I have been waiting for a really long time to get my hands on Tinkerlab, when I heard about this book I immediately put it onto my library hold list, and it was like Christmas morning learning that my hold was ready to be picked up!  Yes!  However, as soon as I opened this book I realized one thing immediately.  I should have just bought it, because it is AWESOME!  Have I mentioned recently I love quotes, well I do, I knew that this book would be awesome when this was how the introduction began.

Rachelle Doorley’s Tinkerlab: A Hands-On Guide for Little Inventors is filled with helpful tips, inspiring quotes and really great parenting advice.  I found the message within the pages to be refreshing.  Rachelle Doorley explains her rationale behind how she sets up her tinker-space and immediately it made me think of the Montessori school that my husband worked in when we first met.  There was discovery, easy to accesses, but incredibly thoughtful well planned spaces and activities.  I loved the chapter all about the Ten Tinkerlab Habits of Mind, it just makes sense, is so important and thoughtful.

There is a mindfulness that is so present in this book.  Recently I saw a pinterest pin that was this beautifully displayed art tray from IKEA.  Immediately I thought of all the reasons why it wouldn’t work out and justifications to go along with it.  However, I decided to pull out all of the art supplies the petites use regularly and put them on a tray on the table and see what happens.  What happened you might ask?  Creativity.  Cooperation.  Inspiration.  As it turned out the pin that I was looking at was from this book!  Setting up your own tinkerlab might seem a little overwhelming at first, but once again, Doorley has made it so simple here is a list of her resources.

This book is not just an arts and crafts book.  It is a book that has rationales, developmental milestones and supporting ideas to get petites creating, it has encouragement and inspiration on every page.  As if Rachelle Doorley isn’t brilliant on her own, she has contributors that are professors, culinary experts, art directors, educators, directors of nursery schools and parents.  Seriously brilliant people have come together to make a handbook to inspire young minds.

Can’t get your hands on this book for a few days?  Don’t worry you can hop on over to Tinkerlabs facebook page and Pinterest to tide you over until your book comes.  If you like this post and want to know more about the books we read at The Petite Stag follow me!  Or check out The Petite Stag Facebook Page.

Erin