Discovery Play Activities with Your Young Child: Tinker/Inventor’s Box

Discovery Play Activities with Your Young Child: Tinker/Inventor’s Box

STEM

Science

Engineering

Levels of Thinking

Resources are categorized by whether they target foundational levels of thinking or levels of thinking that extend past foundational levels (expanding).

Suggested AdaptationS

Check out our guide to adaptations. Adapt for environment, materials, instruction.

General Guide to Adaptations

Description

Creating an inventor’s box does not have to be expensive. Add a variety of household items into a container of your choice. Encourage your child to create/invent something with the items inside of the box and share their creativity with you!

Environment

  • If possible, limit background noise & distractions
  • Use modified or flexible seating
  • Place activity items on an anti-slip mat or in a container or tray
  • Place objects within reach

Materials

  • Have child’s assistive technology ready and available, including augmentative & alternative communication (AAC) device and/or power wheelchair
  • Have materials in various sizes, textures, and colors

Instruction

  • Use a variety of methods of communication (e.g., sign language, gestures) to meaningfully engage children
  • Provide a prompt, these can be verbal and/or visual cues, if struggling with an idea of what to build (see following page for ideas)

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STEM Ideas/Words

STEMIE Learning Trajectories