Hands-on learning sparks curiosity and builds foundational skills. Our Early Engineers Express workshop is learning through play and exploration at its finest, having been specifically designed to offer a unique, cross-curricular STEM experience, unlike any other, for EYFS and Key Stage 1.
Why Engineering for Early Learners?
The core reason behind the Early Engineers Express workshop is to introduce children to the world of engineering, problem-solving and critical thinking through the engaging and relatable themes of transport and familiar places. This is largely resourced using LEGO Duplo and unique content tailored by educators at Hyett Education.
Learning through stories is an effective tool for ‘sense-making’, so the session begins with The Train Ride by June Crebbin. It is a highly engaging story, which allows children to immerse themselves in a train ride experience, as well as providing an opportunity to join in with the repetitive phrases that appear throughout the text. The text allows children to develop their understanding of different places and landscapes which influence the structures the children create when developing their Duplo town surrounding the engineered railway tracks. Following the story, the session immediately casts children as engineers, providing a scenario in which to build, make and problem-solve using LEGO Duplo. The learners are tasked with key challenges – including building a Duplo railway track, engineering structures and designing a model-town that surrounds the railway. Children are also introduced to early coding concepts with Duplo Action Coding Blocks to programme their trains’ actions.
The workshop then progresses onto a “Dangers on the track!” challenge, where children identify and solve safety issues related to railways, rivers, airports and level-crossings. This requires them to apply their knowledge of the world to design and create safe structures like river bridges, level-crossings and station platforms.
Throughout the workshop, the Early Engineers’ are both supported and challenged in equal measures. Learning is supported by broken-down, clear instructions, visual prompts and challenges – such as following a mapped route for the railway track and developing improvements on the track and surrounding areas with specific guides. In terms of child-initiated learning and creative freedom, developing the Duplo town around the railway track encourages genuine exploration and allows children to use their own imagination.
While this workshop provides strong links to the EYFS curriculum, it is equally ideal for Key Stage 1 children. The combination of the workshop and follow-on activities is meticulously structured to cover all 7 Areas of Learning and Development and links directly to the Key Stage 1 National Curriculum in subjects like Design & Technology, Maths, Science and PSHE.
The Literacy Link: Enhancing Communication and Vocabulary
Stories are powerful, so we have developed extension activities based on the story Lost and Found by Oliver Jeffers. This narrative-based extension supports the workshop’s cross-curricular success and is ideal for schools opting for more in-depth, longer sessions.
Through the story-based extension activities, children not only become engineers and designers, but also gain an understanding of the world through expanding their knowledge of different environments and weather by exploring Antarctica and comparing this to their home. As is the case with the main session’s objectives, the extension activities allow for further vocabulary development through discussions that naturally introduce and reinforce new words around the stories, such as ports, docks, and harbours.
Sustaining the Learning
The Early Engineers Express is built around sustained learning. The workshop is not an isolated event; it is a catalyst for continued learning, as we provide quality resources to use in classrooms following the workshop. This bank of resources reduces teacher planning time and workload, and supports continued cross-curricular work.
The extensive follow-on activities have been designed by Hyett Education educators to provide a lasting impact. The resource pack is pre-planned and comes with explicit links to all 7 EYFS Areas of Learning and Development and the Key Stage 1 National Curriculum. Resources and follow-on activities include story retelling with puppets, role-play ideas, shape work, comparing distances and challenges involving designing and making different structures, so learning continues in the classroom long after the workshop.
A Unique Learning Experience
The workshop combines hands-on engineering challenges with vocabulary-rich, literacy-based teaching. It also works for a range of learners. Children experience learning as a group (whole-class discussions, connecting maps together), in a pair (the main engineering tasks), and independently (designing and adding to the Duplo town).
This workshop was developed by qualified teachers who understand how children in the Early Years Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 learn best.
Frequently Asked Questions
What age group is the Early Engineers Express workshop for?
The Early Engineers Express is designed for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) and Key Stage 1, covering Nursery, Reception, Year 1, and Year 2 (ages 3–7). The activities are carefully scaffolded so that younger and older children within this range are both supported and challenged.
What equipment is used in the workshop?
The workshop uses LEGO Duplo train sets, track pieces, bridges, tunnels, and stations, along with Duplo Action Coding Blocks for early coding activities. All equipment is provided by Hyett Education – your school does not need to supply anything.
How does the workshop link to the EYFS and KS1 curriculum?
The workshop and its follow-on activities are mapped to all 7 EYFS Areas of Learning and Development. For Key Stage 1, it links directly to the National Curriculum in Design & Technology, Maths, Science, and PSHE. The literacy extension activities further support Communication and Language and Understanding the World.
Do you provide follow-on resources for teachers?
Yes. Every school receives a comprehensive, pre-planned resource pack with explicit curriculum links. Activities include story retelling with puppets, role-play ideas, shape work, comparing distances, and design-and-make challenges – all ready to use in the classroom after the workshop.
To find out more about the Early Engineers Express or to book a session for your school, visit our workshop page, get an instant price with our instant quote tool, or get in touch to discuss your requirements. For more ideas on enrichment for primary schools, read our guide to STEM enrichment activities for primary schools or explore what school enrichment is and why it matters.
