Make: Online: Kids Archives

Kids Archive: Kids

June 30, 2009

Keeping their cool

Over on GeekDad, Dana Bostic came up with this simple backyard cool-the-kids "hack" -- a hose sprayer set to "shower," zip-tied to a tall step ladder pouring down onto a trampoline -- so the kids can work up a sweat and cool off at the same time!

Keeping the Kids Cool This Summer [Thanks, Shawn!]

June 27, 2009

Heavy Metal II at MOS

Heavy Metal II, Amped Up is the culminating event, hosted by the Boston Museum of Science and the Lemelson-MIT Program, is part of Eurekafest, a multi-day celebration designed to empower a legacy of inventors.

Watch teams of high school students from across the country compete in an all-day challenge to build wind turbines that can hoist empty garbage cans to the ceiling of the Blue Wing. Explore a range of "windy" activities with Museum Exhibit Halls interpreters and educators from the Smithsonian's Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation.

Go check it out, and take a wander through the Museum of Science, which has lots of great exhibits, and an educators' library. Take some photos and share them with us in the MAKE Flickr pool.

June 24, 2009

Vibrobots at Honey Creek School

The 4th and 5th grade students at Honey Creek Community School in Washtenaw County, Michigan made vibrobots as part of their Design & Technology curriculum. The looks of pride on these kids' faces are amazing. Vibrobots are a great project for kids this age (kids of any age, really) 'cause they're easy enough for anyone to build, but just mechanically and electrically involved enough to give you that joy-of-making sense of accomplishment.

4/5 tech: Vibrobots!

More:
Vibrobots piece in the MAKE digital edition
Vibrobots in MAKE, Volume 10

June 23, 2009

"Cause I'm a Rocket Fan..."

Ryan Bavetta, of Crazy Builders, bolted a 3.7 HP model airplane engine onto the back of a skateboard to create this rocket board.

Propeller Powered Skateboard [via PopSci]

June 22, 2009

Take Flight for Kids events, Aug 8th

This came to us from Dean McCully, by way of Jake von Slatt:

Take Flight is a hugely popular flying festival series at Northern California airports. We recruit up to 100 volunteer pilots of small airplanes and helicopters, and provide free flights for about 750-1000 young people with disabilities, at risk youth, homeless kids, foster kids, etc. Most of the kids get to take controls of the plane during their 30 minute flights, to experience the empowerment of being in absolute control of a complex flying machine.

We host simultaneous huge festivals at the airports, with 4000-5000 attendees expected to enjoy a fun day of hands-on stuff. The emphasis is on hands on STEM science/tech/engineering/math, pretty much precisely what Maker Faire is all about, just with a huge kids-fly-free component added. 200+ nonprofit agencies are expected to join us on August 8 and party with the crowds. We expect up to 4000 people to join us for the festival, making this the biggest aviation-based STEM science/technology/engineering/math festival in the Bay Area.

Everything is FREE to all attendees, all volunteers, and all nonprofits/vendors get FREE BOOTH SPACE! Free admission, free parking, free BBQ at noon, free airplane rides to kids 8-17 years old (must be pre-registered online), free live entertainment, petting zoos, hot air balloon rides, helicopters, radio controlled aircraft, model rockets, science experiments, games, rides, fun, fun, FUN!

To reserve a (free) booth in this hottest gig in town, all you have to do is RSVP online. We'll take care of the rest.

For more info, check our website.

June 20, 2009

Secret ink smorgasboard

Here is a nice round-up of some simple sneaky inks. The old favorites like lemon juice and vinegar are there, but also some more sophisticated systems using stuff like cerium oxalate and iodine fuming.

From the pages of MAKE:

Mike Golembewksi shows us how to make an invisible inkjet printer in MAKE 16 - Spy Tech.

More:

Kidlaunching!

kidlauncher from connors934 on Vimeo.

Kidlaunching is a variation on the slip and slide model of backyard/park fun. What we did this day was lay out a hundred feet or so of plastic sheet on the grass, tied a gigantic elastic band to a tree and poured water from a park fountain over the plastic to reduce friction. Once the kid is on a pool toy or other suitable vehicle, hold by the ankles, pull, count and...RELEASE!

This was an activity at Camp Kaleidoscope a few years ago.

June 13, 2009

A sightseer's guide to engineering

If you are looking for a way to smarten up your travels, you may want to look into the Sightseer's Guide to Engineering provided by the National Society of Professional Engineers and National Engineers Week.

From the entry on the Tacoma Narrows Bridge:

To engineers, crossing the Tacoma Narrows presented more of an economic challenge. Originally it was hoped the federal government would help pay for an $11 million bridge that would cut at least 40 miles off the trip between Tacoma and Bremerton. After the federal government refused, the state turned to Leon Moisseiff, who calculated that a thin-plate girder type bridge could be built for only $6.4 million. The collapse of the bridge shocked the engineering community, and the lessons learned did a lot to shape future American bridge building. The replacement bridge, built in 1950, is one of the largest suspension bridges in the world.

There are entries for each of the states, though it appears that they could use some suggestions for additional places for engineering minded vacation spots. Via Celeste.

June 12, 2009

Students enjoy MAKE, build styrofoam speakers

David Veloz Jr., an engineer at the Naval Surface Warfare Center, told us about a unique class he was teaching over the summer. His company conducts an outreach program for local high school students who show an interest in science and math. David was teaching them about his job and electronics in general.

Thinking that his class sounded like a worthwhile effort, we were happy to send some copies of MAKE out to his students. Afterward, David was kind enough to send us some photos of his class reading the issue, along with this nice note:

I've been meaning to get back to you guys, attached are some photos of the class reading their magazines. They absolutely loved them! I tried not to bore them too much, so I kept my bit short and quickly got them started on their project (Styrofoam speaker). We talked about magnetism, magnetic fields, and current, it was fun for everyone! A handful of the kids finished after our 2.5 hrs were up (we went over). They said that it was the best class!

During the class, David helped the students build the styrofoam plate speaker from MAKE, Volume 12, and gave away a couple of multimeters as prizes. What a great way to teach young people about the world of making!

You can still pick up a copy of MAKE, Volume 12, and other back issues of MAKE in the Maker Shed.

Preschoolers love artbots

I built a bunch of vibrating marker-legged artbots with the kids at my son's preschool the other day, and it was great fun. We taped motors with an offset weight on their shafts to the top of some plastic cups, chose different colors of markers for the legs, and set them in motion creating beautiful artwork. I've never seen groups of five-year-olds so focused as they were during the artbot session.

June 4, 2009

Paper Yachts book contest

I've always been fascinated by origami, but never had the patience for learning it. If you think you do have what it takes to model the world in folded paper, here's an opportunity to get a free copy of a unique origami book. Our pals over at Potter Craft have given us three copies of their new Paper Yachts book to give away to MAKE readers. Created by origami masters Nic Compton and Nick Robinson, the book has origami models of four famous racing yachts. You get sixteen water-resistant templates of the four models that you can use in the tub, in a puddle in your backyard, or other miniature waterway.

If you'd like a copy of one of these books, tell us why in the comments, tell us some of your origami experiences, making paper boats, or related tales. Link to pics if you have them. Next Tuesday, we'll choose three winners.

Simple fabric soft synth

Instructables user pstretz made this Arduino-based simple soft tone generator for another user (carmitsu) who wrote:

I teach music in elementary school. We play a lot of recorder music. i.e. the kids play little flutes...... I have several special needs kids who can are using these black poster boards with circles that have the name of the note on them. These students push on the circles with notes names at the same time the rest of the students are playing a song..... Most of the special needs kids can do this fairly well and in time with the music.

What I am looking to to is build a very simple sound generator so that these kids could play the same pitch as those being played by the students on their recorders. I would only be a few pitches. I thought I could attach some kind of small button to the bottom of their round circles so that when they push on them the sound would come out of a small speaker, loud enough so they could hear.

And that's just what this is, a simple tone generating soft circuit. It's a great simple project to make, and it warms my heart to see makers helping teachers helping kids.

June 2, 2009

Father/daughter bonding at Maker Faire

I didn't get a chance to take a ton of photos at Maker Faire, but I did catch this dad and his daughter working on this electronics kit together in the Sparkfun tent. I didn't catch their names, so if that's you, post in the comments! I think there should be an international "teach your daughter to solder" day; I didn't learn until college!

May 28, 2009

The siren song of Gnathonemus petersii

OK, so, it's not exactly a song. It's more like a clicky, morse-codey, geiger-countery sort of buzz. Nonetheless, it is generated by an electric fish, and you can hear it yourself just by wiring a piezoelectric earphone across the water in your fish tank. Provided, of course, that said water contains said electric fish. If that seems like too much work, then you can just download the sound from here. While you're at it, read all about the details of the so-called "Elephant Nose Fish" and its so-called "electric organ." I'm not making any of this up.

May 27, 2009

Replica steam engine built from cardboard

Using Mr. McGroovy's Box Rivets, these enterprising builders built a cardboard scale replica steam engine.

Cardboard Scale Replica Steam Engine

More:
Mr. McGroovy's cardboard box rivets

May 25, 2009

Sea Perch: coming to Maker Faire

[Photo from MIT Sea Perch on Flickr]

Want to build a quick and functional underwater vehicle, but don't want to spend a pile of money? The Sea Perch may be just the project for you and your students. Based on Build Your own Underwater Robot, you can get the up to date text online. There is a wealth of info on their site to use for curriculum resources.

The Sea Perch is a simple remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROV) made from PVC pipe and other inexpensive, easily available materials. The Sea Perch Program trains educators around the world to build Sea Perch and use them as an interactive platform to ignite student's enthusiasm for science, technology, and engineering.

[Photo from MIT Sea Perch on Flickr]

Two of my students are using the Sea Perch documentation to make their own ROV. We are finding that the information in the manual is very easy to follow, concisely written and a great guide to getting into the water quickly. If you are looking for the fastest way to get kids excited about building underwater vehicles, you should check out the Sea Perch project. The build guide gives a basic instruction, and from there, you can modify and hack it to your own needs.

Check out the list to see who else is coming to Maker Faire this year!

May 19, 2009

"Make Something!!" program in LA

Wooster Collective caught up with Aaron Rose, who is co-developing an after school program for kids called "Make Something!!" with Kanye West. He says:

I was one of those kids who absolutely hated school. I always felt that I didn’t quite fit into the education system as it was and yearned to find a place to belong. I started the Make Something!! program to be a home for kids who feel as displaced in school as I did. Last summer, when we first started the Make Something!! workshops we had no idea that they would have the effect that they did. Our original concept was simply to hold ten workshops that exposed a small number of kids to DIY (do-it-yourself) ethics. Since then the program has grown exponentially, beyond my wildest dreams. Seeing the looks on kids faces when they actually accomplish something that they never thought possible has been one of the greatest rewards of my professional career.

This program, based out of an LA studio that will open later this year, bases its DIY spirit in skateboarding, hip-hop, punk, and graffiti cultures. I can't wait to see what these kids create! Kanye says:

I believe every child is born an artist. That ability to express ourselves freely is inherent in every child, whether it's through singing, dancing, drawing or playing. Somehow as we get older society and culture dampen that spirit, making us self conscious about expression. I believe Programs like Make Something!! help to keep this creative spirit alive as well as show kids that being an artist is a viable career path. As public funding for schools and arts programs continue to be cut, programs like Make Something!! are critical to breeding future generations of artists who can contribute to the greater cultural fabric that keeps America forward thinking and progressive.

May 18, 2009

Snoozy sloth, the breathing plushie

Justin Blinder, a student at Parsons, created this plushie doll that clings to you and snoozes, like a living critter:

Snoozy the Sloth is a plush toy with a respiratory system. He sleeps while clinging onto a user, allowing them to feel both the contraction and expansion of his chest, as well exhaling of air from his mouth. The main concept behind snoozy is to create an intimate, yet passive, toy interaction that relaxes and comforts a user, through the tactile experience of steady breathing patterns.

Snoozy the Sloth

May 13, 2009

Giant net-enabled Etch A Sketch

Does this hacker ever sleep? The prolific Jeri Ellsworth is at it again. Here, she builds a 52" Etch a Sketch with the screen from a rear-projection TV, some tent poles, screen door pulleys, some cheap Harbor Freight drill motors, a golf tee (for the stylus), and some aluminum powder. They also designed a web interface for their USTREAM live chatroom and are working on hooking up the device so that people in chat can operate the Etch a Sketch. Let me guess how many naughty grade-school squiggles and "bad words" are going to show up on that screen?

Fat Man and Circuit Girl

May 12, 2009

Beginning robot walker

ArduinoFun has a how-to on building this simple two-servo Arduino walker that's a great starter robot project for kids. The body and legs were ordered from Ponoko. Shawn of ArduinoFun writes:

My son is 11 and daughter is 5 and they really enjoyed doing this. I was amazed at my daughter already thinking of new ideas to do with the servos. For example she wants to put a princess doll on a servo and use the Arduino to make a music box.

Arduino Simple Walker