Skip to main content

Hands-On Fun!



Have you ever heard of a Maker Faire? I hadn't, until this weekend when Martinsville held it's 2nd Annual Mini Maker Faire at The Artisan Center. 

If you or your kids like science, then you need to go to the Maker Faire website and see if and when a faire will be in your area! We went this past weekend and let me tell you, none of us were bored. 

The faire is certainly great for kids but it's not just for kids, adults are encouraged to experience the hands-on activities as well. From soldering your own light-up robot pin to making your own tee-shirt, adults were involved as much as the kids were!

The 3D printer certainly caught my eye. Ever since I heard about this revolutionary technology it had intrigued me but I had never seen one in action before! It was pretty amazing. Although, it does concern me that the good old-fashioned artist may be put out of business now that a computer can do all the work, it still was interesting to see how far we have come in technology.




Below, is another 3D creator, a 3D doodler. This is crazy! My son is holding what looks like a simple glue gun but in reality melts plastic onto paper into any shape you desire. You are creating a 3D creation, with a pen, it's pretty wild. He worked on this for quite a while and his finished product was a cool boot!



My other son, over here is creating his own slime. 
Simple, easy and fun!


Inside the STEM lab there were several activities that you could partake in, depending on your age. My four year old worked on a computer puzzle and my two boys put together a solar powered car. I was able to play around with a computer attachment that you could hold up to anything, the fibers on your clothes, hair, anything and you could see what it looked like up close.


All kinds of activities were provided, including making your own NAME magnet out of old computer keyboard pieces.  


My daughter loved making  her own hex bug out of a toothbrush and wires. Let the races begin!



 My husband hung out at the wood turner's demonstration for most of the day while the kids and I spent time at each booth experimenting and learning. Again, if you haven't experienced a Maker's Faire before, I don't think anyone in your family would be disappointed!




Oh, and the best part: IT'S FREE!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Original 13 Colonies Fact Cards (Free Printable)

These Thirteen Colonies Fact Cards were created for my kids as we studied early American history. What a pivotal time in our history! Puritans seeking religious freedom, adventurers setting out for a new land, and those in debt hoping for a fresh start—a new life. From the first colony in Virginia, until all thirteen stars on the first American flag were represented, these cards are a perfect review for your homeschoolers. Use them to drill the first thirteen colonies so your child can recite them with ease, and have them dictate the information on the cards to help them remember a small fact about each colony. Feel free to print these out and have your children write facts that they learn about each colony on the back. Go ahead and laminate them, too!    Simply right-click, save, and print to use this resource in your homeschool as you study about the original thirteen colonies in America. Use the facts for dictation, copy work, or discussion in your home. Disclaimer: All co...
Post a Comment
Recent Posts

Truck-Themed Homeschool Chore Chart

  Use this truck-themed homeschool chore chart to keep your kids on track throughout the school week. With lessons, field trips, meals, and unexpected errands filling up your week, even the simplest chore chart can help your home run more smoothly. At times, kids are excited for the new opportunity to help out around the house and do it with joy. Other times they stomp toward the trash can with anything but a good attitude. Help keep attitudes in check by using stickers, smiley faces, or positive verbal reinforcement as your child completes each task on the chart. For the child who loves lists (and the mom) this is the perfect free printable to have on hand!   (Simply right-click, save, and print)
2 comments
Recent Posts

The Pencil Grip Inc. {Review}

We have found what we have been looking for in The Pencil Grip Inc .'s 24 pack of Magic Stix Washable Markers . These markers are the perfect fit for a homeschooling family such as ours. I am thrilled to tell you about our experience with them! Normally, I do not have a favorable impression of markers for several reasons. For one, as a kid, I remember markers having such a strong smell that it would give me a headache. I know some kids enjoyed the scents but it certainly was not for me. And to be honest, if I had markers like that in my house today, my kids would probably stick them up their nose or something. Another reason I have a distaste for markers is the drying out factor. As a parent of many children this is super frustrating. I finally teach the older ones to put the caps back on when they are done using their markers but then a younger one comes along and just doesn't understand. This then leads to the undue frustration of your child sitting down to...
50 comments
Recent Posts