Schools might be closed to most pupils, but there's no shortage of stuff for kids to tackle at home. 

Now the James Dyson Foundation has made a whole heap of engineering content available, too, with 44 science and engineering tasks to keep inquisitive minds active over the weeks to come.

Each of the tasks has been designed for children rather than adults and are ideal for getting on with at home. The top few have a video to go with them (below) while the remainder are available as PDFs.

Questions include - can you skewer a balloon without popping it? Coat a nail in copper? What happens when you plug a clock into a potato?

The James Dyson Foundation's remit is to introduce young people to the world of engineering. You can download the 44 challenge cards from the Dyson Foundation site. 

5 top Dyson engineering challenges for kids 

1. Build a cardboard boat from scratch

Ever wondered how ships weighing thousands of tonnes stay afloat? Find out and put your design and invention skills to the test, making a boat from household items.

2. Make the Golden Gate Bridge out of spaghetti 

The Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, USA is one of the most iconic structures ever built. Here's your chance to recreate it from nothing more than spaghetti. 

3. Race a balloon-powered car 

Using just a balloon, a plastic cup, straws, thread and rubber bands, get to grips with balloon-powered propulsion and make your own racing car.

4. Keep a marble rolling for a minute

Design your own run that can keep a marble rolling for at least a minute using nothing more than cardboard and sticky tape. See how Dyson engineers did the same using Dyson machine parts. 

5. Peer through your own homemade periscope 

Ever wanted to peer around corners without being seen? Get to grips with how mirrors and light can combine to make one of the oldest spying tools in the book - the periscope. 

Also, the annual James Dyson Award 2020 is now open for entries for the 15th year. Three past winners, who each received the £30,000 prize, have gone on to successfully commercialise their inventions. Check the details out here: