At almost every event or workshop we attend, parents ask our team members the same question, “How do I encourage my child to learn about coding?” While there are a number of great learn-to-code resources available today, Scratch is our go-to suggestion. Each week we’ll be posting a new tip or tutorial for learning how […]
Read more "Introduction to Scratch Part 1: What is Scratch?"Many educators ask us for creative ideas for using tablets and smart phones in educational settings. These tools are becoming increasingly ubiquitous in homes, libraries, and classrooms making it increasingly difficult to come up with new and interesting ways to use them for teaching digital literacy skills. In today’s post we’re going to focus on […]
Read more "Tablet+: free apps that are great for digital literacy projects"Conductive paint, while awesome, can be expensive if purchased from online retailers. Spending $12 on a 10ml tube of conductive paint, really adds up quickly for parents and educators. For some time now at the MakerBus we’ve been experimenting with making homemade conductive paint that is less expensive that store bought varieties – now at long […]
Read more "How to make homemade conductive paint"Even though it feels like 2015 just started, March Break is already around the corner. The MakerBus is gearing up for a busy week of fun outreach projects with community partners around the city. We’re happy to offer free, family pop-up activities in partnership with London Public Library on the following dates and locations: Tuesday […]
Read more "Maker projects for a fun March Break"We are very excited to announce a new series of after school classes. Do you have an 8-12 year old who loves to explore, tinker, and take things apart? Bring your children to our after school classes and we will help introduce them to the maker movement. Our classes focus on hands-on, experiential learning that […]
Read more "MakerBus After School Classes"Makerspaces are amazing places for learning and discovery – unparalleled spaces that encourage people to learn through hands-on discovery. At the same time, makerspaces often contain equipment that can be extremely dangerous. At the MakerBus we often consult with organizations that are interested in building makerspaces. From libraries, to schools, to community centres, we are […]
Read more "Building a makerspace? Safety considerations for 3D printers, drones, and laser cutters"We were going through old files on our computers the other day, and found this note dated March 20th, 2013. For context, the MakerBus originally started as a shared project between Kim Martin, Beth Compton, and Ryan Hunt. We all studied (and still do study) a field called the “digital humanities” – a discipline that […]
Read more "New year, new website – MakerBus Year 3"On Friday we had a parent ask us to create a list of resources that he could work on with his daughter. This request came out of a discussion of the cost of after school classes and children’s camps. The parent in question remarked that while getting his daughter invested in learning is his top […]
Read more "Affordable, accessible maker learning resources for parents (Part 1)"At the MakerBus we use a lot of LEDs (we bought more than 6000 LEDs in 2014). And while most people have dozens of LEDs in their homes these days, it’s worth thinking about these everyday objects and asking, “What is an LED?” An LED is a Light Emitting Diode first invented by Soviet inventor Oleg […]
Read more "What is an LED? A brief history of Light Emitting Diodes"3D printers have the potential to revolutionize nearly every aspect of modern life. Because of the tremendous potential of this technology, it’s not at all unusual for tech websites to write less-than-critical articles about the benefits of 3D printing. One article in particular inspired this blog post, 21 Useful Household Items You Can Make With […]
Read more "5 “useful” items you can make with a 3D printer (reflections on sustainability and 3D printing)"
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