Art Machines
PreK to Grade 5
Cardboard levers and pivots become a creature that snaps, claws or flaps. Learners build the mechanism first, then invent the beast around it, improving the design until it moves the way they pictured.
Spark Hands-on STEM in Classrooms and Family Programs
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Kinetic art projects that educators love to lead, and learners make to keep.
FutureMakers and Arts for Learning have sparked hands-on playful engineering in PK-8 classrooms and family engagement settings since 2013. Educators and program leaders love bringing tested, affordable materials kits and mini-residencies into their classrooms. Family engagement staff love FutureMakers make-and-take activities that caregivers can't resist making alongside their kiddos.
Blendies
PreK to Grade 3
A wooden spinning top teaches balance by misbehaving. Learners color two of its pieces red and blue, give it a spin, and watch purple appear where there is no purple.
Crankies
Kindergarten to Grade 8
A cardboard box holds a paper scroll and a crank on the side. Learners draw a story that rolls past the window like a tiny movie, engineering the machine and the plot at the same time.
Drawbots
Grade 2 to Grade 8
A small machine stands on markers and cannot hold still. An off-center weight sets it shaking, the markers keep the record, and learners redesign it until the loops it draws are the ones they meant.
Get hands-on before your learners do!
Want to try a project before planning a workshop? Most educators do!
Spark Hands-on Confidence in PK-8 Educators
Educators learn best when what's new is hands-on, and playful! FutureMakers and Arts for Learning support innovative schools and districts that want classroom and co-curricular educators to confidently level up their ability to integrate design thinking and problem solving, hands-on math, language arts and SEL content. If you're looking for a tested approach that adult learners can activate right away, let us know!
Not sure which one fits?
We're here to help, answering questions and helping plan your program to match your educators, learners and budget.