Creation Station

The older girls went to Camp Invent this year. They took apart old DVD and CD players and made their own "inventions" and even got a paper saying it was patented.

Summer's "Spider Catcher"

They also made stores out of boxes

So we cleaned out a space in our garage for them to work, too.....

Here they can take apart old things or just put stuff together to make their own creation. I call it the Creation Station.

Supplies may include:

• old bottles
• egg cartons
• boxes
• lids of any kind
• markers
• any other recyclable items
• tape
• wrapping paper
• other paper scraps
• screwdrivers
• glue guns
• craft sticks
• pom poms
• pipe cleaners
• glitter
• random things you don't want anymore
• yarn or string
• Styrofoam meat trays
• odds and ends craft supplies
• pencils
• rulers
• stickers
• beads
• anything, really (well, maybe not glass or sharp things :)

Then just allow them to be creative! This is a place they can just let their imagination go wild...and parents- this is our place to ask, don't tell (unless they are going to hurt themselves, of course). Sometimes they really do know better than us! It may seem silly but to them it is outstanding! Encourage problem solving and using their own ideas and you might be amazed at what they come up with!!

I also happened to find this book about Toy Inventions the same week at a used book store. It may spark some ideas about inventing as well.