S1.E6: Can You Design A...? Challenge - Raising Thinkers Podcast

It's time for another design challenge with a helpful resource.  I warn you in advance, it could get messy at times, and your child could get frustrated.  Just remember failure is not the enemy. Honestly, we want our children to fail sometimes.  We then want them to push through that frustration to overcome and reach their goals.

So how do we do that? One simple way (that can also gain you a few more minutes for yourself), is to give them a design challenge. This may sound similar to the “build it challenge” that I wrote about previously, but it is actually a bit different.

Here, instead of giving the child limited time and materials, you give them the choice of whatever materials they want and however much time they need. However, you are still the one who gives them the challenge. For example, you simply ask them, “Can you design a restaurant for your dolls with materials that you have in your room?” Or, “Are you able to design a hotel for frogs with materials in the backyard?”  Basically, you name it, they design it.

As a parent, you know your child best. Think about the things they are interested in, and ask them to put it together using the materials they have at hand. If your child loves fashion, ask them to put together their own fashion show. If they love building, ask them to create their own boat that can float in the sink. If animals are their thing, ask them if they can create a zoo that you can come tour later in the day.  If they are fascinated by cars, see if they can build a race track. The main purpose is to get them exercising their creativity.  If you have multiple kids, see if they can do it together.

One of my personal favorites is to ask them to design and build an obstacle course that they can actually use. You might have to give up your living room for a little while, but they'll be thinking creatively and soon enough,  they will be using their energy to run through that obstacle course multiple times. Then maybe they'll even be ready to go to sleep a little bit early that night.  Creating their own tents and forts are also normally a huge win!

Now, you might be thinking I don't even have time to think of creative challenges for my children. Don't worry, you're not alone. Sometimes, we're using up all of our creative energy to just survive at home. There is a solution. Check out Sharpen Design STEM. This free site is one of my favorites when I feel like I'm out of ideas. They give you thousands of different options that your children can do. These range from designing a belt for a mountain explorer, to creating a drawing or painting of what they think a dog’s dreams are like. Kids can also enjoy using this website to give them ideas when they are “bored.”

Does this seem too simple you say? I agree, just asking your child to design something seems like a simple solution. Oftentimes, it seems that children are being asked to be consumers instead of creators. Having them take on the role of a designer prepares them better for the future.

Please remember that this challenge is not about keeping your child busy.  It’s about getting them thinking. Ideally, after giving them the challenge, sit with them for a few minutes, talk through their design with them.  Try to help them to make a plan. Ask them about what they are thinking, and why they are thinking that will or will not work. Then tell them that it sounds like they have a great plan, you can't wait to see how it works, and leave them alone for a little bit.  Check in on them a little bit later to ask them how the process is going. At the end, ask them about what went really well? What might they do differently next time? Do they want to keep building on to it tomorrow? If so, what's the plan for Phase 2? Ideally, they will want to keep going with more and more challenges. Kids have immense creativity, and we need to help them tap into it because we have a future that's going to need creative problem solvers.

Earlier, I mentioned failure. Yes, it is possible that your child will fail in this challenge. But this is an area in which they can fail safely. They're developing their own design and therefore they can reach frustration, but in one way they actually cannot fail because it's their own design.  Remember frustration is okay. Talk them through it, when they get stuck, step in and ask how they can build on their strengths or how they might be able to approach the problem from a different angle. If we want to build resilient kids, we need to challenge them in ways that actually pose some difficulties to them.

Every day is a day that is rich in possibilities. I hope you have fun seeing what your child can create. They have boundless creativity so tap into it, and enjoy seeing the product and the process!