What Are LEGO Challenge Cards?

LEGO Challenge Cards are simple, printable cards that give students fun building tasks to complete. Each card presents a new challenge—from building a tall tower to designing a bridge that can hold weight. Students think, build, test, and improve their designs just like real engineers!

These cards are a low-prep, high-engagement way to make learning hands-on and exciting. Plus, they encourage creativity, teamwork, and problem-solving—all essential skills for young learners.

Why Teachers Love LEGO Challenge Cards

Encourages Creativity

Students design, build, and test their ideas in new and interesting ways. No two projects are ever the same!

Strengthens Problem-Solving Skills

Each challenge pushes students to think critically and figure out solutions—just like real engineers and architects do.

Keeps Kids Engaged

Need an easy way to keep students focused and learning? These LEGO challenges are perfect for STEM centers, early finishers, or independent work time.

No-Prep & Easy to Use

Just print the cards, grab some LEGO bricks, and you’re ready to go! No complicated setup required.

Works for Any Classroom

Use these in small groups, whole-class activities, or partner work—they’re flexible and fun for all learning styles.

How to Use LEGO Challenge Cards in the Classroom

1. Print and Prepare the Cards

For extra durability, laminate the cards so they last longer. You can also punch a hole in the corner and put them on a binder ring to keep them organized.

2. Gather Your Supplies

All you need are:

• A set of LEGO bricks (any size or variety)
• The Printable LEGO Challenge Cards (below)
• A flat surface for building

3. Let the Fun Begin!

Give each student (or group) a random challenge card and let them start building. You can set a timer for extra excitement or let students work at their own pace.

4. Encourage Discussion

After students finish, ask them questions to get them thinking deeper:

• What was the hardest part of the challenge?
• Did you change your design? Why?
• If you could add one thing, what would it be?

5. Add an Extra STEM Twist!

Want to make it even more exciting? Try adding:

• A weight test – Can their structure hold a book?
• A time challenge – Can they build it in 5 minutes?
• A storytelling element – Can they explain how their creation works?

Grab Your Set

Ready to play along too?! Click the blue download button to download your free cards. Students will:

• Build the tallest tower possible – but it has to stand for at least 10 seconds
• Create a bridge – strong enough to hold 5 pennies.
• Design a dream house – complete with furniture inside!
• Build a car – and see if it can roll down a ramp.
• Invent a musical instrument – and see if it makes a sound!

With so many possibilities, kids will never get bored with these challenges!

Want More STEM Fun? Get a Full Year of STEM Challenges!

If your students love these LEGO challenges, they’ll go crazy for a full year of STEM fun! Imagine having engaging, hands-on STEM challenges ready to go—anytime you need them. Click to Grab It Now!

Why Teachers Love This STEM Challenge Bundle:

Over 40 STEM Challenges – Perfect for the whole year
No-Prep Printables – Just print and use
Covers Key Science Topics – Engineering, motion, forces, measurement, and more
Encourages Problem-Solving – Students learn through experimentation and testing ideas

Don’t miss out! If you want ready-to-go STEM challenges that are engaging, educational, and easy to implement, this bundle is exactly what you need.

The post Printable LEGO Challenge Cards for STEM Learning appeared first on The Stem Laboratory.

Grab your free set below and then hop over and snag our Landmark STEM Challenge Cards in our shop!

Getting Ready

I printed the LEGO activity cards on cardstock to give them extra durability and cut along the grey lines to separate the pieces.

(If you’ll be using the LEGO activity in a classroom, you may also want to laminate the cards for extra durability.)

I grabbed our set of LEGO Duplos (regular LEGOs would work just as well) and invited Middle Brother (age 5) over to join me.

Fall LEGO Building Activity

To help Middle Brother build his STEM engineering skills, I had him pick up one card at a time and use his bricks to create the object.

He made a maple leaf,

pumpkin

and so many other fall themed objects!  By the end, we had built apples, cats, spiders and more with our Fall LEGO Challenge Cards!

Grab Your Set

Ready to start building?! Click the download button below and then hop over and snag our Famous Landmark Cards  too!

The post Fall LEGO Challenge Cards appeared first on The Stem Laboratory.

Getting Ready

Prepping the project was really as simple as gathering together supplies for each group:

• 15 pipe cleaners (including one of each color in the rainbow if possible)
• A small container of playdough
• Scissors
• One record sheet for each child

And then, for testing later, I grabbed a small plastic cup filled with 50 pennies.

Rainbow STEM Challenge

Each group had the same goal: building the strongest rainbow.

To successfully complete the challenge, however, I set out some extra rules. The rainbows had to:

• Stand on their own
• Use 15 or fewer pipe cleaners each
• Not use any other material like tape or staples to bind the pipe cleaners together.
• Stand at least 4 inches (10 cm) tall

Since a big piece of STEM learning is design, teamwork and problem solving, I had students first work with their groups to create a plan on their record sheet.

Then they set out to actually build their rainbow!

After all of the groups had finished creating, it was time to test the strength of the arcs. This is where the real STEM challenge came in!

Working on one rainbow at a time, we placed the plastic cup at the center of the arc and slowly added one coin to the cup at a time until the arc collapsed.

The kids were so excited to see what design was the strongest!

To stretch students’ thinking, we talked about what worked well and what needed to be tweaked next time.

Then kids set off to adjust their designs before we tested them again to see if there was any improvement.

Rainbow STEM Challenge Extension Activity

A simple way to build students’ creativity is having them use leftover pipe cleaners to make their own design: trees, animals – just about anything!

I’m including an extension record sheet in the download (below) for you, too.

Grab Your Download

Click the blue button below to download your easy-to-follow directions and then join The Plato Pack to get instant access to more than 150+ jaw-dropping (but easy prep!) STEM challenges kids will love!

The post Rainbow STEM Challenge appeared first on The Stem Laboratory.