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Invention Ideas for Kids: DIY Kids Invention Box

By Rachelle 6 Comments

DIY Invention Box for Kids from TinkerLab

Today I’m sharing FULL instructions on how to build your very own DIY Invention Box for Kids, a gift that offers endless invention ideas for kids. This box of goodies is designed to inspire children to explore materials in new ways, experiment, test, play, and turn imaginative ideas into a reality. My children have had boxes like this for years, and theirs have since grown to include supplies that they collect on walks, at birthday parties, and from our kitchen pantry.

The Perfect Gift for Little Inventors

The Invention Box would be an amazing, thoughtful gift for the young makers on your list. This can also be scaled up for a class of children or scouts.

While there are a few supplies involved, once your Invention Box is built it can provide your child with HOURS of imaginative play.

If you like the ideas you see here, you will probably love my book: TinkerLab: A Hands-on Guide for Little Inventors.

Maker your own TinkerLab Invention Box

Essential Supplies

Note: This post contains affiliate links. Thanks for supporting TinkerLab with your purchase!

TinkerLab Book. Pick up a copy of TinkerLab: A Hands-on Guide for Little Inventors. The dimensions are 7″ x .5″ x 9.4″. It fits nicely in the storage box below. The book is distributed by Random House and found available wherever books are sold.

Storage Box. We use this photo box. This translucent box by ArtBin is nice because it’s clear and has handles, and a shoe box would also work nicely.

Glue Gun. Cool Shot Super Low Temperature Glue Gun. If you’ve never used a glue gun with kids, you’re in for a treat. Kids LOVE the empowering feeling of using glue guns, and this low heat glue gun is my all-time favorite because the tip stays relatively cool and won’t burn little fingers. It also stays cool enough that the glue won’t melt and drip out of it if you have to walk away. Let’s just say that I may have discovered this when I accidentally left it plugged in all night long.

Glue Sticks. Cool Shot Super Low Temperature Mini Glue Sticks

Scissors. Fiskars 5″ Safety Edge Right Handed Scissors or Left Handed Pointed Tip Scissors

Tape. Roll of Duct Tape in Plain Colors or Fun Patterns

Inspiration Cards. Include a short stack of inspiration cards to pull it all together.

Make your own Invention Box for Kids

Prototyping Materials

You will need supplies that fall into five general categories that are borrowed from the Stanford d.school’s Prototyping Cart (see page 211 of MakeSpace for more details):

  1. pliable materials
  2. connectors
  3. structural items
  4. utensils
  5. treasures.

You don’t need to include everything that I’ll share below, but you should try to include items from each category.

For this particular kit, the essential supplies (see above) are a TinkerLab book, storage box, low heat glue gun, glue sticks, scissors, duct tape, and inspiration cards. The rest is up to you!

The following is not an exhaustive list, but it’s my go-to list of things that come from the dollar store, my pantry, Amazon, the craft store, and our art cabinet. If you’re pulling kits together for a large group, you might find it easier to buy in bulk. However, if you’re pulling a kit or two together, you can easily source materials from what you already have. I’m including some links below if you’re buying in bulk and to clarify what some of these items are. Once the invention box is in action, feel free to replenish with favorite items and even include your child in the process of filling your box.

Pliable Materials: wire, fabric, foil, paper…

  • Wire: colorful plastic wire is great for kids, If you include wire, be sure to also include a wire cutter.
  • Shiny paper such as aluminum foil
  • Wrapping Paper cut into smaller pieces
  • Fabric, cut into 4″ x 4″ pieces (or thereabout)

Pliable Materials for the TinkerLab  Invention Box

Connectors: duct tape, string, and hot glue (from a glue gun)…

  • String: I like this hemp cord because it’s natural, comes in multiple colors, and it ties off well due to its texture.

Connectors for the TinkerLab  Invention Box

Structural Items: wood blocks, CD’s, craft sticks, straws, plastic cups…

  • Wood Scraps
  • Clothespins
  • CD’s
  • Straws
  • Neon party shot glasses
  • Baking Cups
  • Corks
  • Blocks
  • Popsicle Sticks
  • Bottle Caps
  •  Cardboard tubes

Structural Items for the TinkerLab  Invention Box

Utensils: scissors, Sharpie permanent marker/s…

  • Fiskars 5″ Safety Edge Right Handed Scissors or Left Handed Pointed Tip Scissors
  • Sharpie fine point permanent marker. I’m comfortable giving my kids permanent markers because we have a lot of practice with them and I know they will respect the Sharpie. However, I do not recommend including a Sharpie for everyone. Use your best judgement on this one.

Utensils for the TinkerLab  Invention Box

Treasures: googly eyes, buttons, stickers, bottle caps…

  • Pom poms
  • Puzzle Pieces
  • Buttons
  • Party Picks
  • Peel and Stick Googly Eyes
  • Broken jewelry
  • Mardi Gras Beads

Treasures for the TinkerLab  Invention Box

Invention Box Card Set

TinkerLab Invention Box Cards

Print the Cards. Select: Fit to Printable Area. Print onto a heavyweight paper such as card stock. Cut the cards by cutting the paper in half, and then in half again. You will now have four cards. Paper clip them together. Place the cards on top of your Invention Box.

You can find the card set here and print them right away.

Make your own Invention Box for Kids

 

DIY Invention Box for Kids from TinkerLab

Invention Ideas for Kids

Here are a few more activities to try with this kit:

Build a Rube Goldberg Machine

Make Found Object Critters

Create Recycled Sculpture

 

 

Filed Under: Creative Challenge, Tinker

Tinkering with Club TinkerLab

By Rachelle 1 Comment

Join Club TinkerLab: an online tinkering club for people who are interested in making, inventing, tinkering, educating, and engineering with kids.

Club TinkerLab, a closed Facebook group to discuss inventing, tinkering, educating, and engineering for kids.

When my book launched in June 2014, I quietly started a Facebook group called Club TinkerLab, an online tinkering club for people who are interested in making, inventing, tinkering, crafting, and engineering with kids. 

Since June, I’ve shared this tinkering club with my newsletter subscribers and Facebook friends, and today I wanted to give this special club a shout-out on my blog.

Join Club TinkerLab - an online tinkering club for people who are interested in making, inventing, tinkering, educating, and engineering with kids.

What is Club TinkerLab?

Club TinkerLab is a closed Facebook group where making, inventing, educating, and engineering intersect. It’s essentially a forum, in the shape of Facebook group.

It’s a place to share STEM + STEAM inspiration, lesson plans, home-based projects, or creative inspiration. We have close to 2000 members who come from all walks of life. The group is friendly and supportive, and will often save the day when you hit a tinkering wall.

What kind of ideas are shared?

Some recent posts include

Rube Goldberg-style chain reactions

Different ideas for upcycling household materials

a STEAM workshops for teachers

How to grow crystals

Straw rockets

If you spend a bit of time on Facebook, and would like to join a community that shares ideas like this, it should feel like home to you!

Who is Club TinkerLab for?

Parents, teachers, homeschoolers, librarians, grandparents, and anyone interested in setting the stage for creativity for children.

Who are the Moderators?

Anne from Left Brain Craft Brain

Ana from Babble Dabble Do

Melissa from The Chocolate Muffin Tree

MaryAnn from Mama Smiles – Joyful Parenting 

Marnie from Carrots are Orange

Megan from The Art Pantry

Dayna from Lemon Lime Adventures

Meri from Meri Cherry Blog

What is Tinkering?

I bet you’ll enjoy this post!

Join Club TinkerLab: an online tinkering club for people who are interested in making, inventing, tinkering, educating, and engineering with kids.

Where can I find Club TinkerLab?

Here’s a link! Simply ask to join the group and you’ll be accepted shortly.

Want more? You might also enjoy our series of posts that share an inside look into Tinkering Spaces.

 

Filed Under: Art Activities, Tinker

Hammering for Preschoolers

By Rachelle 11 Comments

Hammering for Preschoolers - an easy introduction to making and tinkering for young children

Hammering for Preschoolers - an easy introduction to making and tinkering for young children

Hammering for Preschoolers

This is a fun early building activity for toddlers and preschoolers. If you have a child who likes to bang a hammer, this project is for you. It’s economical, contributes to strong hand-eye coordination, and can give you hours of fun.

Hammering for Preschoolers

Our Introduction to this Project

This post includes affiliate links.

My neighbor Liz is an incredible parent and preschool teacher. She introduced us to this early carpintry & building activity this summer, and my daughter has asked me to buy her golf tees on numerous occasions since. We don’t play golf, so I finally got my act together and ordered this set of tees.

And now that we own a bag of 75 golf tees? It’s nice to have a bowl of tees in the yard in case the mood to hammer strikes. Ouch, no pun intended!

Hammering for Preschoolers

A handful of tees and a toy hammer is all it takes. This hammer is part of the Plan Toy Punch and Drop Set and the tees are from Amazon.

Hammering for Preschoolers

Hammering for Toddlers

When my daughter was younger, I would poke some tees into the earth to help her get started, but now she wants to do this step herself. For easier hammering, we like to work with soft or wet dirt.

Resources:

  • Our favorite Golf Tees were found on Amazon. I like how this pack is multi-colored. Kids love this!
  • Wooden Hammer came from this toy.
  • Montessori Services sells a hammering set, but you can also order a hammer and tees separately.  I would recommend just the tees and hammer.
  • If you don’t have access to dirt or want to make this an indoor activity, a good alternative is to pick up or find a huge chunk of styrofoam.

Hammering and Building Extensions:

  • Older children may enjoy hammering real nails into a tree stump or piece of scrap wood.
  • Pre-hammer holes into a piece of wood. Using a screw driver and large screws, show the child how to screw into the hole left by the nail.  You could also practice screwing holes into a bar of soap.
  • Cut small pieces of sand paper of various grades, and set out some blocks for the child to sand. Discuss the different textures of the papers with words like rough, course, and smooth.

More Building + Tinkering for Kids

Hammering Real Nails

Why is Tinkering Important?

Build Gumdrop Sculptures

Make a Recycled Sculpture

Build a Fort from Milk Jugs

Make a Sugar Cube Sculpture

Filed Under: Tinker Tagged With: activity, building, children, exploration, golf tees, hammer, kids, tees

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