Blog
  • https://i0.wp.com/gingerlewman.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/24653896.jpg?fit=527%2C800&ssl=1
  • https://i0.wp.com/gingerlewman.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/steammaker-graphic-kids-voices.png?fit=1202%2C900&ssl=1

10 Kid-Types Who Thrive at STEAMmaker Camp

So you’ve heard about STEAMmaker Camp and MakerSpaces, but you’re not sure if it’s something that will really hook and engage your kids. After all, isn’t it just for geeky MIT-types? Nope. Looks like you’ve missed the point.

Our kids today are great at using tech and tools that are already in existence. But in order to thrive in the creative world, in the world where our ingenuity is going to keep us on top, we must have real practice at doing things … at building things … at problem-solving things that matter … at troubleshooting things when it all goes wrong … STEAMmaker STEM MakerSpaceat persisting through troubleshooting when we’ve made 867 versions of the next light bulb and it still isn’t happening for us.

You see, our kids know things, but very rarely can DO things. We have to change this for them and for ourselves. And a STEAMmaker Camp in your community can help so many develop the confidence to practice and learn the skills that “school” is currently missing.

So, who does MakerSpace engage?

10. The Princess This person loves to make jewelry, costumes, and props to make the imaginary and real world a more beautiful and magical place for self and others!

9. The Geek This kid loves to build and destroy things just to see if the thing can be built back up. S/He spends countless hours on video games, beating every level in creative and unique ways that no one else seems to understand. S/He can’t get enough of messing with the parts of things! This kid is a budding tinkerer for sure.

8. The Jock This person loves a challenge! And it’s bonus points of awesome if the challenge can be hands-on with a way to win and have fun at the same time. Game ON maker-jocks!

7. The Musician What else do true musicians do other than make? With a few strings, keys, sounds, and melodies or disharmony, the musician can make the rest of us feel whatever they want us to. Making is in the blood of musicians!

6. The Artist The artist sees the world in an entirely different way than most of us and can make entire worlds appear or disappear behind their chosen medium. 2D art? Sure! 3D designing and printing? Absolutely! Just hand these kids a few tools of choice and stand back!

5. The Brain A person who lives in their head, seeing the connections between things and working out possibilities, the brain appreciates the making of the thing they figured out. “How can we make it work?” is their call to arms!

4. The Non-Conformist “School? Whatever. Let me do my own thing and in a STEAMmakerspace, I can envision and make whatever my mind’s eye can conceive. Or whatever.” Want to have your mind stretched and then broken? Let loose a non-conformist into your space — just make sure safety is a rule that’s fully realized.

3. The Performer Props? Yes. Practice? Absolutely! I’m there, especially if I can present and share what I’ve made!

2. The “Squirrel” Follower “Oh my gosh, I have a great idea!” and then as this kid is following that thought out, 6 other adjacent thoughts and activities, all better than the next have appeared. And s/he wants to try them all out! Help this kid document and finish a thing and the world will be a better, deeply-iterated place!

1. The Unnamed Lists are terrible places to try to capture all that’s possible in the human spirit and its potential. So if there was a kid who was missed on this list, now s/he’s not. This is the kid who may not be stereotypical or maybe s/he is. This may be a kid who needs a little extra love and recognition to come alive (we know there are plenty of those in this world). This kid might be one who is a very good person, but would do well to learn how to use her hands to DO things to realize her own potential. Maybe this kid is overlooked by too many and he’s fallen through the cracks. What a great way to connect with the kid to let him discover the amazingness of the world and his essential place in it.

The truth is, STEAMmaker spaces are for every one of us because we can make it (and ourselves) into whatever we need.

Let me know if you’re interested in setting one up as a trial space or permanently for your community.

STEAMmaker Graphic Kids Voices

Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,
Written by GingerLewman

0 Comments
  1. I think you forgot The Teacher-Learner. The educator who feels disallusioned by all that is happening to make his/her career feel scripted, or over-tested, behind the times, or less exciting than he/she knows it can be! Creating with students at STEAMmaker is just the anecdote.

    • Yes, thank you, Lynette! I intended the post to be about kids, but by experience at STEAMmaker Camp, I believe you’ve rediscovered your own “kid-at-heart” side. And I love you for it!

  2. […] So you've heard about STEAMmaker Camp and MakerSpaces, but you're not sure if it's something that will really hook and engage your kids. After all, isn't it just for geeky MIT-types? Nope. Looks li…  […]

  3. […] 10 Kid-Types Who Thrive at STEAMmaker Camp […]

  4. […] 10 Kid-Types Who Thrive at STEAMmaker Camp […]

Copyright © 2016

Discover more from LifePractice Learning

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading