Bob Run Design STEM Challenge (K–2): Winter Olympics Engineering in Your Classroom
Bring the Winter Olympic Games into your K–2 classroom with a hands-on engineering challenge that feels like a real event. In this Bob Run Design STEM Challenge, students become Winter Games engineers and design a bob run (a bobsled track) that can carry a marble or LEGO minifigure from start to finish.
Download now as part of the STEM Teachers Club or purchase it in Carly and Adam’s store.
In this STEM challenge, student teams construct a track that includes one straight section and a section with three turns in a row. Once built, students will test their design by sending a marble down the run and watching what happens. The best part is that the first test rarely goes perfectly—which is exactly what makes this such a great STEM moment.
As students revise, they start noticing the real science behind the sport. The included reading supports kid-friendly understanding of how bob runs include straightaways and sharp turns, how walls help keep the sled on the track, and how gravity pulls the sled down the run. It’s an easy way to connect building to forces and motion.
Prep is also teacher-friendly. The suggested materials are everyday classroom items (paper plates, tape, cardboard tubes, cups, paper) plus a marble or LEGO minifigure for testing. This resource reinforces the mindset you want in a K–2 STEM classroom: success isn’t always a perfect final product—sometimes success is learning what didn’t work and improving the design.
If you’re planning a Winter Olympics STEM day or week, this bob run challenge is the perfect addition. It is engaging, manageable, and naturally pushes kids into the engineering cycle of build, test, and improve—with plenty of excitement along the way.
Everything You Need—All in One Place
All of the activities mentioned above are included in the Winter Games STEM lesson plans by Carly and Adam, making it easy to plan an engaging Olympic-themed STEM experience without starting from scratch.
STEM Teachers Club Members can download all of these activities for free.
The full resource is also available for purchase on Carly and Adam’s store.
Whether you’re planning a full multi-day unit or just a few special STEM days during the 2026 Winter Olympics, this lesson plan gives you everything you need to bring the Games to life in your classroom.
Get all of the lessons in both Winter Games bundles as part of the STEM Teachers Club.
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