Young inventors are interested in recycling. Using recycled supplies will not only save parents money but the practice will get kids thinking creatively. Recycled supplies like empty plastic soda bottles, soup cans and paper towel tubes are priceless tools for inventing. Milk jugs, paper cartons, yogurt cups and cereal boxes can all live a little longer as part of your child’s inventions. Always clean and dry used food containers before giving them to children.
Office supply stores have good invention supplies for kids. Rubber bands are sold by the bagful at these stores and come in different sizes. Rubber bands work great for making pulleys and contraptions. Paper clips, white glue, notebooks, rag paper and poster boards are all potential invention components. To help your child share his ideas, buy him a dry erase board or chalk board for his room or lab. He will need markers, chalk and erasers, too.
Home improvement stores have an endless supplies of possible invention components. For starters by children some small pieces of PVC pipe, screws, nails, screen material and wood. For safety’s sake, by him some protective eyewear when using tools that could hurt his eyes. Buy him a small starter kit of tools that are age-appropriate like a hammer, screwdrivers, pliers and sandpaper. Always give children instruction on how to use tools and the dangers of playing with electricity.
Visit thrift stores and dollar stores to find possible invention components for your child. Things like old broken toys are perfect for recycling into something brand new. Blocks, dolls, old cars and trains have lots of good pieces that can be used. Browse the kitchen area, too. You may be able to find wooden dowels, pieces and metal tins that can be incorporated into bright ideas. Old clothing like rope belts and purse straps can be reused and turned in to something creative.
Kids sometimes need guidance and suggestions when making their creations. Buy your child a few books that are age-appropriate that teach him how to make basic machines. Learning basic machines and functions like fulcrums are important when it comes to inventing.