5/8/2009 - ACM Inspires the Do-it-Yourself Spirit in MakerKids Exhibit
Glue it. Fold it. Sew it. Build it. Children and families will catch the do-it-yourself spirit in Austin Children’s Museum’s new feature exhibit, MakerKids.
Austin, Texas (May 8, 2009) — Glue it. Fold it. Sew it. Build it. Children and families will catch the do-it-yourself spirit in Austin Children’s Museum’s new feature exhibit, MakerKids. Opening June 6, 2009, MakerKids offers over 20 guided activities in fiber arts, printmaking, sculpture, light play, paper play, cardboard creations and much more.
“We are setting the stage for kids to be inspired to innovate and create new things,” said Mike Nellis, Executive Director at ACM. “By making things in this exhibit, kids are learning how stuff works so they can apply that knowledge to their own new creations.”
Within MakerKids, families will find interactive and visual art installations for creative “inspiration” and simple, graphic, step-by-step “instructions” on how to make things. ACM’s Education and Exhibits teams designed and produced all the hands-on experiences in the exhibit, appropriate for everyone from toddler, pre-school to elementary aged children and their families.
“Families will have fun and learn while collaborating and cooperating on projects,” said Cybil Guess, Education Manager the Museum. “Kids will practice goal setting, persistence and their creative skills while building confidence as they see their project take shape.”
Daily facilitation in the exhibit is being planned to help lead visitors’ experiences one step further. Hand wash stations, drying racks and display boards will be on-hand for all makers. MakerKids will be featured at ACM through September 11, 2009.
MakerKids Exhibit Components
Paper Play
Cut it. Fold it. Build it. Clip it. Hoist it. Launch it. Fly it.
• Die cut station – use a cool tool to cut out shapes. Make a working pinwheel, a folded bag or a flying rotocopter out of paper.
• Book making – bind a book of your own design. Try simple or advanced stitch bindery or make it a flip book.
• Photo-rotocopter – make a paper flyer out of old photos and test it using the launcher.
• Origami – simple paper squares become animals, shapes and stars.
• Pinwheel wall – hundreds of metallic paper pin wheels mounted to the wall catch the breeze of a fan … the sparkle is awe inspiring!
Fiber Arts
Stitch it. Sew it. Quilt it.
• Stitch a pocket! – make a fabric pouch to keep your tools, treasures or coins in.
• Embroidery – practice your sewing skills by adding to a collaborative project.
• “Add to it” quilt – create a quilt square that’s totally you and add to the community quilt.
Printmaking
Print it. Screen it. Stamp it. Block it.
• Screen printing – explore stencil, prepared screen and block printing using real tools. Print on fabric, paper, book cover, t-shirt or tote bag.
• Stamping – make your mark using custom stamps of MakerKids symbols.
Cardboard Creations
Build it. Make it go! Ride it!
• Cardboard build – using cardboard scraps and a pumpkin carving tool, build anything that strikes your fancy!
• Rubber band car – explore the powers of potential energy. Build your own rubber band powered car and test it on a track.
• Ride a rubber band car – ask the staff for a ride on a kid-sized rubber band car.
Light Play Cave
Light it. Glow it. Throw it.
• Light stage – create a one-of-a-kind moving art show on the light play screen.
• LED throwies installation – hundreds of LED lights and magnets create a twinkling delight above your head. Make a throwie yourself and add it on.
• Light bright – little ones play with light on this giant light bright.
• Light stage display – before entering the light play cave, check out what’s “now playing.” Cameras capture the light play inside to show you what’s going on outside the cave.
Little Makers Station
Button it. Zip it. Tie it.
• Infants and toddlers will enjoy fabric books, button-tie-zip dolls, sewing cards, magnet games, easy to handle stamps, a weaving wall and more.
Tube Tunes
• Use air to make music on this large instrument made of PVC pipe.
The Maker Studio
Make it. Build it. Throw it. Sculpt it. Cut it. Carve it. Glue it. Shrink it. Mold it. Knit it. Bead it. Swap it. Weave it. Play it. AND MORE!
• Join Gallery Educators and volunteers for the daily make and take project at this facilitated work station.
MakerKids was developed and produced by Austin Children's Museum with support from LEGO Children’s Fund and Temple-Inland. This project was funded in part by the City of Austin through the Cultural Arts Division by a grant from the Texas Commission on the Arts and National Endowment for the Arts.
ABOUT ACM
The mission of the Austin Children's Museum is to create innovative learning experiences for children and families that equip and inspire the next generation of creative problem solvers. Located at the Dell Discovery Center downtown at the corner of 2nd Street and Colorado, the Austin Children's Museum is one of the city's popular cultural attractions with 200,000 visitors annually. Founded in 1983 as a non-profit organization, the Austin Children's Museum delivers its mission through a variety of exhibits, programs and outreach activities. For more information, please visit www.austinkids.org.
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