I love STEM; I love teaching STEM to preschoolers and training preschool teachers how to do it! You can’t teach STEM without some great books, and these engineering books for preschoolers are the perfect addition to any lesson about building or engineering in your preschool classroom. I use or have used all these books in some way in my pre-k or toddler classes. Every one of these books about engineering for preschoolers teaches about the process of designing, testing, and problem-solving that is at the heart of engineering! Learn more about how to teach STEM to preschoolers here.
11 engineering books for preschoolers
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Rosie Revere Engineer by Andrea Beaty is not just a book about a young girl who happens to be an engineer; it’s a story about embracing one’s uniqueness, even if it sets them apart from others. Marching to the beat of one’s own drummer can be challenging, and Rosie initially struggles with it. However, after receiving a motivational talk from her mentor, everything changes for her. I appreciate how the book emphasizes the importance of failure in the problem-solving process rather than viewing it as an obstacle.
Iggy Peck Architect also by Andrea Beaty is a heartwarming and funny story about a young boy named Iggy, who has an insatiable passion for building. Despite facing criticism from his peers and teachers, Iggy’s problem-solving skills and creativity are useful when he saves the day. The book’s rhyming text is impressive as it doesn’t compromise the perfect word for a rhyme. Instead, it all flows together seamlessly.
Rex Wrecks It by Ben Clanton is a book that I highly recommend for every preschool class library. It tells the story of a little dinosaur who can’t stop knocking down other people’s towers. It’s a great story because it shows empathy for all the children involved in this situation. When you read it to your students, pay attention to the characters’ emotions when the towers are knocked down. They feel sad, frustrated, and angry. This will help your students understand how it feels to have their towers knocked down by other students. But the book also focuses on how Rex feels and why he’s having a hard time controlling the urge to break stuff too – because he just wants to be involved. It’s also a good opportunity to talk about self-regulation and resisting the temptation to do something fun but disruptive. This book will be a valuable resource throughout the year as you work with your students on these important skills. Also… it’s funny!
Penguinaut by Marcie Colleen’s book is a heartwarming story that encourages the reader to think outside of the box, dream big, and never give up. It’s a great source of inspiration for anyone feeling small and unable to do everything they want to do. Even adults can benefit from the fun and uplifting story. Who doesn’t love a penguin in space? This book can teach children that almost anything is possible if they believe in themselves and work hard but that achievement isn’t all there is… I highly recommend it for students of all ages.
Awesome Dawson
by Chris Gall. Dawson is a remarkable young boy who creates new things using other people’s throwaways. Like any other child, he tries to avoid chores so he can focus on playing. However, he is one step ahead of most kids and builds a robot to complete the chores he’s been asked to do! Unfortunately, things don’t go according to plan, and he must transform himself into a superhero to save the day. This book about engineering is truly inspiring for children who enjoy inventing and tinkering.
Have Fun Molly Lou Lemon by Patty Lovell is a super sweet story about a girl named Molly Lou Mellon who loves to build toys using her imagination. She’s super creative and comes up with amazing ideas, even though other kids prefer to use toys that do everything for them. One day, a new girl named Gertie moves in next door with her awesome toys, but Molly stays true to herself and continues to use her creativity. She even teaches Gertie how to make her own toys with her imagination. A feel-good book about engineering and friendship!
Monkey with A Tool Belt and The Noisy Problem by Chris Monroe is a very funny book about a monkey who is not only very handy with his tools, he is also an incredible problem solver. This is the perfect combination to show young readers what STEM is all about, especially engineering! He creates, builds, and fixes the noisy problem- and saves the day, This whole series of books are well worth adding to your bookshelf, and the author-illustrator is a genius at combining a fun story with illustrations that will suck kids in. Do not try to read this in a hurry because each page deserves a long, long look at every single detail.
Boxitechs by Kim Smith is a great book about building with cardboard boxes and a great story about how to work as a team, especially when we don’t want to. It is longer for a read-aloud for preschool, but my PreK class engages with it from cover to cover. Spoiler… I love that the main characters do NOT win the competition. My students and I always discuss why and how they deal with this disappointment. For a book about engineering, it has a huge focus on social-emotional skills.
Baby Loves Aerospace Engineering by Ruth Spiro is a great book to use as a way to introduce toddlers to the basic principles of flight and aerospace engineering. Since obviously we aren’t sending them off to college to study it just yet! It’s colorful and fun and answers the age-old question of how airplanes stay up in the sky in a kid-friendly, easy-to-understand way. Unlike some other children’s books, there is no focus on the gender of the main character, which is a nice feature to have on your bookshelf.
Mechanimals by Chris Tougas isn’t just about a farmer who builds robot animals when his are swept away in a tornado; it’s about overcoming adversity. A farm without animals? What is the farmer to do? Certainly, not admit defeat! Instead, the farmer puts on his engineering hat and starts problem solving, He makes plans and starts building! What an incredible lesson in engineering as well as resourcefulness, problem-solving, and determination. This is such an awesome book and my students love it!
If I Built A House by Chris Van Dusen is one of my favorites to read to my PreK class. The book takes readers on a house tour of a kid-designed amazing house, which is filled with crazy cool rooms. Some of these rooms are common in our homes, while others are only real in the imaginations of kids. This book inspires children to create their own house plans and imagine their dream houses. The inventions in the house encourage readers to think about what they would invent for their homes and what rooms they would have in their houses if they could. I love asking my students to dream big! After reading, simple ways to build on this learning is to graph everyone’s favorite room from the book, do a simple directed drawing, or have children draw their dream room!
