Ways to support your child in Design Technology

 

“Design and technology is an inspiring, rigorous and practical subject. Using creativity and imagination, pupils design and make products that solve real and relevant problems within a variety of contexts, considering their own and others’ needs, wants and values. They acquire a broad range of subject knowledge and draw on disciplines such as mathematics, science, engineering, computing and art. Pupils learn how to take risks, becoming resourceful, innovative, enterprising and capable citizens. Through the evaluation of past and present design and technology, they develop a critical understanding of its impact on daily life and the wider world. High-quality design and technology education makes an essential contribution to the creativity, culture, wealth and well-being of the nation.”

National Curriculum 2012

 

It is clear that Design and Technology is all around us and it is important to help our children become aware of this.  There are many ways you can support your child with their knowledge and understanding of Design and Technology both in the school environment and the wider world.

 

Recognising Design and Technology around the home

Ask your child to look around their home at the products they can see.  Ask them what they think the purpose of the product is?  What does it do?  Who is for? How do they think it was made?  Which materials have been used?  Which aspects work well?  If you could improve this product, what would you do and how?

 

Ideas to support your child - Food and nutrition

 

Cooking together

Try cooking together at home, the recipes on the following websites are great!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/collections/10_easy_recipes_for_kids

https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/collections/learning_the_basis_for_kids

https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/collections/baking_with_children

 

Eat well plate 

Try to help your child understand the basics of nutrition by looking at the Eatwell plate. 

https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/the-eatwell-guide/

 

The following website gives more information on healthy eating and offers a range of healthy recipes and gives advice on how to make healthier choices.

https://www.nhs.uk/change4life

 

Play Come Dine with Me!

Try playing come dine with me at home.  Each family member could make a different course, you could give each course a score out of ten – the winner doesn’t have to do the washing up!

 

Understanding Seasonality

Research which foods are in season.  Look with your child during your food shop, can you make healthy choices based on the foods which are currently in season?  Research how seasonality makes a difference to the food we eat. 

 

Food tasting 

Try a tasting session at home – can you and your family guess the ingredients in the food?  Which ingredients do you like the best?

 

Suggesting healthy menus

As a family, take turns in designing healthy menus.  Can you all contribute and come up with a week’s worth of healthy meals to enjoy together?

 

Adapting recipes

Have a look at your child’s favourite meal.  Ask them if they could find a way to adapt the recipe to make it healthier.

 

Food and Nutrition websites

https://www.foodafactoflife.org.uk/remote-learning/activities-and-ideas/

https://www.farmvention.com

 

 

Ideas to support your child - Designing and Making

 

Junk modelling 

Use junk around the home to design and create models.

 

Lego / building blocks 

The possibilities are endless when it comes to designing and making with Lego and building blocks!

 

Fashion designing 

Use a sketch book to create a variety of clothing designs.  You could challenge your child to design a wardrobe to suit a particular purpose, for example a trip you are going on.  Encourage them to think about what they are designing carefully, will it keep someone warm or cool, which materials would they use and why?  Why have they chosen particular colours or patterns?

 

Adapting old clothing 

If you have any old clothing at home, why not challenge your child to adapt it by adding extra material and stitching.  Thy could sew on extra buttons or sequins or turn and old pair of jeans into shorts!

 

Design and make a den

This could be an activity for the whole family, or just for your child.  Challenge them to create a den.  Give them a design brief detailing what the Den’s purpose is.  Is it a Den for outside to create shade in the summer to keep cool?  Or is it a den for inside where you can sit with a blanket and read your favourite book?  Should there be room for one person, or more?  Once the design work is complete, your child can get to work – they could either make a small model or a life size version to use themselves!

 

 

We hope you enjoy taking part in these activities at home with your children.  Please share any photos of fun activities you have tried at home with the school or any extra DT ideas you may have.