What if summer were not just a break, but a launchpad for incredible ideas?
Summer!
The word itself conjures images of lazy days, sun-drenched beaches, and popsicle-stained fingers. But what if summer were more than just a break? What if it were a launchpad for incredible ideas, a breeding ground for the next generation of inventors? Letting kids be inventive develops creativity, problem-solving, and critical thinking. Inspiration can come from all sorts of sources, from building sandcastles on the beach and trying to protect the creations from the waves, to a missing pet, or watching fireflies’ abdomens glow luminous in the dark.
The new book by Kate Pankhurst, the bestselling author of Fantastically Great Women, provides pure gold when it comes to inspiring children to be inventive. It beautifully demonstrates how biomimicry can be accessible and engaging for young children. The book is an example of the power of observation, creativity, and the belief in one’s own ability to solve problems. Knowledge and understanding of biology is important when it comes to biomimicry, yet the first step is to spark a fascination, belief and desire in your own capacity to solve problems and being an “inventor”.
I was so thrilled to see that Biomimicry is used as a source of inspiration behind the main idea for Lizzy’s invention to bring back home her lost pet, a hamster called Gimzo. A playful approach to inventing things is something that has been stressed in this blog, and this book perfectly captures my wishes to make biomimicry available for young children, who are learning about nature and where the creative aspects and flying with ideas might be more in focus than biology.
Here, I want to stress that biological knowledge is the core in biomimicry, but it takes time to gain biological understanding. Yet, sparking an interest in being creative and inventive is something that can be fun and beneficial for all children. We are increasingly becoming more detached from nature, and supporting children to develop a love and awe for nature and its wonderful way of solving problems offers numerous benefits for children’s physical, mental, and emotional well-being, as well as their creative thinking. Playing and a playful approach to observing nature are engaging and ultimately vital ingredients in a creative approach to thinking.
Nature as the Ultimate Inventor!
Nature has perfected designs over millions of years. Several incredible inventions have been inspired by nature, from swimsuits modelled after shark skin to medical glues inspired by slugs.
Learning from the Wild World
Summer is the perfect time to “lazily” observe nature. Focused attention is important, but I believe that wonderful ideas can appear by just lazily looking at ants struggling with a heavy stick, or listening to a bumblebee buzzing around in a flower.
Watching a duck swim with its duckling might inspire ideas like a waterproof wetsuit or a super-efficient swimming aid inspired by their webbed feet. Playing with ideas and letting them drift like the clouds in the sky is a wonderful summer activity. Exploring and experimenting, and laughing at silly images that appear in the head, is a wonderful way to spend a hot summer’s day.
Can AI spark creativity?
Part of my own summer work is to explore how AI can be used in education as well as to help children develop their creative and critical thinking skills. As I am diving deeper and deeper into AI, I tend to have wonderful golden moments where I see huge potential mixed with moments of deep despair. Ultimately, AI can only be used to create a beautiful, peaceful, equal and sustainable world if we want to.
Creative prompting ideas are still maybe the least explored. Lateral thinking is often cited as a way to write creative prompts. For example, writing a prompt beginning with “What if” can generate some interesting and even unexpected outputs.
You can test this by using AI to explore some observations that your child has made. Use it as a way to spark an interest in developing an observation into a real-life creation or a “dream creation that might be possible in 50 years, 100 years . . .”
Wishing all my readers a Peaceful Day!
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.