MakerEd and Early Childhood: San Francisco Bay Area Discovery Museum

When do children start making? When does exploration and creation begin?  The Bay Area Discovery Museum prepares young learners for just this with its new Fab Lab makerspace, the first of its kind for children 10 and under. 
​

I had the chance to tour the new Fab Lab last week with Babe Liberman, Partnerships Coordinator for the Center for Childhood Creativity at the museum, who led us through this new space and shared the museum's goals with us. 

As outlined on its home page, “The Fab Lab is a maker space with digital fabrication technology such as 3D printers, laser cutters and vinyl cutters. The Fab Lab exhibition allows children to intentionally build science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) skills through hands-on learning. “

Guiding Principles

​It was exciting to see the alignment of STEM goals and the four C's of Critical Thinking, Communication, Collaboration, and Creativity in this inviting new museum space !

Roland vinyl cutter

Creating with found and recycled materials

​Play and build outdoors with giant foam