Tools for Inventing and Creating

Sent in by Morna D.

My oldest son, H., has become enamored by this book of Leonardo DaVinici's inventions. He pours over it and tries to figure out how each thing is made and how it works. H. is now spending his extra time doing elaborate illustrations of his own inventions. I was wondering if anyone had some ideas on a list of odds and ends that I could give him to start making some of his ideas? I am thinking things we might have at hand or very cheap stuff from the hardware store.