The Extraordinaires Design Studio: Invention
$26.99
Introduction
Cardboard prototyping is more than just arts and crafts - it’s a real-world technique used in many STEM careers. (Fun fact: James Dyson built his first vacuum prototype out of cardboard!)
It’s also a fantastic way for kids to build a toolbox of transferable skills such as:
Engineering and Design Thinking: Encourages kids to explore how structures work and how different components fit together.
Experience of the Design Cycle: A fun, hands-on way to engage with the full design process - teaching that failure isn’t the end, it’s part of the journey. Try, test, tweak, repeat!
Systems Thinking: Helps kids understand how different parts work together to create a functioning whole - a foundation for robotics, coding, and engineering.
Step 1:
Gather all your materials:
Cardboard
Ruler
Scissors
Pen
Skewers
Toothpick
Hot Glue Gun
Step 2:
Draw and cut out all of your shapes.
Base: 10cm x 6m (x2)
Side Wall: 12cm x 2cm (x6)
Arms: 5cm x 3cm (a fold line through the middle)
Body: 3cm x 5cm
Head: 2.5cm diameter (trace a $1 coin)
Step 3:
Take your two base pieces and glue them on top of each other.
Step 4:
To make your two side walls, glue three side pieces together. Repeat this to make two walls.
Step 5:
About 1cm from the top of each side wall, use your skewer to poke a hole through all three layers.
Step 6:
Glue the side panels to the outer edges of the base piece, making sure the end without the hole is at the bottom.
Step 7:
To make your arms use your ruler to fold both arm pieces in half and glue them together.
Step 8:
Use your skewer to poke a hole through the top and bottom of the arms.
Step 9:
Take your head and body and glue the face to the top of the body.
Step 10:
Now insert your toothpick through the top of the body.
Step 11:
Take your arms and place them onto each side of the toothpick.
Step 12:
Take all of your components and thread your skewer through the side walls and the arms of your gymnast.
Well done! You have your very own gymnast - twirl the skewer around to make your gymnast flip!
