beachnut Posted May 28, 2010 Share Posted May 28, 2010 My 10yo son loves to build things (we've got Legos, K'Nex), but he usually doesn't like to follow directions if it's a set meant to create a particular model (like a Star Wars spaceship). He likes to just invent his own free-form structures. He also likes to construct "contraptions" out of lots of household things (paper clips, string, PVC pipe, duct tape, etc.) Can anyone offer me ideas/resources to nurture this type of creativity but perhaps in a more structured way? (i.e., We just bought Snap Circuits so he can build electronic things.) Or can you point me to some affordable educational resources for using Legos and/or K'Nex? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tiredbuthappy Posted May 28, 2010 Share Posted May 28, 2010 You've described my 8 yr old son to a "T". He never wants to use anything for its intended use, but instead likes to make crazy inventions with everything! He received a great game for Christmas that he still loves to play with. It is called "Contraptions" and is made/sold by MindWare. Don't buy it from their website, though - I think you can find it on Amazon cheaper. It consists of 200 identical wooden planks, two ping pong type balls and fantastic instructions on the different ways to pattern the blocks to make your own contraptions. Doesn't sound like much, but my son comes up with some amazing ramps and tunnels and still loves to use this. Also, if you allow video games, my son has loved a PC game called Crazy Machines and a Nintendo DS game called Mechanic Master. Both games give the user various odd things (pulleys, balloons, bowling balls, fire, wind-up airplanes, etc) that need to be put together in some logical way to create a chain reaction to complete a task. Some of the higher levels get pretty tough and my son has asked me for my help and I have really enjoyed the challanges myself! I'll be interested to here anyone else's replies, because I am always in need of news ways to satisify his need to create! His mind exhausts me sometimes!!! :tongue_smilie: Jennifer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennW in SoCal Posted May 28, 2010 Share Posted May 28, 2010 My younger ds was always a free form builder, too. He now wants a band saw so he can start making a trebuchet... A fabulous magazine for Lego enthusiasts of all ages is Brick Journal. It has articles about all kinds of things people have built, both Lego Master Builders and enthusiasts. If you are ever in Southern California, Legoland has a junior master builder competition each month where kids have to build a small model that relate to a specific theme. Another great magazine is MAKE that has all kinds of contraptions each and every month. My boys both enjoyed the KLUTZ lego book that came with bricks and instructions. There were other KLUTZ kits they liked -- one on electricity, another building an electro-magnetic motor. Backyard Ballistics is a fun book -- if you are up for that sort of thing. Do they still make erector sets? That is what my brothers had and loved. Back to Trebuchets. The PBS series NOVA had a terrific series of shows several years ago on recreating ancient structures using materials and technology of the period. They are gathered on 2 DVDs "Secrets of Lost Empires". The trebuchet (a particular kind of catapult) is on the 2nd disc. My boys LOVED this series. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luckymama Posted May 28, 2010 Share Posted May 28, 2010 LOL Jennifer, we have a trebuchet in the basement (only 3' tall though) as well as two other catapult designs! My ds is a freeform Lego builder and has been since, gosh, maybe 7 or 8 yo. He gets his inspiration from everywhere, though there are some Lego blogs he follows (only one I remember offhand is Brothers Brick (?) but I don't know the address) to keep up on what is happening "in the community." His dream job would be to be one of the freeform designers/builders who travel from convention to event to convention! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beachnut Posted May 28, 2010 Author Share Posted May 28, 2010 Thanks for the suggestions! Much appreciated. My son's birthday is in a few weeks, so I might buy him some of these things as gifts. I think he'd really like the computer game in particular. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted May 28, 2010 Share Posted May 28, 2010 PVC pipe in different lengths and a bunch of connectors ;)-you can build a lot of neat stuff with PVC, and it's not very expensive, especially if you visit hardware stores and buy the remnants. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWSJ Posted May 30, 2010 Share Posted May 30, 2010 Introduce him to Rube Goldberg machines: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rube_Goldberg_machine My son loves them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
radiobrain Posted May 30, 2010 Share Posted May 30, 2010 Not exactly afforadable... but my kids love love love their Kapla blocks. My 10 year old made the Pantheon in our living room with these last month. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
junepep Posted May 31, 2010 Share Posted May 31, 2010 (edited) It's not a book suggestion, but we love Kapla blocks here too (perhaps me more so than anyone else in the house -- because I love building elaborate structures). Edited May 31, 2010 by junepep brain misfire :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EKS Posted May 31, 2010 Share Posted May 31, 2010 Have you seen the Capsela kits? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capsela Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tiredbuthappy Posted June 1, 2010 Share Posted June 1, 2010 I guess my son doesn't get his gifted nature from me :tongue_smilie:, I had to look up what Kapla blocks are...come to find out, the game "Contraptions" that I mentioned above, is just a set of plain old Kapla blocks! LOL :blush: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beachnut Posted June 4, 2010 Author Share Posted June 4, 2010 I've never heard of Kapla blocks or the Capsela kits. Definitely worth checking out. And I think my son might get a kick out of the Rube Goldberg contraptions. Thanks for sharing these great ideas! I've been struggling to see his inventiveness as something other than a packrat who saves EVERYTHING (paper clips, empty containers, etc.), makes a mess and doesn't use most of his "collection" the way the things are intended to be used. I know he's being creative, so I'm trying to funnel his inventiveness into something a little more ... structured? I guess it's kind of like looking at some pieces of modern art and wondering "THAT'S art?" Just trying to keep an open-mind and encourage my Little McGyver. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desert Rat Posted June 6, 2010 Share Posted June 6, 2010 Lego offers a Lego club for homeschoolers/teachers. Check it out at http://www.LEGOeducations.us/LEGOsmart. We have gotten some great ideas from their newsletter. HTH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H0MEFree Posted June 10, 2010 Share Posted June 10, 2010 Have you looked at Zoobs? Or TOOTHPICKS. There are some unbelievable things to be made from toothpicks. My kids flipped out when they saw pictures. You can even buy a little toothpick trimmer to measre and whack them all really fast for huge projects. Here is one for example! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted June 11, 2010 Share Posted June 11, 2010 Check out the Think! blog. Your ds might get a kick out of doing some of the challenges. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tiredbuthappy Posted June 27, 2010 Share Posted June 27, 2010 Not exactly afforadable... but my kids love love love their Kapla blocks. If anyone is interested, I stumbled upon an awesome clearance item at Toys R Us.... kapla blocks in disguise. They are called Citiblocs and it is a set of 200 kapla blocks on clearance for $11.23!!!!! The sales clerk told me the sale runs through July 17th. I checked online and it seems like the sale is not online, only in stores. Even though we have a set of 200, I bought two more sets, an extra for us and one as a Christmas gift. Enjoy!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doodle Posted June 28, 2010 Share Posted June 28, 2010 PVC pipe in different lengths and a bunch of connectors ;)-you can build a lot of neat stuff with PVC, and it's not very expensive, especially if you visit hardware stores and buy the remnants. Doodle loves to build too and this idea would really appeal to him. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doodle Posted June 28, 2010 Share Posted June 28, 2010 Check out the Think! blog. Your ds might get a kick out of doing some of the challenges. This is great! I love the challenges. I'm going to add one a week into our schedule. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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