Tinkerlab: A Hands-On Guide for Little Inventors

Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience.

Large, unlined, heavyweight paper notebooks

start with a magnifying glass, microscope (for looking at pond water or leaves), a camera, a few empty containers in which to collect your treasures, and a notebook.

Supplies: Favorite Objects to Tinker With

DISCOVERY SUPPLIES

In a nutshell, look at mistakes as opportunities for growth rather than indications of failure.

creative invitation is a combination of materials and context that intrigue children with a suggestion of play.

The real challenge is keeping alive our children’s enjoyment of artistic activity—replete as it may be with emotive images, tidy lines, celebratory copying, original gesture, or conventional steps.

Children need unstructured time to follow their curiosity: to imagine, build, experiment, and explore.