Innovation capability is often espoused as the basis for teaching STEM at school. Hands-on problem-solving is a key feature in STEM-based education as is the ability for a child to imagine functional solutions that could bridge the gap between what they have as physical resources before them and what they model in their mind's eye to achieve functional technological solutions.    It is surprising then to discover very little educational research is evident in the literature that investigates how children display different stages of cognitive capability in how they tackle STEM project challenges based on age, gender and whether the challenge is undertaken as an individual or in a team.  A group of investigators at an Australian university are developing a program of research to understand how teachers can identify the contrast between biological age and development age for the ability to form abstract ideas and draw on spatial inferences as they mature their cognitive and social communication skills.  Literature and early research insights are shared, and the basis for linking the research to the 'technacy development' framework is presented.