The Tinkering Workshop: Glow City

Join educator and author Ryan Jenkins for a hands-on tinkering workshop to build fun creations and explore science, art and engineering. Together we’ll get inspired to look at familiar supplies in new and unexpected ways, think with our hands, troubleshoot tricky constructions, and sharpen our problem-solving skills.

In this workshop we’ll explore making an illuminated cardboard city using gumdrop LEDs, copper tape, coin cell batteries and tons of everyday materials. Kids and adults will explore the playful intersection of electrical circuits and colorful light-up art. The glowing creations will be arranged to make a collaborative installation that combines all of our wild ideas and prototypes.

Through this activity we’ll get a sense of the possibilities for tinkering at home, in school and informal learning environments. The workshop will take place from 10:00-12:00 and participants will have the opportunity to take home their projects at the end of the session so that they can keep building and tinkering with the prototypes. The session is recommended for kids 7 years old and up with a parent or caregiver.

About Ryan:

Ryan Jenkins is the co-founder of Wonderful Idea Co., a design studio focused on STEAM education. He’s a former educator and tinkerer at The Exploratorium and Tinkering School in San Francisco, California and has prototyped projects at Maker Faires, science museums, schools and libraries around the world. Ryan lives with his wife and son in Freiburg, Germany.

About “The Tinkering Workshop”:

Ryan Jenkins is the author of “The Tinkering Workshop” a recently released book (now in the Carl Schurz Haus library collection) that invites learners to gather some basic tools and supplies and start  tinkering, exploring, and engineering with a wide variety of everyday materials.