Past and Pen Podcast: Episode 10 —Tinker, Thinkers: 10 Brilliant Kids You Should Know

Rosie Talley
Jul 19
4 min read

Meet Your Host:

Meet Your Host:

Hosted by: Rosie Talley, Author of Linus the Troll

Produced by: Sweet Meadowlark Stories

🌐 Author Website

📧 Email: pastandpen@gmail.com

Watch Episode Ten:

https://youtu.be/uWjkpPvT54M

In this special tenth episode of Past and Pen, we’re diving into ten amazing inventions created by kids just like you. From swim fins to solar flashlights, and even bacon-cooking gadgets, these young inventors saw a problem and thought, what if?

You’ll learn how Benjamin Franklin tried to swim faster, how Louis Braille created a system for reading without sight, and how a girl named Abbey helped make bacon crispier in kitchens across the country. Some stories begin with fun and curiosity, while others begin with compassion or heartbreak. Each invention is a reminder that kids can make a big impact.

Whether you love tinkering or just want to hear about kids who made their ideas real, this episode is filled with inspiration and surprising history. So grab your notebook and your imagination. It’s time to celebrate young thinkers and future inventors.

Reading List:

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Out of Darkness: The Story of Louis Braille by Russell Freedman
Real Engineering Experiments: 25+ Exciting STEAM Activities for Kids -by Anthony Tegtmeyer This book is fill of hands on engineering experiments for kids 8-12
Rosie Revere, Engineer: A Picture Book- by Andrea Beaty Rosie dreams of becoming a great engineer, and her room becomes a secret workshop where she constructs ingenious inventions from odds and ends
Epic Stories For Kids and Family - Accidental Inventions by Riddleland
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by William Kamkwamba This memoir is written for younger readers and proves that with the right idea and a little grit, even a teenager can save the day. The version I am linking to on my website includes photographs, illustrations, and an epilogue that will bring readers up to date on William's story
Earmuffs for Everyone!: How Chester Greenwood Became Known as the Inventor of Earmuffs by Meghan McCarthy

Kid Innovators: True Tales of Childhood from Inventors and Trailblazers by Robin Stevenson
Girls Think of Everything: Stories of Ingenious Inventions by Women by Catherine Thimmesh
Teen Innovators: Nine Young People Engineering a Better World with Creative Inventions by Fred Estes
Now & Ben: The Modern Inventions of Benjamin Franklin by Gene Barretta
Louis Braille: The Boy Who Invented Books for the Blind by Margaret Davidson
Helen Keller by Margaret Davidson

Writing Prompt:

Put your thinking caps on! Today’s writing prompt is all about inventions, but watch the clock!

Imagine You’re a Gadgeteer who loves tinkering in your workshop. One day, while trying to invent a device that helps you untangle knots for your little sibling’s shoelaces, you accidentally create a machine that can freeze time for one full minute. It only works once every hour.

At first, it seems like the coolest thing ever. You can use it to win races or save a plate of cookies from falling. But then, strange things begin happening. Is someone following you? Will you keep the invention a secret, or destroy it? And what if you’re not the only one who has one?

Write a short scene where the message appears at just the right moment. You can send your story, drawing, or ideas to pastandpen@gmail.com. I would love to see what you come up with.

Thanks so much for joining me as we explore the past and let our pens do the talking! New episodes drop every other Tuesday at 4 PM CST—so mark your sundials, set your hourglasses, or just let history repeat itself and tune in!

Patreon Members can answer the Question of the Month for a chance to be featured on the show! This month’s question is:

You find an old journal buried in the sand. The first page says, "This summer something unbelievable happened." What happens next?

P.S. If you want even more summer reading fun, check out my new summer reading program ⁠Wander and Wonder⁠. It’s a parent/child book club with options for kids ages 4 to 12. You’ll get kitchen classroom recipes inspired by the books we read, a printable PDF journal with drawing or writing prompts, and hands-on activities to bring each story to life.

Dinner Conversations:

Which invention from this episode was your favorite and why?

Which invention do you think helped the most people?

If you could meet one of the kid inventors, who would it be and what would you ask them?

Why do you think so many inventions begin with the question "What if?"

What is a “What if?” question you could ask to solve a problem in your own life?

🔁 More Episodes You Might Like:

Episode 9: This Episode Will Self-Destruct

Episode 4: History of Folktales

Episode 7: Sweet Orgins of Marshmallows

Join the Fun:

✅ Subscribe to Past and Pen for more historical deep dives and creative prompts.

✅ Leave a review on your favorite podcast platform—it really helps!

✅ Support the podcast on Patreon for exclusive perks.

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Sources & Further Reading:

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Past and Pen