MakerClub: Inspiring the next generation of inventors at WIRED2015.

WIRED’s annual events showcase the innovators changing the world and promoting disruptive thinking and radical ideas.The third day of WIRED2015 was dedicated to inspiring young minds, and we were invited along to run some workshops and bring the MakerClub philosophy to the table.

During an hour-long session, we took a group of kids through the basics of robotics, connecting a servo motor up to an Arduino and then using a modified version of Scratch to control it that allows for simple programming of it’s of open source hardware platform.

After the initial learning, the kids were let loose on a 15 minute design challenge; Fusing their new technical skills with card, tape, plasticine, pom-poms and paper clips to build a robot that walks.  From shuffling goggly-eyed lizards to sellotape-wheeled wrigglers, the invention and creativity on display was awesome.

Harry Wynne Williams said his son Leo, 12, from London, was most excited about getting hands on with science, technology and design; something that isn’t always on the curriculum at school.

“They’re definitely enjoying it,” Leo’s father says, gesturing at a table of kids debugging code. “Everyone’s gone quiet.”

Who’d have thought getting messy and creative could give kids such focus in their learning?  Us, that’s who.