What to do with this activity?

Encourage your child to find out about famous inventions and inventors of the past, and maybe try to invent something new and useful themselves. For instance, the wheel was invented more than 4000 years ago. It was such an important change in human history because it allowed travel over long distances.

Thomas Edison invented the electric light bulb, which was first produced commercially in 1878. People stay up much later at night because of that invention! Learn more about Edison here (scroll down for a three minute video).

Nowadays a lot of inventions are in the world of technology - mobile phone apps, Dyson hoovers, Google glass and Apple watches. Can your child think of other good inventions? They might like to write a list.

Inventors are good at spotting a problem that needs a solution, or at thinking of what people might need or like in the future. See if your child can invent something useful, or perhaps a new toy or game.