Preschool: I Am an Inventor

Preschool – I Am an Inventor

A multi-week, project-based unit that invites preschoolers to design, build, test, and improve ideas through hands-on invention and creative problem-solving.

Turning ideas into creations

This extended unit gives preschoolers time and space to explore how things work and how ideas can change through testing and improvement. Using everyday materials, children plan, build, redesign, and reflect as they explore invention through play, experimentation, and open-ended challenges.

What you’ll explore

• What inventors do: talk about inventors, inventions, and how problems lead to ideas
• Design and planning: sketch ideas and talk through plans before building
• Building and constructing: create structures, tools, and simple machines using loose parts and recycled materials
• Testing and redesigning: try ideas, notice what works or doesn’t, and make changes
• Cause and effect: explore how movement, balance, weight, and force affect designs
• Problem-solving challenges: complete guided invention tasks with specific goals
• Creativity and flexibility: use imagination to create multiple solutions to the same problem
• Reflection and sharing: talk about designs, choices, and improvements made

What’s included

• A multi-week, extended plan designed to be revisited and adapted over time
• Multiple invention cycles with guided challenges and open-ended builds
• A clear preparation section outlining materials and setup
• Lesson pages with prompts, guiding questions, step-by-step suggestions, parent tips, affirmations, and alternative approaches
• Printable planning and reflection pages, including design sheets, challenge cards, and documentation pages
• A child portfolio component to collect plans, photos, and reflections

Single-lesson listing examples

• What Is an Invention?: explore everyday inventions and how they help solve problems
• Design a Solution: draw and talk through a plan before building
• Build and Test: construct a design and observe how it works
• Fix It and Try Again: redesign a project after testing
• Loose Parts Challenge: create something new using open-ended materials
• Inventor Showcase: share and talk about finished or ongoing projects

Use this lesson together with our other Preschool lessons:

Growth Mindset
All About Me
My Body and My Health
Community Helpers
Filipino Culture
The World Around Us
Earth Is Our Home
Transportation
Books and Authors
I Am an Inventor (this lesson)