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Step 11Projects!
The role of projects at camp is to get kids started. The most exciting times at camp are when kids take their own ideas for projects and spend all day hacking away at them. We see projects as ways for us to display and transfer simple skills like soldering or hand-tool use, that kids can then absorb into their own creative endeavors.
One of the fanatastic things about making stuff with kids is that there are so many things you can do. Once you've done done a few projects with kids, pretty much anything that's interesting can somehow be turned into a great building or science project. Asking kids for ideas is great too -- whenever I'm stuck for ideas, I'll ask kids what they want to do, and without fail we'll come to something we're all excited about doing.
Some great resources include:
Instructables. Whenever I want to make something with kids and I don't know how, I often go to Instructables to see if there are any plans there.
Science Toys is a really fantastic project site. The Gonzo Gizmos book is excellent.
Scratch is a great, kid-friendly introduction to programming.
Our staple activities include:
Taking stuff apart: Computers and VCRs are great. We don't do televisions or CRT monitors because of the high-voltage capacitors, but we ask families to bring in anything else they've got.
Making slime/oobleck. Mixing corn starch and water together. There're instructables on it.
Soda bottle rockets! Originally inspired by [www.howtoons.com Howtoons]. I like to use corks for the stoppers -- take a cork, puff it up in the microwave by heating it for a minute or so, fit it to the soda bottle while it's still hot and squishy, and then drill a hole in the cork and stick an innter tube valve in the hole. It's a good basic project with lots of potential modifications.
Basic electronics -- we have two stock activities here. One is showing kids how to solder by making a simple flashlight (soldering together a switch, 2 AA battery pack, and a blue or white LED.) The other is using a breadboard to show kids how to turn on things like LEDs, motors, or 7-segment displays, and showing them how to use switches. I really like to make simple switches with just two wires before moving onto switches where you can't see the internal mechanism.
Dry ice -- we always do this with adult supervision, who starts with a spiel about how to handle dry ice safely (in a cup and not with your hands, pretty much. We also emphasize that unlike ice, in can no way go in your mouth and usually say something like "it'll burn your tongue for a week!" to drive the point home.) You put the dry ice in a plastic cup, add water, or water and soap, or put it in ziploc bags and add water, or .... (there's tons of fun with dry ice!) Clear cups are particularly cool because then you can see what's happening inside.
Baking soda and vinegar rockets -- by mixing baking soda and vinegar in a film canister, putting the lid on, and turning it upside down, you get a very satisfying miniature rocket. This can also be done with dry ice and water.
Making snacks -- we've shown kids how to make pizza, cheese, crackers, and cookies.
Making airplanes -- we use balsa wood, and have kids freehand drawings on the wood, and then someone, usually an adult, will cut out the drawing with a utility knife and we'll hot glue the plane together.
I've found that between running a constant stream of fun things to do, like these activities, and emphasizing that kids are free to do what they want to, kids quickly come to camp bright-eyed and full of their own ideas for what they want to make and how. To me, this is the real goal of camp -- to empower kids to do their own thing!
One of the fanatastic things about making stuff with kids is that there are so many things you can do. Once you've done done a few projects with kids, pretty much anything that's interesting can somehow be turned into a great building or science project. Asking kids for ideas is great too -- whenever I'm stuck for ideas, I'll ask kids what they want to do, and without fail we'll come to something we're all excited about doing.
Some great resources include:
Instructables. Whenever I want to make something with kids and I don't know how, I often go to Instructables to see if there are any plans there.
Science Toys is a really fantastic project site. The Gonzo Gizmos book is excellent.
Scratch is a great, kid-friendly introduction to programming.
Our staple activities include:
Taking stuff apart: Computers and VCRs are great. We don't do televisions or CRT monitors because of the high-voltage capacitors, but we ask families to bring in anything else they've got.
Making slime/oobleck. Mixing corn starch and water together. There're instructables on it.
Soda bottle rockets! Originally inspired by [www.howtoons.com Howtoons]. I like to use corks for the stoppers -- take a cork, puff it up in the microwave by heating it for a minute or so, fit it to the soda bottle while it's still hot and squishy, and then drill a hole in the cork and stick an innter tube valve in the hole. It's a good basic project with lots of potential modifications.
Basic electronics -- we have two stock activities here. One is showing kids how to solder by making a simple flashlight (soldering together a switch, 2 AA battery pack, and a blue or white LED.) The other is using a breadboard to show kids how to turn on things like LEDs, motors, or 7-segment displays, and showing them how to use switches. I really like to make simple switches with just two wires before moving onto switches where you can't see the internal mechanism.
Dry ice -- we always do this with adult supervision, who starts with a spiel about how to handle dry ice safely (in a cup and not with your hands, pretty much. We also emphasize that unlike ice, in can no way go in your mouth and usually say something like "it'll burn your tongue for a week!" to drive the point home.) You put the dry ice in a plastic cup, add water, or water and soap, or put it in ziploc bags and add water, or .... (there's tons of fun with dry ice!) Clear cups are particularly cool because then you can see what's happening inside.
Baking soda and vinegar rockets -- by mixing baking soda and vinegar in a film canister, putting the lid on, and turning it upside down, you get a very satisfying miniature rocket. This can also be done with dry ice and water.
Making snacks -- we've shown kids how to make pizza, cheese, crackers, and cookies.
Making airplanes -- we use balsa wood, and have kids freehand drawings on the wood, and then someone, usually an adult, will cut out the drawing with a utility knife and we'll hot glue the plane together.
I've found that between running a constant stream of fun things to do, like these activities, and emphasizing that kids are free to do what they want to, kids quickly come to camp bright-eyed and full of their own ideas for what they want to make and how. To me, this is the real goal of camp -- to empower kids to do their own thing!
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