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Published 30 Aug, 2014 05:31am

Website review: Inventions at play

IF you love science, inventors and inventions, then Inventions at Play is the right place for you. Yup, the site is for the aspiring kids who love to solve problems and question science.

Inventions at Play focuses on invention and innovation, but all through play. The basic idea is how play can shape the way a child thinks and learns in his daily life. The site challenges you to explore, question, invent and collaborate to make your own discoveries. So open the site. On the top right side you can jump through the main menu with “Inventors’ stories” with loads of stories of famous inventors, “Invention playhouse” with different puzzling games and the “Does play matter” to question your inquisitive minds.

Some of the activities in “Invention playhouse” are ‘Cloud dreamer,’ which basically encourages a child to think originally, use his/her imagination, flexibility and adaptability. “Puzzle block” helps hone your ability to recognise and understand categories, patterns and their association, it is about bringing together to find solution and breaking it up to approach the problem differently. “Tinker ball” encourages exploration and tinkering, while “Word play” focuses on social play and collaboration by sharing, taking turns, communication, discussing ideas in groups and enhancing creative abilities.

The left panel hosts games while in the centre you can read brief intros of different activities on the site. You can also doodle here as the site says “Invention often begins with doodling. Sketch your ideas.”

The website deviates from traditional representations of inventors as extraordinary geniuses who are “not like us‚” to celebrate the creative skills and processes that are familiar and accessible to all people.

Find out more at http://www.inventionatplay.org/index.html

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