A Growth Mindset

1. Encourage Hands-On Projects

Provide opportunities for your child to create simple models or prototypes using household materials (e.g., paper, cardboard, clay, LEGO, or building blocks). Some examples include designing a small bridge, a ramp for cars, or a boat that floats. Guide them to test different features and make improvements based on what works and what doesn’t.

2. Teach About Controlled Variables

Help your child understand the importance of testing one thing at a time. For example, if they’re testing how far a toy car can travel on a ramp, ensure they control factors like the angle of the ramp or the type of car. Encourage them to think about which variables they can change and which ones they should keep the same to get consistent results.

3. Model the Process of Identifying Failure Points

When testing a design, point out possible failure points (e.g., why a bridge might collapse or why a tower might fall over) and discuss how these failure points could be fixed. Ask your child questions like, “What do you think went wrong?” and “How could we make it better?” This helps them develop critical thinking about how designs can fail and how to improve them.

4. Use Real-Life Examples of Design and Redesign

Talk about how engineers and designers work in real life by sharing examples of products or inventions that went through testing and redesign (e.g., the development of a new toy, building a stronger bridge, or improving a product’s efficiency). Help your child see that testing and improving designs is an important part of the design process.

5. Reflect and Redesign

Once your child has tested their model and identified areas for improvement, encourage them to make adjustments. Guide them through the process of redesigning their prototype based on what they learned from the tests. For example, if a structure keeps collapsing, suggest using different materials or changing the design's shape or balance.

6. Document the Process

Encourage your child to keep a simple record of their testing process. They can draw pictures of their designs, list the tests they did, and write down their observations (e.g., what worked, what didn’t, and why). This helps them understand the importance of tracking their progress and learning from each test.

7. Ask Thoughtful Questions

While your child is working on a design, ask them open-ended questions that prompt critical thinking. For example:

• "What do you think will happen if we change this part?"

• "How can you improve the design so it works better?"

• "What could cause this to break or fail?" These types of questions encourage your child to think about their design, the potential failure points, and how to improve it.

1. Discuss Key Design Features

Encourage your child to think about what makes a design successful. Help them understand the key features that need to be considered when designing something. For example, if they’re building a toy or structure, talk about aspects like strength, balance, shape, size, materials, or functionality. Ask questions like:

• "What will help this design stay strong?"

• "How do you think this shape will affect the way it works?"

• "Which material would make your design the most durable?"

2. Evaluate Everyday Objects

Look around your home for everyday objects (like a chair, a bottle, or a toy) and evaluate the design features together. Discuss what makes these objects work well or what could be improved. For example, if you’re looking at a toy, ask questions like:

• "What makes this toy fun to play with?"

• "What could be different to make it better or more useful?" This practice will help your child start to recognize design features and their importance in solving problems.

3. Compare Different Designs

Help your child evaluate different solutions to a problem by comparing various designs. For example, if they are designing a bridge, you can show them examples of different types of bridges (e.g., suspension bridges, arch bridges) and discuss which features make each design work well in different situations. Ask:

• "Why do you think this bridge is stronger than the other?"

• "What features of this design would you use in your model?"

4. Focus on Problem-Solving

When working on a project, ask your child to identify the problem they are trying to solve and think about which design features are most important to address that problem. For example, if they’re building a tower to hold something heavy, the design needs to focus on stability and strength. Guide them to consider the best design features to solve the problem.

5. Use Materials to Test Design Features

Allow your child to experiment with different materials to see which are best suited for their design. For example, if they’re building a structure, try using different materials like paper, straws, or popsicle sticks, and evaluate which features (flexibility, strength, weight) are most important for the task.

6. Ask for Justification of Design Choices

Encourage your child to explain why they chose certain design features. Ask:

• "Why did you choose this material for your design?"

• "How does this feature help solve the problem?" This will help them understand the reasoning behind design decisions and refine their evaluation skills.

7. Reflect on the Process

After completing a design project, have your child reflect on the features they focused on and evaluate how well their design worked. Discuss:

• "What design features worked well?"

• "Which features would you change or improve?" This reflection helps your child evaluate what worked, what didn’t, and how different features contributed to the overall solution.

8. Explore Real-World Design Challenges

Watch videos or read books about engineers solving real-world problems, such as designing a safe building, a new vehicle, or a bridge. Discuss the various design features they had to consider, like cost, durability, safety, and function. Ask questions like:

• "What features did they consider to make the design work?"

• "Why did they make these choices?"