Pet Inventions

Language Arts/Creative Thinking Activity

Children can let their imaginations fly when they create fanciful inventions to make their pets' lives easier or more fun.

WHAT YOU NEED

• Pencils
• Paper (lined and unlined)
• Markers or crayons

WHAT TO DO

1. Give children an example of a real pet invention such as the "doggie door," a small door in the bottom of a larger door that allows a pet to go outside and come back in freely.

2. Brainstorm with children a list of fanciful inventions. Here's one to get started:
   There's no telling how far your pet frog will leap when it bounces off the Froggy Trampoline. And Mom will love that it's small enough to fit in your closet when your frog is sleeping.

3. Divide children into groups of three. Ask each group to come up with one invention. One child in the group writes a paragraph describing the invention, another child draws a picture to go with the description, and the third child presents the group's invention to the rest of the class.