The 'pause technique' is trickier on an iPhone or iPod touch, since keyboard input is not implemented (in the desktop versions, pressing the space bar pauses and unpauses the game). Since putting multiple children on collectibles isn't officially supported, you'll have to see if the technique works for you.

If you want to try it, you'll need to go to the menu screen, tap Options, pause the game, then return to the game. Put multiple kids on the collectible, then return to the options setting and set the game back to a non-paused game speed. When you return to the game, watch what happens to see how many children picked up the collectible.

Okay, I'll try that! Thanks :]

aaww I tried it but when I pause it the collectable was gone. I guess it doesn't work but that's alright.

I tried it (the pause trick) as well, and thought it had failed. But while trying to put all my kids where I thought the mushroom was (maybe it was just invisible?), a new collectible suddenly appeared... IN PAUSE MODE!

So I very quickly grabbed about 5 kids and put them on it and then unpaused the game... BINGO! 500 tech points in one fell swoop. I assume, if an item can appear in pause mode, it can also just as easily disappear. How long does an item stay around? Anyone know?

Knowing this, I suspect you could rack up quite a few tech points, scrolling around in "pause mode" waiting for a collectible to show up, dumping a ton of kids on it, and then switching the game back on.