Inventor Interview

What should we make?

Use this while talking together. The child supplies the ideas. The grown-up types. There are no wrong answers.

1. Pick a starting direction

Give a few choices, but leave room for a completely new idea.

Creatures Invent strange animals, monsters or beings Numbers Counting, shapes, patterns or number adventures Machines Robots, vehicles, inventions or contraptions Something else A brand-new idea

What do you want to make?

2. The first thing in the world

Ask him to draw it on paper first if possible.

What is it called?

What is it?

What does it look like? What is special about it? Where does it live / belong?

3. What do you actually do?

This turns a character or idea into something playable or interactive.

What should the person using it do? How do you know you've done well? What makes it tricky? What should happen when you succeed?

4. Make it feel like his

What kind of world should it have?

Should it be...

How hard?

What noises or sounds should it make? What absolutely HAS to be in it?

5. Learning, if it fits naturally

Optional. Don't force an educational mechanic if it makes the idea less fun.

Counting Adding / subtracting Reading / words Shapes / patterns Problem solving Just make something

Any ideas for how learning could fit?

6. Grown-up notes

Capture things he says that don't fit anywhere else. These may become the best bits.

Exact quotes / funny phrases Anything else?

Keep the first build tiny. One idea, one screen, one interaction is enough.

7. Capture the brief

Generate a clean summary to paste straight back into ChatGPT or Codex.

Your captured discovery brief will appear here.