This is part of my fifteen minute focus series, simple activities you can do with a group of 4 – 5 year olds in around 15 minutes.

We read The Handiest Things in the World by Clements. (Read aloud video.) The idea for the companion activity came from Picture-Perfect STEM Lessons by Morgan and Ansberry, which includes picture cards you can use, or you can make your own – each card has a picture of the inventions shown in the book, such as umbrellas, buckets, and combs. If you don’t own the book, it would be easy to create a similar activity.

To introduce this, say  “Human beings have hands, which are really cool – we can do all sorts of things with our hands that animals can’t do with their paws. Can you think of some?” [discuss for a while] “But what’s even cooler about humans is that we can invent things. So when our hands aren’t perfect at doing a job, we can invent a tool that helps us do the job better. We’re going to read a book where one page describes a problem – something where using your hands helps you to do something, but maybe your hands aren’t perfect at that job. Then you guys will guess what invention might help us solve that problem.”

Then hand out a card to each child. When reading the book, only show them the left page at first that shows using your hands. Then ask them what invention would help someone accomplish the task that’s described… have the child with that card show it to everyone, then show them the picture in the book of that invention.

Then ask them what job is hard for them to do. Or something they wish they were better at. Could they invent something to do that job? Maybe a simple tool or maybe a complicated machine or maybe a robot. Then have them draw a picture of that invention and then share it with the group.

I found that the five year olds were able to imagine something cool and sort of draw it. This activity was actually a little too abstract for my four year olds. Another option would have been a group discussion where you all work together on something. An idea from the Morgan and Ansberry book is to suggest that you want their help designing the coolest possible backpack to bring things to school in. First ask what problems they might have with current backpack they want to fix, and together come up with ideas for solving them, then think of fun / crazy things you could do. You could draw it out as they brainstorm, or you could have them draw their own.

Here are lots more ideas for preschool activities on the theme of inventors.