We’re making our own Lego Swiss Family Robinson stem challenge and encourage kids to use critical thinking, planning, engineering skills, problem-solving, as well as creativity to create their unique treehouse. Also, you’ll love more ideas on my post Swiss Family Robinson Unit Study.
A wonderful thing about homeschooling is that you can take a book like Swiss Family Robinson and go as in-depth as you like.
For example, you can create learning experiences and activities for this literature.
However, you can also cover everything from math to geography to science.
The Robinsons built their island treehouse using simply what they found around them.
Too, they got parts and pieces scavenged from the shipwreck.
Challenge your child to do the same with LEGO.
Beyond just creating a LEGO Swiss Family Robinson treehouse let’s look at some other fabulous STEM projects.
When I think of Swiss Family Robinson stem, I think of survival skills.
This book is the perfect time to dive deeply into some basic life skills.
They can be learned to be used in survival situations but also can be applied to day-to-day life.
More Resources for Learning About Swiss Family Robinson & Survival Activities
- Where Did Swiss Family Robinson Land And Their Unique Homes | Cave Activity
- From Switzerland to the Author of Swiss Family Robinson Quick Study
- How to Create Swiss Family Treehouse Blueprints With Kids
- What is the Swiss Family Robinson About | Simple Jeopardy Style Game
- How to Make Adorable Swiss Family Robinson Book Characters Bookmarks
- Exciting Swiss Family Robinson Activities | From Oyster To Pearl
- The Swiss Family Robinson Fun and Easy Movie Night Ideas
- Embrace Island Life: How To Eat A Coconut Like Swiss Family Robinson
- Animals in The Swiss Family Robinson Book | Parrot Craft
- Lost In Adventure: 10 Books Like Swiss Family Robinson
- How to Build a LEGO Swiss Family Robinson STEM Challenge Treehouse
- Survival to Inspiration The Swiss Family Robinson Book | Brick Book
- How To Make A Swiss Family Robinson Map | Easy Swiss Geography
- DIY Easy Compass Activity and Survival Ideas
- Simple Candle
- Hunting Deer
- How to Plan And Start an Easy Gardening Unit Study for Kids
Next, look at these books and resources.
Books to Learn About How The Swiss Family Robinson Lived
8 Books & Resources for Learning About The Swiss Family Robinson
Add some of these books to your unit study of The Swiss Family Robinson and their adventures on a deserted island.
More than 100 original illustrations by Louis Rhead. You want to read this book with illustrations.
See the world in a whole new way! Acclaimed illustrator Julia Rothman combines art and science in this exciting and educational guide to the structure, function, and personality of the natural world.
Explore the anatomy of a jellyfish, the inside of a volcano, monarch butterfly migration, how sunsets work, and much more. Rothman’s whimsical illustrations are paired with interactive activities that encourage curiosity and inspire you to look more closely at the world all around you.
Become a nature detective with this illustrative, engaging and fun Take-Along-Guide. You may not know where to look, or what to look for, but animal signs are everywhere and this guide will help you learn how to read them. You'll learn how to spot and identify common clues that 17 wildlife species leave behind in the woods, in the fields and along ponds.
The heroic tale of the courageous exploits of the Robinson family after they are shipwrecked on a deserted island. Using teamwork and ingenuity, they overcome the obstacles of nature and transform their new home into a "civilized" community.
From treating a bee sting to building an overnight shelter, kids will gain the knowledge and confidence they need to survive outdoors.
Bear Grylls The Complete Adventures Collection 12 Books Set: Titles In This Set: The Blizzard Challenge The Desert Challenge The Jungle Challenge The Sea Challenge The River Challenge The Earthquake Challenge The Volcano Challenge The Safari Challenge The Cave Challenge The Mountain Challenge The Arctic Challenge The Sailing Challenge
By Pro-Knot, the number one trusted name in Knots with over 7,000 5 Star reviews! This complete knot tying KIT includes everything you need to learn and practice how to tie 23 essential rope knots. The six card/twelve page waterproof plastic card set contains 23 best all purpose rope knots
clearly illustrated and described, bound together with a no-rust brass grommet in the corner!
Edible wild plants are nature’s natural food source, growing along roadsides, sprouting in backyards, and blooming in country fields. North America’s diverse geography overflows with edible plant species.
Swiss Family Robinson STEM Ideas
- Head outdoors and take the Survival Skills Challenge: Building a Shelter to see if you can create a shelter using just a few basic items.
- In my Homeschool Literature The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Raft Craft you can learn about terms like buoyancy and challenge your student to build a raft that not only floats but bears weight.
- Try the Survival Skills for Kids – FIRE STARTING CHALLENGE, while you may not need it for a shipwreck it will come in handy.
- Father was even able to construct a water wheel, check out this Water Wheel STEM Activity to make one on a smaller scale and learn how it works.
Throughout the building ask questions to encourage critical thinking and assess their comprehension and retention.
Of course, answers will vary.
But here are a few questions that you might ask and some of the possible answers.
What materials did they use? Trees, sailcloth, bamboo, rope, wood planks. They even used geometry to determine how high it needed to be.
Why did they build their treehouse where they did? Proximity to water, food, good trees for building at the right height, etc.
How did they get materials up the tree? They fashioned a pulley to move materials up and down the tree easily.
LEGO Swiss Family Robinson STEM Challenge
For this challenge, you don’t need to follow instructions, rather this is a great time to encourage your child to use their critical thinking skills to build a structure that holds up, bears weight, and fits the needs of the “family”.
But just to give you a framework I’m giving you simple steps to have them follow and the way that I did it.
Allow them to build and learn.
For instance, decide whether it’s best to build on top of the tree base or to build the structure first and then place it on top, etc
You will need:
Start with a big base plate and add a little “sand and water” with smaller flat blue and tan plates.
Start with a smaller base plate as the base of your treehouse.
To make it a little easier or let your child completely fashion one from smaller pieces for more of a challenge for older children.
Add a bit of border for walls and 4 corners.
Make the corners the height that you would like the treehouse to be.
For the next part, they will want to build trunks of the tree.
They need to support the treehouse and figure out where they should be placed to support it best.
For the roof, we found it easiest to build one that was a little larger than the size of the base floor of the structure.
Then, place it on top.
And then came the fun part, adding greenery.
Use it all over the roof.
And show it coming out of the sides of the structure to make it look more like it was inside of a tree.
Now you can put your treehouse on top of the “tree trunks”.
Don’t forget to create a ladder for going up and down.
You can stop there, or you can continue to challenge your child’s creativity.
For example, have your kids add flora and fauna to the base, build structures for the animals, or recreate a scene from the story.
