If you have some budding astronauts or car designers living under your roof, there's a day camp that will teach them how to build small machines to power rockets, cars, and other projects.
It's called Machines in Motion, and it's offered from Aug. 23–27 at the
Alden B. Dow Museum of Science and Art at the
Midland Center for the Arts in Midland. The camp is offered in five half-day sessions, which run from 9 a.m. until noon, for kids 8–14 years old.
"The kids have a wonderful time with this," says Debbie Anderson, curator of education for the museum. "We've been doing a lot of interesting new classes in our science program."
Kids who participate learn how to build rockets, wind-up cars, and other small machines using recycled materials and small motorized sets made by LEGO, she says. As part of the class, kids learn basic concepts about forces that make objects move. They also get to design their own creation using the small machine kits.
Part of the class also teaches children about the scientific method and experimentation, as they work to make their machines and small vehicles go faster, Anderson says. In the process, they also learn that it's okay to experiment and not know the outcome of a certain method.
"I think it teaches them how creativity and science are connected," he says. "And they also realize that it's okay to fail."
For more information about the session, call 800-523-7649. Cost for the class is $110, with a discounted rate of $95 for members. People can enroll by calling the Midland Center for the Arts ticket office or by enrolling online.
Writer: Jenny Cromie
Source: Alden B. Dow Museum of Science and Art, Debbie Anderson
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