An intriguing combination of invention and toy making, this guide encourages students to work in teams to design and fabricate working toys while learning the fundamentals of science, design, tool usage, and the creative process. Toys range from cars to electric fans to rockets, and the trial-and-error process that students use to build these toys allows them to refine their models through experimentation—building, conducting tests, collecting and interpreting data, and making changes or improvements to their inventions. There are directions for seven workshops and suggestions for five more, and the science concepts and historical background involved in each project are explained for teachers.

Ed Sobey is the president of the Northwest Invention Center, where learning programs about invention are developed and presented, and the treasurer and director of Kids Invent! He lives in Redmond, Washington.