Try it and fix it
Design & Technology · Early Years · The School
Testing what you made
Once you have made something, TEST it. Does a bag carry things without breaking? Does a boat float? Testing is not the last step. It is how you find out what to do next.
Finding the exact problem
If something does not work, look closely. Is it one weak spot? Is it too heavy in one place? Naming the EXACT problem is more useful than just saying "it broke". A precise problem is much easier to fix.
Fixing just one part
You do not need to start again from nothing. Fix the one part that failed. Add more tape there. Make that one part stronger. Then test the whole thing again, straight away.
Make a simple paper boat. Float it in a bowl of water. It tips over on one side. Look closely — that side has no fold to hold its shape. Add one more fold there. Test it again. It floats, but water creeps in at the back. Fold that corner over once more. Test it a third time. Now it floats steady. Three small fixes, each one aimed at the exact problem the last test found. That is testing and fixing, working together, not one big new attempt each time.