Eyes!
Geckos with zig-zagged pupils. Chameleons that can look in two directions at the same time. And frogs that can see above the surface while they are underwater!
Eyes are a great topic to explore when you are talking about biomimicry.
You can solve design challenges:
“Use one of the words that rhyme with frog. Invent something new by using the word and add something that you observed about reptiles or amphibians. For example, you got the new word fog, and you add that frogs have really big eyes. So you could make a car with big frog eyes. Make a drawing or a model of your idea.”
From Biomimicry for Young Children – Mammals, Reptile and Amphibians.
We get information about the world through our senses. Most animals rely on their vision more than any other sense. Many animals have developed the most amazing eyes; some creatures can see colours that are invisible to humans, while some can barely see or spot the difference between day and night. Some animals have a large field of vision, and animals such as chameleons and frogs can see what is coming from above, the side and even behind them.
The colossal squid has eyes the size of a basketball! And the tuatura has a third eye on top of its head. A tuatara is a kind of lizard that is unique to New Zealand. The third eye is called the parietal eye. Lizards and frogs can also have a parietal eye.
Inspired by these colourful eyes, we decided to make a mind map to help us with the biomimicry design challenges. We made some eyes using paper and cut out branches for the mind map or painted the branches. This was a big mind map.
A mind map can also be made in a box. A perfect way to display a mind map!
Why Teach Biomimicry
Biomimicry is an exciting way to inspire young children to be creative, curious and to observe the world. The projects are intended to inspire a playful and creative approach towards problem solving. Children come to understand how animals and plants can be used as a platform upon which ideas and inventions can be developed. Biomimicry bridges the boundaries traditionally found in education and provides young children with an opportunity to mix art, literature and science with an innovative approach. This topic also provides an opportunity to bring the learning outdoors – observing, listening and smelling are vital factors to build a foundation upon which ideas inspired by nature can be explored.
Lessons about biomimicry require a brave approach to teaching since there is a move away from an approach where teachers are asking questions and looking for quick answers. Instead young learners are given an opportunity to shape and explore their own ideas. Biomimicry and bioinspiration are constantly evolving and new ideas are explored to solve problems and designing innovations. From Biomimicry for Young Children – Mammals, Reptile and Amphibians.
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Eye to Eye: How Animals See The World
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.
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