Designing Maker-Inspired Exhibits for the Youngest Learners

This session was so much fun! I enjoyed learning about the different programming ideas implemented by museums for early learners, and how strongly they were going for a push in letting them play with with what parents have the idea of seeming "dangerous".  On Wednesday afternoon 5/3/2017, speakers addressed the issue of going about creating spaces to engage our youngest visitors in design and making. Presenters came from The Discovery Museums, Metcalfe Architecture & Design, Scott Family Museum, Opal School of the Portland Children's Museum, and the New York Hall of Science highlighted a few of their programs and exhibit projects for early childhood learning.

  

Amazeum

Tinkering Hub:

1,200 sq ft space dedicated to tinkering

Assesses community needs: ages 7+ as "A special place for big kids"

Question: How do they address younger audiences?

Director supplements with programmatic elements - pop up activities and tool school

Tiny Tools Program : REAL Hammers/ wrenches/ bolts! *GASP!* but children and their families have had only positive experiences. They haven't had any injuries since the program began, and there are many benefits to the program: 

• facilitated
• family  experience
• authentic with a real world application

Portland Children's Museum

The wonder of learning is having fun, play is learning

Many forms of artistic expression: not stereotypical tool of making, it is not inclusive.

EVERY SPACE can be a makerspace.

Opal School of the Portland Children's Museum is a beginning school (ages 3–5) and public charter elementary school (grades K–5). Opal School is guided by Playful Inquiry, an approach to learning alive in a community that courageously and collaboratively relies on the unique gifts of childhood to question what it means to be a citizen world-maker in the midst of uncertainty. 

Opal's school values: take inspiration from nature, coziness and familiarity

Youth Makerspace Playbook is a free resource.at makered.org

NY Hall of science

"Making" as a science concept: a new learning framework:

Design/ make/ play!

18 mo.-8 yo. Little Makers Program  

For programming ideas Visit  nysci.org/littlemakers

• sensory rich exploration
• first introduction into real life tools, no plastic.
• new possibilities
• blend of science math and literacy

Manifestation of the teachers expectations- need children to exercise own ideas

PROGRAMS:

• play-doh robots
• deconstruction of electronics

Discovery Woods at the Discovery Museums

Kids have lost connection to the outdoors. Outdoor early learning space designed for max independence

• Open ended materials
• In the natural world- hard to find materials that last (some are man-made)
• Designed for social learning communicating ideas and reflecting
• Example: The way things are arranged, chairs etc.
• Ecophobia hard to combat/ screentime/ homework.

and this offers little learners a safe way to play with others and their families.

-Christina Olmeda 5/5/17