Curious makers

Watch roots and shoots appear, then draw the changes in your own bean diary.

Tear, arrange and layer colourful paper to make a picture that is entirely your own.

Turn big paper shapes into repeating patterns and challenge someone to find your rule.

Invent a character, give them a problem and draw their way to an ending.

Listen from one safe spot and draw a map of the sounds around you.

Test how folding changes a paper bridge, then improve your design with a fair comparison.

Test everyday objects in water, record what happens and redesign a foil boat.

Observe the sky, keep a weather diary, choose an outfit and build a toy shelter.

Predict paint mixtures, record your results, match colour cards and invent your own shade.

Turn fallen leaves into crayon rubbings, compare their textures and build leaf creatures from your own art.

Torch in hand, children make shadows grow and shrink, turn them into creatures, predict their shapes and trace them like real evidence.