Following a summer of research and prototyping, a Maker Studio is opening at the Children’s Museum of South Dakota. Designed for making, inventing, tinkering, and creativity, the space will offer those age 5 and up a place to collaborate and learn new skills.
The studio plans to be open Tuesdays through Fridays from 3-5 pm with scheduled sessions posted via the museum calendar. A $5 material fee per person ($4 for members) is required for the drop-off program. (Fall 2017)
The Maker Movement has been making waves throughout the country in schools, libraries, and museums and the Children’s Museum is excited to have a space dedicated to this style of learning by doing. Studies consistently show that children’s motivation in their own learning increases when they engage in problem-based learning.
“The experiences in this space will be curiosity-driven, experimental, problem-based, and flexible,” says Director of Education Carrie Benson. “We have put a great deal of time and research into this space and we are excited to see where it leads.”
The initial activities to be introduced to the space will include wire sculpture, circuitry, coding, and robotics, as well as a variety of STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) education kits.
While the space will offer the opportunity to explore all different styles of making, it doesn’t necessarily mean that the studio is a “make and take” style space. Rather, children will have the opportunity to explore their own questions across a wide variety of topics in the arts and sciences sometimes resulting in a take-home product, while other times resulting in creating something as a group that will stay at the museum.
Activities will be flexible, with the ability to evolve and change along with its occupants. Above all the space is built for the children and will grow and develop through time with each experience it encounters.
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