I have big eyes.
The big eyes help me to. . .
Owls are most vocal in autumn, and you can twit-twhoo-ing when you make this craft inspired by owls’ big eyes. The big eyes help owls to see in the dark.
We made an Autumn Owl robo with several eyes so that it can see in the dark. We used oil pastels to make the face. We painted the face with watercolour and got a lovely effect – the watercolours will wash over the oil pastels.
We painted some leaves and used them as wings. The leaves added a touch of magic since they were light, and we imagined how the owl would fly quietly in the woods during the night without making any noise. So the robot we made can fly very quietly. We explored the science behind an owl’s silent flight in much more depth in Smart Feathers — including how this exact idea now powers real, quieter wind turbines.
Owls have very interesting feet and rather long legs. An owl has four toes. When they are perching or flying, 3 of these toes face forward, and one backwards. They have a very flexible joint that allows the outer front toe to swirl around. They can rotate the toe at will. A foot that can reconfigure itself for climbing, perching, or gripping prey is exactly the kind of adaptable structure that inspires robotic grippers — hands that can change their grip pattern depending on what they need to hold.
We used some grass with seed pods that we found on a nature walk for the legs.
When using biomimicry or biometrics in the classroom with young children, it is important to make up stories, make artwork or craft. The focus is on how animals behave and their special powers.
Thinking about ways to apply these powers in designs or innovations is a difficult task. Yet it is a wonderful way to teach children to think creatively. Inspiration for ideas is found by observing animals and plants, and several different creativity techniques can be used to gain new ideas. For example, playing random games.
Roll a dice, and select a photo of an animal or plant, then roll the dice again and select a picture. Combine the photo of the animal or plant and the picture – try to get a new, exciting idea.
You can find the resources here and here.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is biomimicry?
Biomimicry is the practice of looking to nature for solutions, then applying what we learn to design and problem-solving. Instead of inventing from scratch, it means studying how plants, animals, and ecosystems have already solved a challenge — like staying cool, collecting water, or absorbing carbon — and adapting that strategy for human use.
How does biomimicry help address climate change?
Nature has been adapting to extreme conditions for billions of years, so many organisms already hold working solutions to problems we now face at a larger scale — cooling buildings without electricity (termite mounds), collecting water in drought (the Namib beetle), protecting coastlines from storms (mangrove roots), and capturing carbon (corals, forests, kelp). Biomimicry means studying those solutions and applying the same principles to human design.
How can children get involved in biomimicry?
Children don’t need special training to think like a biomimicrist — just curiosity and a habit of asking “how does nature solve this?” Simple ways to start include a backyard scavenger hunt for nature’s patterns, a “design-an-animal” challenge for a changing climate, or building a small model (like a passive-cooling structure or a water collector) inspired by something they’ve observed outdoors.
Is biomimicry only for scientists and engineers?
No — biomimicry is as much a mindset as a profession. Anyone can practice it by observing nature closely and asking design questions. Professional biomimicry practitioners apply it in architecture, materials science, and engineering, but the same core skill — careful observation followed by “what if we built it that way?” — is exactly what this post’s classroom and family activities are designed to build in children.
Åsa Jomård
In 2015, Åsa completed a course in Biomimicry: A Sustainable Design Methodology at Minneapolis College of Art and Design. With over 10 years of experience exploring nature for inspiration and as a former member of Ben, Biomimicry Education Network, she brings both academic background and creative teaching experience to her work. Her materials seamlessly integrate stories, nature observations, and design challenges, making them perfect for inquiry-led learning in early primary contexts.
AI was used as a Thinking Partner.