In The Wild Robot, the robot Roz uses biomimicry to adapt to her environment and survive on a remote island. As a regular reader of this blog, you can imagine my excitement when I discovered this captivating book! It also explores another of my favourite topics, development. As a cognitive scientist specialising in child development, I found it particularly enlightening to read how Roz helps Brightbill, a gosling with small wings, learn to fly. This part of the novel provides wonderful insight into learning, growth, and development.
Peter Brown’s The Wild Robot is a delightful adventure that has become a bestseller and even inspired a film adaptation. I absolutely adore this enchanting novel, which is both imaginative and thought-provoking! It’s a fantastic resource for the classroom, especially during a biomimicry project.
The robot, Roz, finds herself alone on a wild island, facing the challenge of surviving without companionship. How does an intelligent robot adapt to such a wilderness? Observing and mimicking the local wildlife, Roz learns to walk like a crab and effectively camouflage herself after studying a stick insect’s clever way of surviving by sitting still, not making a sound, and looking like a stick!
Roz models her “nest” on beaver dams and studies how the island’s animals communicate with each other.
The Wild Robot offers great material for discussing the concept of adaptation and innovation in the design of footwear, clothing, and machines.
Happy Exploring the Wonderful World of Biomimicry!
The book and film offer many ideas about how we can best care for our Earth. Sustainability and kindness have never looked cooler!
Discussion Questions for the Classroom
- Roz learns to survive by copying the island’s animals rather than fighting them. What’s one thing in nature you could copy to solve a problem?
- Brightbill has small wings and struggles to fly. How does Roz help him learn, and what does that teach us about patience and growth?
- If you were stranded like Roz, which three animals would you study first, and why?
If Roz’s story sparks curiosity about real biomimetic robots, we’ve covered several — including RAVEN, a bird-inspired robot that can jump for takeoff.
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.