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Design Squad Maker
We’re excited to share with you a program we’ve been partnering with WGBH Boston on since last year. Design Squad Maker is a program that introduces children and their caregivers to the engineering design process in museums, maker spaces, and at home.
If you’d like to give our Research team your feedback on the activities, please fill in the email form on the Design Squad Maker page or contact us at info@nysci.org. We’d love to hear your thoughts.
Design
Design Squad Maker is a program in partnership with WGBH Boston that introduces children and their caregivers to the engineering design process in museums, maker spaces, and at home.
See The Activitiesdesign
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Learn MoreActivities for All Ages
Hover over each box for more info.
Art
In this DIY, bilingual video we're going to make a robot costume using upcycled household materials, and then going through a step-by step process to create any costume using recycled materials, not just a robot!
Watch The VideoChemistry
In this fun experiment, you just need some basic household objects... and the hidden power of lemon juice! To create your secret message, you'll need a lemon, cotton bud, paper and a heat source.
Watch The VideoArt
Humans have been making paint since the storage age, using berries or plants. Today we’re going to teach you a few methods of how to make paint using things around your house.
Watch The VideoMaking
"Wheat paste" is a type of clear glue made with just water and flour. Learn how to make it to paste your own drawings anywhere, follow along in this bilingual DIY video from New York Hall of Science, narrated in both English and Spanish.
Watch The VideoArt
Do you like to collect things, like seashells or keychains or teddy bears, but don't have anywhere to show them off? We're going to make a home-made display for all of your collections. Learn how, follow along in this bilingual DIY video from New York Hall of Science, narrated in both English and Spanish.
Watch The VideoMiddle School
Activities for middle school aged students and up.
Art
Make beautiful wooden, painted marbled creations using paint and water and household materials.
View The TutorialArt
Want to make a sticker of your favorite image, logo, brand or character? All you need is regular printer paper and some household materials to try this Explainer TV video at home.
Watch The VideoHigh School
Activities for high school aged students and up.
Art
Using some simple items, you can make your own stamps and prints at home. Let your creativity run wild!
View The TutoriallearnXdesign
NYSCI leads the learnXdesign project – a consortium of 6 science centers around the country who came together to develop a series of out-of-school activities that inspire design-based learning in kids and teens at home.
To the right are a selection of activities available to view at learnXdesign.org.
Activities focus on design-based learning, a model of learning where students are presented with a challenge that requires them to actively engage in the learning process by creating hypotheses, experimenting and drawing conclusions. Other activities available on the site include shadow puppets, paper circuits and microbots. Tutorials are available in both video and downloadable PDF format.
Design
Using the handyman’s secret weapon, work alone or together to make a unique creation out of one simple material, duct tape. Teach how to work with limited resources and explore creativity.
Watch or Read TutorialPhotography
Your brain doesn't necessarily see what your eyes see. Make a pinhole camera, and then ask yourself - how then do we see the world right-side up?
Watch or Read TutorialArt
Magically cut a 5-point star using only one cut of your scissors in this Learn x Design activity intended to explore geometry through the art of origami and paper cutting.
Learn More