27-31 July
Fab Lab Limerick invites kids aged 9 to 12 to take part in a week long summer camp. Boys and girls will explore their imagination and creativity using digital technologies!
Day 1
To break the ice everybody will work together to build a Geodesic dome with some lightweight materials. Basic structural engineering practicalities will be demonstrated throughout the build. The kids will be introduced to 3D printing and its possibilities. They will have the chance to draw their own design and print it out!
Day 2
During this day we will explore the possibilities of the Laser Cutter. We will create custom frames for our craft art and some interesting toys and jigsaws. Each piece can me painted and decorated after to make it unique and personal to everyone’s style. We will learn and try out techniques that can translate 2D drawings into 3D objects.
Day 3
Basic electronic principals will be demonstrated through playing with play dough. Each child will participate in producing conductive and non-conductive dough. The dough can then be made into all sorts of shapes so safe electronics can be used to power LEDs and motors. Once everybody understands the basics of electronics they will be able to customise and build their very own robots to bring home!
Day 4
Ed Devane, a local sound artist, will instruct the group in how to create home-made instruments. Each kid will have five instruments that they can bring home at the end of the day!
Day 5
On our final day we will turn into real designers, makers and innovators. We will use everything we have learned during the week and incorporate it into our final project. By translating an idea into an item we will learn about the process of fabrication through design and making. At the end of the day each child will have its own ‘real like from the shop’ product made ready to be packed as a cool present!
All materials will be provided by Fab Lab Limerick and each child will be able to take home their individual projects. No personal computers/tablets are permitted at the camp.
Image by Michael Mc Laughlin