Outdoors: Wallace and Gromit present A World of Cracking Ideas

The lengthy Easter break has taken its toll on the family purse strings, which left Father and I pondering the best way for our darling daughter to earn her keep. We're also convinced that she's a genius-in-training and will one day make millions and share it with her nearest and dearest. The sooner that day arrives the better.

In the meantime, we decided to visit Wallace and Gromit present a World of Cracking Ideas at the Glasgow Science Centre, in order to nurture her creative thinking and possibly come up with an invention that will change the world and recoup the cost of the day out.

A life-sized exterior of 62 West Wallaby Street, home of Wallace and Gromit, may have been the first clue that our plan could be slightly crackers.

A chocolate teapot, hat barometer and many other crazy contraptions invented by a lover of Wensleydale cheese are never likely to become as big cash generators as Aardman's Oscar winning duo themselves. However, Daughter was most impressed with the Karaoke Disco Shower and Father appeared to be having fun pushing buttons on Wallace's Shopper 13 game.

Fans of Wallace and Gromit – or indeed animation in general – are in for a treat, with film sets on display throughout the exhibition. My favourite is the allotment from Curse of the Were-Rabbit – the miniature details are incredible and they all deserve close attention. Time could be well spent creating your own animated sequence or musical masterpiece in allocated areas, and there's the chance to take part in a Scrapheap Challenge, so go prepared with plenty of ideas, original or not.

As Daughter stopped to design a logo for her own smoothie recipe (Grass, mmm tasty) a younger girl also started scribbling with a green pen. Daughter whispered "Mummy, I think that girl is copying me" which provided an opportune moment to read the copious amounts of information from sponsors The Intellectual Property Office, who deal with copyright, patents, trade marks and registered design.

For as crazy as some of the exhibits – and our money-making plan – may first appear, there are several reminders throughout that many everyday items are simply the product of ordinary people who had an idea and some are merely improvements to existing inventions. Grass-flavoured smoothies may not make our family fortune but our thinking caps are on, our dream's still in place and we certainly enjoyed a cracking day out.

Wallace and Gromit present a World of Cracking Ideas at the Glasgow Science Centre until 30 November. Adults 9.95, child/concession 7.95. Tel: [phone], www.glasgowsciencecentre.org

• This article was first published in The Scotsman Magazine, April 24, 2010