Extraordinaires Design Studio from Timberdoodle – Creative Writing Meets Critical Thinking

This post is brought to you in partnership with Timberdoodle. I received free product to facilitate my review. Opinions my own.

I am a big fan of any piece of curriculum that can pull “double duty.” The Extraordinaires Design Studio allows kids to practice multiple skills in a creative and engaging way. As my kids were using the product for the first time, I noticed how many skill sets they were employing as they worked. Creative writing, critical thinking, story-telling, reasoning, and art blended so seamlessly.

In the set, your child will “meet” 15 Extraordinaires. From a pirate to a merman, there is quite an assortment of interesting characters – all of which will give your kids many creative ideas. After each child received their character, they were given a design challenge and got to work. At our table, my 10 year old had to make a music player for a tribal child, my 8 year old needed to make protection for a pirate, and my 5 year old needed to create a remote control for a soldier. Your child will draw and design their unique invention for their extraordinary character – keeping in mind their character’s individual needs, environment (including available materials!), and interests. As they draw, you’ll give them three design cards, meant to guide their thinking and take the activity a step further. My kids loved the option to either draw or write their responses, and I loved the way the kit kept pushing their thinking skills.

This product is truly unique and an incredible supplement to an existing homeschool curriculum. In the midst of a worksheet-heavy week or after reading a lengthy passage, it is wonderful to have a high-quality learning activity that kids will find FUN. The Extraordinaires will keep kids engaged while proving to be a substantial activity. Far from “fluff” or filler, the Extraordinaires Design Studio provides kids the chance to invent, design, create, and imagine new possibilities.

While the kit is marketed towards upper elementary kids, I found it was easy to adapt for all four of my learners – a BIG bonus for moms homeschooling more than one grade level!

The Extraordinaires Design Studio retails for $37.99 and is available from Timberdoodle. Order this awesome product to supplement your homeschool curriculum today! Click here to purchase!