Get your gears running and join us in our Family Invention Lab, brought to you by our MakerSpace team! Come learn basic coding and engineering lessons suitable for the whole family. Each month we’ll focus on a new activity to pump your brain's STEAM power.
On Sunday, May 15, come to our kick-off program at 2 p.m. at Headquarters Library in Meeting Room A for an introduction to the different activities and the beginner-friendly technology available like Strawbees, Microbits, and Makey-Makeys. Inventors from ages 5 to adults can learn how to write code and engineer cool contraptions with these cool tools.
Then, visit the Family Invention Lab on the second and fourth Sundays during June, July, and August at Headquarters Library. Kids and their grown-ups can work together using science and engineering to learn and become inventors. All programs are held at 2 p.m. in Meeting Room A. Children younger than 14 must be accompanied by an adult.
Eager to get started early? Check out our MakerSpace book collection, our hands-on STEM kits, or head over to Creativebug for some crafting ideas and stretch out those brain muscles.
Register to save a seat at these programs. Register at least 12 hours before an event to guarantee admission. Check-in starts 15 minutes before a program’s start time. If registered attendees are not present five minutes before the start time, seats may be given away on a first-come, first-serve basis. A library card is not required to register or attend any program.
The full Family Invention Lab Schedule is:
- Sunday, May 15, Kick-Off Program
- Sunday, June 12
- Sunday, June 26
- Sunday, July 10
- Sunday, July 24
- Sunday, Aug. 14
- Sunday, Aug. 28
Each month has a theme, challenging inventors to question their knowledge and create something new while we learn together. June's theme is Animal Engineering. What can humans learn from animal adaptations? How can we rebuild these adaptations for us to use? July's theme is Is It Conductive? Electricity is the cornerstone of electronics and computing - Can we build a game with conductive materials? August's theme is Storytelling with Color. Color is a fantastic visual aid - How can you use color to tell a story? Mark a trail? Give signals?
The Family Invention Lab is made possible by an Innovation Grant from the Northeast Florida Library Information Network helping us discover new ways to learn and explore our world through technology.