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REVIEW:
Invention at Play looks at invention in an innovative way and encourages visitors to make connections between their own lives and abilities and those of inventors. It examines the role of play in the invention process by featuring five inventors: Newman Darby, Stephanie Kwolek, James McLurkin, Alexander G. Bell, Akhil Madhani, and the IDEO Design Team; clustered with abbreviated stories about a wide variety of other innovators who have used similar creative techniques. The Invention Playhouse features four highly interactive activities that feature make believe/visual thinking; puzzle play/problem solving; exploration/tinkering; and social play/collaboration. The "does play matter" section explores some favorite toys of American children and features video discussions on play. Additionally, there is an online sketchbook on the main page for visitors to sketch their ideas by creatively doodling. The educators' manual, found in the resource section, includes background information, a comparison of children's inventive play and inventor's playful approaches, inventor's stories, classroom activities, invention and play quotations, issues in play, and teacher resources and references. Topics for the activities include making a tube telephone, choosing a bike, making a light bulb, and mapping animal behavior as well as activities in exploratory play, pretend play, social play, and play with patterns, puzzles, and problems. Included in the resource section is a guide for families. |
January 2006
