.

Follow-up activity

Pre-university / college reading list

We’ve put together a list of interesting books to check out if you are planning to study civil engineering at college and university.

Follow-up activity

QUEST Scholarships

ICE offers undergraduate and technician scholarships to students studying in the UK.

Follow-up activity

ICE Exhibitions

Our central London exhibitions are free to go to and are accessible for young people and adults of all ages with plenty of hands on engineering fun too.

Follow-up activity

See our advice to students on their subject choices

Advice for:

Studying at school

Up to 16 years

School / college

15-18 years

College / university

18 years +