I’m really interested in inventing. Can you give me some advice on how to get started? Nigel, aged 15
Glad to hear you’re so interested, Nigel. How do you think of an invention? Well, lots of inventors say they thought of their idea almost by accident – like the man who invented Velcro®. He said he came up with the idea when he was trying to get sticky grass out of his dog’s fur. Isn’t that amazing? Sometimes, though, people find an idea by thinking differently. For example, what goes through your mind when you think about shoes? They protect our feet from the ground, don’t they? Well, why not try to think of them in another way – as something that protects the ground from our feet? That way you might come up with some very different ideas! And, always ask yourself questions about the things you see around you – think about what they’re for, why people might need them, who might use them and how they could be different. Why not try it, Nigel?