The Tinkering Workshop : Explore, Invent & Build with Everyday Materials; 100 Hands-On STEAM Projects

A makerspace educator offers 100 inventive, open-ended tinkering projects and prompts to inspire kids aged 8 to 12 to play and explore scientific principles, using wood, hardware, electronics, plastic pipes, bendy wire, and other supplies from the hardware store and home workshop.

Encourage youngsters to get creative with this activity book that illustrates the principles of science–full of fun projects!

Gather some basic tools and supplies from a hardware store, garage, basement, woodshop, or recycling bin. Now get ready to tinker, explore, and engineer with screws, bendy wire, metal washers, plastic pipes, dowels, electronics, LED lights, and more! Makerspace educator Ryan Jenkins inspires kids aged 8 to 12 to look at familiar supplies in new and unexpected ways, to think with their hands, troubleshoot tricky constructions, and sharpen their problem-solving skills. Kids are invited to imagine how to use the supplies on hand with projects, such as building Flexible Forts with cardboard and screws, making Art Robots with hobby motors, constructing a Water Factory with plastic pipes, balancing Sky Trams on strings, and engineering Surprising Switches with wire and foil. As they build, they'll learn about balance, center of gravity, comparative measuring, electricity, and more. Engaging photography jump-starts hours of curiosity and creativity. Start with a string, PVC pipe, cardboard ramp, or flexible tube—and see where it leads!