invention is the child of necessity

In a world of mystery, and magic, science, and sensations, for young children who are still learning about the forces and rules, it can seem like anything is possible.

A box could be a replicator, obviously, but it could be a castle, or a robot, or a special tool for cleaning up the daycare. (That’s my favourite!)

Some of the world’s most practical inventions were dreamt up by children – including the popsicle and the earmuff – and this season, I’m hoping to engage that power of limitless imagination, and put it to work solving one of the world’s biggest problems: namely, what to do with all the things we already have. (Have you seen The Story of Stuff…?)

While these little cuties give me the warm feelies, Reducing, Reusing, and Recycling is becoming a mantra without meaning. Reduce what? Reuse how? Recycle…? Everything? Is that possible? Isn’t everything possible??

For the DIY Spring season, we’re putting it to the test.

As you may have noticed, my classes tend toward the broader topics of world citizenship, and luckily for me, I’m not even close to the first person to consider children’s role in our future. There are dozens of books about this topic, and in all of them, the idea that holds the most magic is the simplest: things are not only what they seem, they are also whatever you imagine them to be.

We’ll be looking at:

We’ll be exploring electricity, and generating light from lemons, carrying sound down the line, a la Alexander Graham Bell, and for the season finale, we’re going to collect, collaborate, and create a class project that keeps everyone’s imaginations, attention, and hands busy!

Common people think you can’t schedule a Eureka moment, but creatives know the trick: keep your eyes open, and your childish sense of wonder strong.

By teaching children to see beyond what is there, to what is possible, I plan to engage their inventive nature – to save the world.

Join us!

invent! goes down Fridays, from 1 – 4pm.