What happens when a classroom project becomes a globally manufactured product?
Dinosuit workshops bring that real-world design journey into your school.
I’m a former Head of Art & Design and Design & Technology specialist, now working as a product designer and founder of Dinosuit — a classroom project that I developed into a globally manufactured product, now stocked in museums and retailers worldwide.
Having taken the product from initial idea and prototyping through to manufacture and market, I now bring that full journey back into schools — helping students understand what design looks like beyond the classroom.
What students experience
Through workshops and collaborative projects, students engage with:
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Designing with real-world constraints
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Iteration, testing and prototyping
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How ideas develop into tangible products
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Insight into manufacturing and bringing products to market
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The mindset and process of working designers
Workshops can be delivered as single sessions, full-day visits or multi-day programmes.
Adaptable across age groups
Workshops are flexible and can be shaped to suit different stages:
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Primary: Creative invention, making and storytelling
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Middle School / KS3: Design challenges inspired by real industry processes
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GCSE / IB / A-Level: Deeper focus on prototyping, iteration and product development
Workshop Highlights include...
DinoLab: Become a Toy Inventor
A hands-on introduction to product design through wearable prototyping and biomimicry.
Primary students explore how designers take inspiration from nature to create engaging products, building and testing their own ideas through practical making.
Design Like Industry: The Dinosuit Challenge
A real-world design brief exploring how products are developed for manufacture.
Students work through an industry-style challenge, balancing creativity with real considerations such as materials, ergonomics and sustainability.
From Prototype to Product: Design Industry Masterclass
An insider’s view of turning a classroom idea into a global product.
Designed for older students, this session supports coursework and portfolios through real examples of manufacturing, branding, sustainability and design communication.
About
Ross Padgett is an award-winning product designer and former international school Head of Art and Design, with over 15 years’ experience leading creative programmes across Primary and Secondary education.
The Dinosuit began as a classroom project and is now manufactured and sold internationally, with recognition across the toy industry. Alongside this, Ross collaborates with the Design and Technology Association to develop an Inspired by Industry program — bringing real-world design challenges into schools.
To discuss a workshop visit or request a short overview, please get in touch:
Curriculum Collaboration
Dinosuit is featured as part of the Inspired by Industry programme in collaboration with the Design and Technology Association.
These curriculum resources are used by schools internationally and provide a structured design context based on real product development, including:
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Full schemes of work
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Lesson plans and teaching materials
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Industry insight through video and case study content
This provides a strong foundation for extending learning through in-person workshops and design sessions.
View the resources:
