STREAM Activity: Idea Journal

Give your ideas a place to live!

Activity best for children age 3 and up

Every great creation ever made started with a single curious and wild idea. But what do we do with this little idea? Do we let it float away into the abyss of forgotten thought? No! We need a way to capture our thoughts. We need: an Idea Journal. 

Make your very own Idea Journal to record all your invention ideas. It could be any idea, and your ideas themselves are an amazing creation! Want to make a piece of art? Draw your idea in your journal. Have an idea for how to make a vehicle? Doodle what you see in your brain into your journal. The best part about your journal is that it has YOUR ideas so get creative and have fun, Little Maker!

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Materials you’ll need:

Paper

Scissors

Writing utensil (crayons, markers, etc.)

Guiding Questions:

What am I interested in: Vehicles? The ocean? Art?

What do I “wonder” about?

What do I want to create?

Directions

STEP 1
Take a single piece of paper and fold it in half lengthwise (“hotdog style”). Make a good crease, then unfold.

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STEP 2
Turn the paper and fold it in half vertically (“hamburger style”). Make a good crease. Turn the folded paper to have the crease at the top.

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STEP 3
Take the raw edge of the front and fold it up to the crease. Make a good crease. Flip over the paper and fold the other raw edge up to the crease. Make a good crease. It should now look like a “W.”

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STEP 4
Unfold your Step 3 folds so it’s back to your vertical (“hamburger style”) half fold from Step 2. See that line in the middle from your first lengthwise (“hotdog style”) fold? You might want to draw over it to see it easier! Cut on that line from the creased edge to the middle (where the folds touch).

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STEP 5
Pinch the folds on each side of the newly cut slit & push them downwards and inwards. This should make a “plus sign.”

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STEP 6
Now fold your two pinched sides to the middle and voila! You have a mini book for your little one to put all their inventive ideas into.

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Grown Ups-Are you looking for more ways to extend your child’s learning? Check out these extension activities to build upon today’s STREAM activity!

Reading Connections: 
The Most Magnificent Thing by Ashley Spires

Math Connections
Count how many pages are in your book or how many ideas you can come up with!

Science Connections
Notice that a plant or animal can do something special? Wonder with your child about if we can do that too? You can look up if scientists have found a way to do what the plants and animals can do. This is called biomimicry.