Mindboggling Questions, Creativity and Curiosity
There is magic in everything.The world is a spinning star, No matter how old you are. This blog post contains ad links. When I Was a Child by Andy Stanton is a celebration of love between a grandparent and child. This book paints an enchanting vision of the world as it is as the two... Continue Reading →
Who is faster than a caterpillar? Who is wrinklier than a hedgehog? You are never to old for a guessing game, or an alphabet book. I love the inventive approach that is used in some alphabet books to teach children something that is. . . well good for them. The book Animalphabet by Julia Donaldson,... Continue Reading →
During the Ice Age, cave artists used their fingers or materials from nature such as twigs, moss and brushes made from animal hairs to put paint onto cave walls.The paintings were made deep within caves. The curves and shapes of the cave walls were used to paint animals. Flickering lights created an illusion so that... Continue Reading →
Kind Good-hearted Loving Generous Warm Giving Kind and warm energy is important to spread. And everyone can have ideas about ways to spread kindness. But how can you describe kindness? Make a list of words and draw them on dots. Inspiration for words can you get by discussing books such as Have You Filled a Bucket... Continue Reading →
Elaine Halligan's My Child's Different: The lessons learned from one family's struggle to unlock their son's potential celebrates the unique qualities that children who are different bring to the world. Reading about development when the development does not follow the expected pattern enhances your understanding not only of children who are different but also of... Continue Reading →
What does 3D geometry mean for young children? Maths is about problem-solving and thinking. Trying ot figure out what will happen. if you do something. Our initial thoughts when we think about 3D may circle around all sort of hard and difficult maths with intersecting lines. Using art is one way to introduce key concept... Continue Reading →
Lazy summer days! Relax from all the seriousness of school and homework. In the introduction to the book The Art of Silliness: A Creativity Book for Everyone Carla Sonheim says that she is not really a very silly person. She is actually a pretty serious person. She writes, "But "serious" does not equal "solemn", and I... Continue Reading →
A day at the beach collecting shells and building sand castles inspires children to make friends with animals like the crabs runing along the beach and to dream up a story about the inquisitive and inventive princes and princesses who live in the sand castle they have just built. Stories help children understand their outdoor... Continue Reading →
Affiliate links from Amazon are used in this blog post. A reading program that involves teaching children to crack the code by engaging all their senses is a great way to support your child on their journey towards literacy. Children learn through movement, touch and hands-on play. The book ABC See, Hear, Do: Learn to... Continue Reading →
The Age of the Average prevents children from blossoming. The dream that every child is given chances and opportunities to become the best they can, is a dream that it is worth striving for. Yet, this idea rests on the assumption that this can be achieved on a child's own terms. One thing that stands... Continue Reading →
The Cherry Blossom season has arrived. A month later than last year! To watch the trees bloom, dressing our garden in magnificent shades of pink is wonderful. We filled some coloured papers with blossoms. Some art activities are better suited to the outdoors. And sometimes it is nice to display the work in the garden. ... Continue Reading →
Young children are alive with questions. The world is a wonderful place filled with mysterious things. Things that surprise and amaze them. They often embark on a journey to investigate, explore and understand the world. At some point children tend to get the idea that questions are not particularly welcome. The learn that having a... Continue Reading →
Keeping things fun does not necessarily mean that the underlying purpose with an activity is lost. Dot-to-dot is in itself and activity that is designed to capture children's attention while at the same time checking if they "correctly can join the dots together by counting". A figure emerges if the child can correctly connect the... Continue Reading →
This post contains affiliate links. Flower Alphabet Book Which flower flavours tea? Can you use a flower to make a doll? Flower Alphabet Book by Jerry Pallotta is beutifully illustrated by Leslie Evans. A stunning alphabet book filled with flowers in bright colours and inspiring information. A beutiful bouquet of words and picutres! Oh Say... Continue Reading →
“How many ways can you add 10+10?” Can creativity be taught? In today's world innovation and creative problem solving are important. If innovation is the key to success, then it is time to think about ways to put creativity into our education system. For many of us, however, creativity is a mystery. Whether we are... Continue Reading →
Young children sometimes come up with a surprising fresh idea. They suggest something or do something in a way that we would never imagine ourselves. Imagine ways to be a kid again Look at the following suggestion made by 4-year-old Augie when his grandfather said, “I wish I could be a kid again.” But before... Continue Reading →
This post has ad links. Dip your toes into the future creatures of the land and skies. "Welcome to future Earth. Despite repeated warnings, the environment has become polluted to such an extent that many areas of the globe have become uninhabitable, and wildlife is now extinct. From the ashes, a new style of ‘wildlife’... Continue Reading →
Big questions is what most people think that philosphy is all about. Big and hard questions that only adults can have something important to contribute to. Philosophy for children is not about teaching children about philosophy but to engage with children about philosophical questions. Children are taught how to create their own philosophical questions. Questions... Continue Reading →
Start the New Year by stretching your imagination by magically shrinking the giant pink rabbit that is terrorizing your castle? Children love fairy tales and from a young age they begin to retell a story. Emergent literacy is a term that is used to refer to the idea that children learn about reading and writing... Continue Reading →
On the Twelfth Day of December We saved Twelve Giant Whales Whales are awe-inspiring and often elusive creatures. Their sheer size amazes us but as climate change and krill fishing increase, our time to learn more about these magnificent mammals is running out. Of the 13 “Great Whale” species, 7 of them are currently classified... Continue Reading →
The magical Christmas adventure the Nutcracker is a popular ballet with music written by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. In The Nutcracker: Press the Note to Hear Tchaikovsky's Music (The Story Orchestra) you can listen to 'The Dance of the Reed Flutes', 'The Waltz of Flowers' and 'The Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy', while you read about... Continue Reading →
On the Eleventh of November we saved, Eleven Polar Bears Sliding on the Snow. Polar bears live in remote areas that are tricky to study. But scientists predict that without action on climate change we could lose wild polar bears by 2100. Major treats are melting sea ice and loss of prey due to climate... Continue Reading →
A lovely stop-motion animation by Jackie Edwards using drawings made by children. "Love is a kind thing to do!" "Love is something very powerful!" "Love is something beautiful!" "I think love is important!" What is love? Maybe ( ) Together | What is love? from Performing Lines on Vimeo.
Children love questions. They learn and grow by asking questions. Few people are aware of the power of asking questions. When you think that you know it all, there is no need to ask questions. Why would you? But questions are the best way to gain insight and also to develop solutions to problems. Some... Continue Reading →
Reading can open up new worlds and enrich a child's life. Words are beautiful and key to many things in life. Words help us make sense of the world around us and they shape our thoughts and influence our actions. Sadly, over one billion people around the world cannot read. Futurologist used to predict the... Continue Reading →
On the Tenth Day of October, we saved Ten Adorable Penguins If you are very lucky, according to Irish folklore, you might find the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. But what is a pot of gold compared to some Gentoo penguins with flamboyant red-orange beaks, white-feather caps, and peach-colored feet. Or... Continue Reading →
A mathematical think dive into a pile of colourful autumn leaves. What if there was a leaf counting machine? A leaf-powered machine that could count the leaves in a rotting piles of autumn leaves. Why would you like to count the number of leaves in a pile? Who would think of such an idea? Maths... Continue Reading →
Explore the learning potential and creative thinking benefits of shifting the way you ask your child questions. Good questions help children to think outside the square, they challenge assumptions and help to spark a desire to explore possibilities. A think dive into the unknown. Children love to ponder over ideas that are a bit silly... Continue Reading →
What happens when we let external influences dim our inner light? Madrid based animators, Daniel Martinez Lara and Rafa Cano Mendez created this touching 8 minute short film that shows what happens when we let external influences dim our inner light. Copi is trying to teach his son, Paste, how to live and what is correct... Continue Reading →
The Woodland Trust is encouraging families to celebrate the UK’s incredible trees and woods by throwing a tree party! Become a leaf expert and learn more about trees! We spent a morning walking around in a big local park looking for a suitable tree to invite. So difficult to choose. It would be lovely to... Continue Reading →
What can be better than to cuddle up in the sofa and listen to a story while the autumn leaves are dancing on the streets? Madeline Finn and the Library Dog by Lisa Papp Cracking the reading cde takes time. And for some children it takes longer time. Madeline Finn and the Library Dog by... Continue Reading →
Traditionally, children's books used to reinforce messages that children are powerless and unimportant. Books for children were written with the aim of teaching children to adopt to adult's values. The underlying messages in the books were that children must change to fit into the world - the adult world. Today, more and more children's books... Continue Reading →
On the eighth day of August we saved eight elegant zebras. Black and white stripes. The skin helps to keep the zebra cool. So the answer to a lot of problems may be "zebra"! The pattern of the black and white stripes may be correlated to the climate where the zebras are living. The black... Continue Reading →
"What is the purpose of a Hedgehog?" This question popped up in a discussion about endangered animals and particularly endangered hedgehogs. Images of cute little hoglets flashed through my mind as well as beautiful illustrations from the book The Tale of Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle by Beatrix Potter. After cats, hedgehogs might be the internet's favourite animal.... Continue Reading →
People flying with their umbrellas as the wind blows. Paintings that escape from their frames. Buses are fish and fish fly in the sky! Imagine a City by Elise Hurst is an invitation to imagine all sort of fantastic things. She encourages us to not only imainge fantastical cities but also takes the game a... Continue Reading →
A selection of interesting, beautiful and mind-boggling videos that I stumbled upon the last weeks. Enjoy! Creative Constraints! Safe surfing on the Internet Philosophy and Children Soft robots inspired by Octopuses!
“Sometimes the smallest things take up the most room in your heart.” Winnie the Pooh Question Asking Let the students start the new school term by asking questions about things that take up the most room in their heart. They can ask BIG and important questions about serious things or small fuzzy questions that... Continue Reading →
What would you think if there were no frogs to kiss? In stories, frogs are often portrayed as ugly and slimy. When frogs are not hopping off lily pads, or croaking"ribbit" in the pond, they are often said to turn into a beautiful prince or princess if you dare to kiss them. And it is... Continue Reading →
Owls have beautiful as well as smart feathers! Why not make a project and study feathers? The beauty of bird feathers provides inspiration for art activities. And their smart design is perfect for young curious biomimicrist. A great way to study how feathers have evolved and to use their clever design as an inspiration for... Continue Reading →
What if you were a dentist? Can you invent something inspired by dinosaurs? Magnificent plant-eating dinosaurs provided inspiration for the idea of Magic DinoPills. The long-necked, plant-eating giants such as Diplodocus and Camarasaurus grew new teeth every couple of months. Their diet consisting of plants such a trees, bushes, cycads, ginkgoes and ferns worn down... Continue Reading →
Every elephant counts! On the Fifth of May, we saved Five Trumpeting Elephants But where are they? The magnificent elephants migrate and cross borders. Elephants have no passports like humans and it vital to count the numbers and see where they are to help protect them. To help protect elephants in Africa "The... Continue Reading →
In a local park not far from our house there are lots of rabbits running around. Watching the bouncy rabbits is always an exciting time.Rabbits are also a common pet. And pets can provide the perfect inspiration for new ideas. What if you were trapped in a cage with no friends or toys to play... Continue Reading →
Postal stamps to celebrate nature! Stamps are awesome. And if you are wondering how big is the gap between teeth on the jagged edge you find the answer in the mind-boggling book Science of Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials. "An atom is only about one hundred-millionth of a centimetre across, so that it would take... Continue Reading →
Any ideas to celebrate the news that the status of giant pandas has been changed? We made a collage using photos of endangered animals. We used gelli print to make the background and then we simply cut out some distinctive panda features - black ears and eyes (go here to read more about gelli... Continue Reading →
On the Fourth Day of April We saved Four Munching Pandas 'Great news, the giant panda has moved one step away from extinction. The giant panda has been downgraded from endangered to vulnerable. The charming bear with the large black patches around its eyes and over the ears and across its almost round body... Continue Reading →
What can you do with a ripe pepper apart from eating it? Well, you can always make a wonderful harmonica. Player's Pflute is a creative musician kit. A colourful modular system of wind instruments with different mouthpieces, hole punchers and silicone connectors. Jia Wu has created the most adorable kit that encourages children to... Continue Reading →
It is in the news every day, from climate change to disappearing species, and we need to do something to reverse these trends. But how do we encourage children to not only care but also take action? Curiosity, care and compassion for our natural world comes from early contact with nature. A sense of wonder,... Continue Reading →
On the third day of March We saved three Swinging Orangutans Our think dive this month is inspired by not only orangutans but also dreams about Easter bunnies and chocolate. After we have learnt that the production of palm oil is a major threat to orangutans we decided to make a chocolate bark using chocolate... Continue Reading →
Climate change! A debated and difficult problem. Is it important to talk about this situation with children? I think so. As the earth gets warmer and warmer the causes, mechanisms, or impacts of climate change on our planet is something that is important to discuss. It is also crucial to explore solutions and ideas that... Continue Reading →
Imagine that you can be the sloth. What does it mean to find your inner sloth? Sloths are asleep a good portion of the twenty-four-hour day. The rest of the time the are slowly moving and feeding. What if you were licking an ice-cream in a way that a sloth munches slowly on leaves? What... Continue Reading →
Bring slowness into the world! On the Second Day of February, We Saved Two Sleepy Sloths Would it not be great to stretch time? How can we celebrate slowfulness? William Beebe was a sloth researcher who was very impressed by the sloths' slowness. He wrote, "Sloths have no right to be living on this earth,... Continue Reading →
Even brown bracts are beautiful! A nature Valentine heart made of twigs, flowers and brown hydrangea bracts and flowers. Mopheads, as they are also called, are showy bushes that in the warmer months have colourful and big bracts around each flower. Now the bushes are filled with brown but still beautiful big mopheads. We also... Continue Reading →
Meet Donald Dugong Seacleaner! The graceful dugongs spend time eating seagrass from the bottom of the sea. Seagrass is important to save. We wrote a story about Doctor Delia Dugong who saved the seagrass. We also reversed the thinking and ended up with an idea where we take something away from the sea that does... Continue Reading →
Dugongs spark our curiosity and tug our heart-strings. These sea cows are beautiful and fascinating creatures. The first day of January we saved One swimming dugong Inspired by the carol "The Twelve days fo Christmas", we made up a song where we each month saved an animal - The Twelve Months of Endangered Animals Song.... Continue Reading →
What was the biggest challenge you faced today? How can you think about these challenges in a new way? What can we do differently tomorrow if we face similar challenges? Research conducted by Carol Dweck has found that children who believe that their brain could grow did better in school, and in life. Behind mindset... Continue Reading →
I wish all my readers a Happy New Year! During 2017, I will among other things be using the animals in this mindmap as inspiration for new ideas. You can download the mind map here for free. Save
What are your creative resolutions for 2017? This time of the year we all reflect on the “good” and the “bad” of the previous year and many us make New Year’s Resolutions for the upcoming year. Often lists are filled with words like More and Less. We promise to "exercise More" and "eat Less sugar".... Continue Reading →
On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love sent to me 12 drummers drumming The last challenge inspired by the traditional as well as the Australian version of the Christmas Carol The Twelve Days of Christmas. Can you rewrite the song and use endangered animals as inspiration. Perhaps you can write a version that... Continue Reading →
Does nagging help? Does nagging make you stop doing something? In the Australian version of Twelve Days of Christmas, we have On the eleventh day of Christmas my true love to me 11 numbats nagging Photo Helenabella So what can we do instead of nagging? Perhaps you can make a play and perform it during... Continue Reading →
Kings, Queens, Lords. . . A treat fit for a king! On the Tenth day of Christmas my true love sent to me 10 Lords a-Leaping The king of all the animals and the jungle is the lion. Sadly, this much-loved animal is now an endangered species. It is easy to think that the protection... Continue Reading →
On the 9th day of Christmas My true love sent to me 9 wombats working, In Australia the 11 th of May is Wombat Day and one thing you can do to support then endangered wombat is to make Hairy-Nosed truffles. Since it is almost Christmas, why not make your own truffles to spotlight an... Continue Reading →
Dairy cows! Are cows an endangered species? On the eighth day of Christmas my true love sent to me: 8 Maids a Milking The loss of biodiversity is not only threatening wild animals but also farm animals. Farm animals have been domesticated for centuries but today many species are not regarded as suitable for contemporary... Continue Reading →
Kids Power! Everyone has their own way of taking actions to helping the world. What can you do? Take words from the animal of 7th day of Christmas as inspiration to support an endangered animal. On the 7th day of Christmas My true love sent to me 7 possums playing In the song, we have... Continue Reading →
On the sixth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me Six geese a-laying. . . Is creativity an inborn talent that kids either do or do not have? Or is it a skill that can be taught? Creativity is sometimes linked to intelligence and it is suggested that not all children are equally... Continue Reading →
How cool are frogs? A challenge inspired by golden rings and the frog prince. On the fifth day of Christmas my true love sent to me: 5 Golden Rings 4 Calling Birds 3 French Hens 2 Turtle Doves and a Partridge in a Pear Tree The Frog Prince is a fairy tale that was included... Continue Reading →
A wonderful exploration of polar bears and their habitat. The Polar Bear by Jenni Desmond is a rare treat, a book that is both magical and factually accurate. You are taken on a journey of polar bear bodies, habits, as well as habitats. Yet, the reading the book is a bit bittersweet. Polar bears... Continue Reading →
There is an Australian version of the Twelve Days of Christmas and this version is used as inspiration for today's challenge. On the 4th day of Christmas My true love sent to me 4 koalas cuddling, 3 kookaburras laughing 2 pink galahs And an emu up a gum tree. Koalas are regarded as a vulnerable... Continue Reading →
On the Third day of Christmas my true love sent to me Three French Hens Two Turtle Doves and a Partridge in a Pear Tree.French Hens! The thoughts drift towards foxes and the story about the clever Fantastic Mr Fox. Mr Fox lives with his wife and four children,who are always hungry. To feed his... Continue Reading →
Welcome to the second challenge. On the Second day of Christmas my true love sent to me Two Turtle Doves and a Partridge in a Pear Tree. Photo Yuvalr European turtle doves form strong bonds and the rather small dove with the wedge-shaped tail with a dark centre and white borders and tips is a... Continue Reading →
Welcome to the first challenge. A challenge filled with a dollop of fun, a spoon of seriousness and an ocean of sparking thinkibility. On the first day of Christmas my true love sent to me: A Partridge in a Pear Tree On this the first day of Christmas we may look for ideas that contain:... Continue Reading →
Everyone can make a difference. Everyone can be kind. And everyone can have creative ideas about acts of kindness during the Festive Season! There are many wonderful and creative lists where you can select acts of kindness that your students or child can carry out during December. If you are looking for ways to... Continue Reading →
Would it not be great if you could smell with your body just like a slug? Slugs are everywhere! And gooey slime is a wonderful substance that can solve many problems. Britain has ideal conditions for slugs to thrive - cool damp summers and warmish mild wet winters. Climate changes also contribute into turning our... Continue Reading →
What prevents a tree from growing in straight lines? Are there straight lines in nature? And are there right angles? The trees have lost most of their leaves and the structure of the trees are visible. So the other day we hunted for the tree with the straightest trunk and branches. When we look at... Continue Reading →
"There is a hat. The turtles fund it together. But there is two of them and there is only one hat" A bear, a fish and turtles! Jon Klassen's hat trilogy is a lesson in minimalism. The conclusion to this trilogy, We Found a Hat, is both deliciously funny and heart-warming. And of course,... Continue Reading →
Here is a mix of things that has caught my attention the last couple of days. I hope you and your kids feels inspired. First is a video that is absolutely magical. Lego in a way you have probably never seen it before. Magic angle sculptures created with layers and layers of LEGO pieces. At... Continue Reading →
Make sure that you have a beetle spotters’ guide to hand when you start reading the exciting adventure of Beetle Boy (The Battle of the Beetles) by M.G. Leonard, charmingly illustrated by Júlia Sardà. Why has it taken so long for beetles to get a starring role in a children's book? They represent a quarter... Continue Reading →
Be a book detective and learn to love new words and explore challenging ideas. Save the best books and read them aloud. Bring the lovely, exciting stories to life. Challenge your kids to listen to stories that boost their vocabulary. Listening to someone reading book with challenging ideas and vocabulary is not only a wonderful... Continue Reading →
"The evenings were darkening and the leaves were turning gold. It was the time when hedgehogs should be settling for their winter sleep. But Isaac the hedge was not feeling sleepy. Isaac wanted to play But who would play with Isaac?" Wide-Awake Hedgehog by Rosie Wellesley is a perfect book to snuggle up under a... Continue Reading →
Be inspired by Spiders to prevent a thief from stealing Halloween treats. Spiders! Oh no! Although I have never been afraid of spiders I must admit that finding a poisonous redback in my shoes in Queensland did make me jump back. The redback spider is a beautiful black spider with a big red strip on... Continue Reading →
How do you raise a child who loves to write? Inspiring a child to write a story of her own can give her a confidence boost in her own creative skills. It can also help a child to consolidate literacy skills by putting her phonics, grammar and reading skills into practice. During the lasts decades... Continue Reading →
How can you read creatively? And can reading creatively result in creative writing skills? I love reading. If I win the lottery I would stop doing everything else and just read marvellous books. I would be drawn into exciting stories and I would read about marvellous animals and plants. . . And I would... Continue Reading →
The other day I saw a communication book for adults where someone had put lines through the "not correct" words and written the "correct" words beside. Admittedly, the message was a bit confusing but when you reread the message it became perfectly clear. I wonder how this person felt since I suspect it was... Continue Reading →
In true Leonard da Vinci spirit build a bridge or structure that does not require any nails or ropes. Grimm’s Spiel und Holz Design, “Grimm’s”, has been making beautiful, natural and sustainable wooden toys since 1978. Over the years, I have bought several of their amazing toys, from rattles, to stacking towers to wonderful puzzles.... Continue Reading →
Pop-up projects are such fun! Making a 3D birthday card is a quick and easy and will entertain children. A perfect rainy day project. But pop-up paper projects can also be taken to a completely new level. And the book, New Pop-Up Paper Projects: Step-by-step paper engineering for all ages, by Paul Johnson is a... Continue Reading →
Ahh, summer holiday. I remember the thrill of cycling down to the little bookshop in Söderköping in Sweden to spend the money that my parents gave me on the last day of term. Eager eyes searching among the selves for something new and exciting. The bookshop, the oldest in Sweden opened in 1815, had a... Continue Reading →
Building sandcastles, surfing on waves, and licking the world's yummiest ice-cream! A day at the beach can be truly magical. Children can tank their bodies with warm sun rays and parents' endless love. But it can also be a day filled with wonderous and mind-boggling ideas and questions. Dream, build and invent. Invent playground shaped... Continue Reading →
Does the golden ratio exist in the world of art, architecture and design? Or is it a myth? Why not spend some time to check it out for yourself? The golden ratio is regarded as a way to define something beautiful. Great artists such as Salvador Dalí is said to have used the number sequence... Continue Reading →
A world that does not yet exist! A mind-boggling topic for a lazy summer day. Storytelling activities are a wonderful way for children to develop their imagination and creative approach to thinking. It is also great fun to play around with language and invent new words and sounds to create a suitable atmosphere. Many famous... Continue Reading →
Do you know why frogs have big eyes that bulge out? Or why frogs can walk upside down? Frog eyes are big and come in a stunning range of colors and patterns. Perhaps you have seen a frog resting in the water with only its eyes and nose above the surface. Frogs can protrude their... Continue Reading →
In the summertime, bike riding is, even more, fun! Yet there are several problems with bike riding. Frogs amazing bulging eyes and their low horse croaking sound provided inspiration to solve two of the most annoying problems. How to talk to your best friend without shouting? How to see everything that goes on behind you?... Continue Reading →
What if you had the power to create whatever you imagine? What would you create? The Imagination Box by Martyn Ford is a wonderful book if you want to give the creative muscles a real workout. Instead of providing the illustrations of all the exciting things that the boy in the story creates, the... Continue Reading →
Imagine a chair where you can insert your own drawings? Or a chair that just like a flower grows? Why not inspire your kids to dream up and design some cool furnitures and toys? Inventing new games, toys and furnitures are often tasks that are included in biomimicry material for young children. Milan design week... Continue Reading →
It is deceptively easy to think that biomimicry is simply an approach where the only purpose is to invent and design new things. An approach to creating things or solve problems by using principles that have been tested by nature for billions of years. Admittedly , this is is one of the reasons why I... Continue Reading →
“These trees are friends,” he said, craning his neck to look at the leafless crowns, black against a gray sky. “You see how the thick branches point away from each other? That’s so they don’t block their buddy’s light.” Peter Wohlleben Imagine meeting someone who has written a best seller about the way trees... Continue Reading →
The poem "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud" or Daffodils was composed in 1804, two years after Wordsworth saw the flowers while walking by Ullswater. It was a stormy day and the inspiration for the poem came from a description of the event written by his sister Dorothy. Through our curious biomimicry lens we were... Continue Reading →
Can you teach a caterpillar maths? Or turn a super-sized cat invisible? Meet the 6th-grade genius and inventor Nate Bannister who every Friday the 13th does three not-so-smart things to keep life interesting. The Genius Factor: How to Capture an Invisible Cat by Paul Tobin is the perfect treat for future inventors. This book is... Continue Reading →
Animal Architects: Amazing Animals Who Build Their Homes is written and illustrated by Daniel Nassar and Julio Antonio Blasco. Each spread is filled with inspiration as well as information about each animal and its home. Structures built by animals often have complicated features such as special-purpose chambers built by bees and ventilation in a termite... Continue Reading →
A dog umbrella. A car wash for people. Or a device where you can charge your phone using a hamster. If given a chance, children can come up if the most fantastic ideas. Many of these ideas may seem to crazy to work but inventors need to come up new ideas that challenge the way... Continue Reading →
Blue Hyacinth Macaw is a stunningly beautiful parrot. We made a craft were we combined acrylic paint, with real hyacinths, muscari flowers, leaves, and twigs. Little notes about this brilliant-blue parrot with bright yellow rings around its eyes and on its beak were also added. Information about this bird: The tail is long and magnificent... Continue Reading →
Imagine that you have wings like a ladybird. What would you do? Ladybirds are delightful to have around and we always close our eyes and make a wish when a ladybird flies away from our hands. Since I love roses, ladybirds are a true friend for that reason as well. And a rosebush is indeed... Continue Reading →
