As we have discussed in a previous blog here on “What is a Makerspace”, to allow students to learn through exploration and creation, the next question is, how do we make a space dedicated to students to explore, tinker, and create hands-on?
Every space, budget, and group is different. In this blog we will outline 3 key components to creating an engaging Makerspace on any budget, in any size room, for any age group, to help you develop your space.
Every Makerspace should have durable work surfaces. Mobile tables with different heights to sit or stand at are great for all activities and engagements, they also remove the hurdle of space. In a classroom or school, you may not have extra classrooms you can convert to full lab Makerspaces, but there may be a corner in a classroom or a storage space you can keep a mobile unit like the Rover Table.
Flexibility is a key piece and step in creating a Makerspace. Mobile tables that are multi-use are helpful in a small classroom, or bonus lab space, as well as mobile storage that can be arranged and moved as needed. A fundamental part of a Makerspace is to have everything the student will need to create and innovate ready and accessible. Storage for all of these materials needs to be organized and accessible to allow creative minds to follow their thoughts and work as they need to. It is a hands-off approach from educators and an all-hands in from the makers. Remove distractions and limits by utilizing rolling storage solutions.
Our third key element to creating a Makerspace is to make it inspiring! This space is intended to be inventive, collaborative, and explorative. Add mobile whiteboards, sketching areas, and places where teams can come together to invent and collaborate.
Any space can become a Makerspace given the right tools and applications. Not every school has the capacity to convert entire classrooms to dedicated Makerspace Labs, we hope with these fundamentals you can start to add in areas within a classroom to enhance your space for young makers to explore, expand their knowledge and thrive.
We would love to discuss more on what solutions you need to elevate your space for the next generation of learners.
