A Makerspace is a great way for kids to explore and create using S.T.E.A.M. principles. If you are a homeschooling parent or have kids that love to create and build, here’s how to make your own Makerspace at home!
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My First Makerspace Experience
I first heard about a Makerspace from my mom. She taught 5th grade for a long time before transitioning to administration at a private school. She now works in administration and teaches grad students in an education program at a local university.
I was so inspired by the Makerspace that she helped start in the library at her school at the time. It helped provide a place for kids to create and build freely.
I implemented a Makerspace into my classroom when I taught first grade. The kids had 15 minutes to create at the beginning of the day, and it was amazing to see what they built!
Now, I am looking for ways to use a Makerspace at home with my kids during their home education.
What Exactly is a Makerspace?
According to Makerspaces.com, “A makerspace is a collaborative work space inside a school, library or separate public/private facility for making, learning, exploring and sharing that uses high tech to no tech tools.
These spaces are open to kids, adults, and entrepreneurs and have a variety of maker equipment including 3D printers, laser cutters, cnc machines, soldering irons and even sewing machines.
A makerspace however doesn’t need to include all of these machines or even any of them to be considered a makerspace. If you have cardboard, legos and art supplies you’re in business.”
Makerspaces focus on helping children practice S.T.E.A.M. principles. This stands for Science. Technology. Engineering. Art. and Math.
Makerspace Quotes
Here are a few quotes that capture the heart of a Makerspace:
- “To invent, you need a good imagination and a pile of junk.” – Thomas Edison
- “Making is more important than the affirmation we get from the things we make…” — Ben Stafford
- “Start with the basics and work your way up to the advanced skills…” — Adam Beasley
- “By nurturing the entrepreneurial spirit, students will see that they can create their own jobs and industries depending on their interests.” – Laura Fleming
- “Don’t be afraid to make mistakes, they are just learning experiences…” — Sadie Mae John
- “Every great advance in science has issued from a new audacity of imagination.” – John Dewey, American philosopher, psychologist, and educational reformer
- “Keep reevaluating what you’re making, listen to feedback, keep tweaking the product and just keep going!” — Tiffany Zadi
Differentiating Your Makerspace at Home for Different Ages
The recommended materials below are best for preschoolers and early elementary students. If you have younger children, I recommend supervising them, especially with the small pieces.
While older children may enjoy most of the supply list below, you could also add more advanced items for them. Some examples include a sewing machine, wire, wire cutters, batteries, 3D printer, snap circuits, etc.
Finding a Place for Your Makerspace at Home
First, you’ll need to decide if you want your Makerspace to be fully accessible to your kids or something that you help them access.
For our family, we keep most of the items in a cabinet in our dining room. We use our dining room for crafting and creating, and this cabinet makes it easy to access the materials; however, my kids need help getting out the supplies.
If you have a homeschool room, craft room, or basement, the possibilities are endless for a Makerspace. If, like us, you don’t have a designated room, find a secondhand cabinet and place it near a table to use as your Makerspace. You don’t have to have lots of room to make it work!
How to Implement a Makerspace Into Your Homeschool
You could use your Makerspace daily or reserve it for a certain day of the week. You could use the materials for specific engineering challenges that go along with read-alouds. Or, you could give your children free-range to be creative!
There are no set rules to having a Makerspace. You get to establish the rules and what works best for your children. I do, however, recommend teaching them from an early age how to clean up as they go or after a project!
MakerSpace at Home Supply List
- Washable Markers
- Crayons
- Washable Paint
- Water Colors
- Paintbrushes
- Construction Paper
- Graph Paper
- Printer Paper
- Stickers
- Stamps
- Pom Poms
- Googly Eyes
- Pipe Cleaners
- Buttons
- Glue Sticks
- White Glue
- Glitter Glue
- Hot Glue Gun
- Scotch tape
- Washi tape
- Masking tape
- Colored masking tape
- Duct tape
- Scissors
- Whole punch
- Egg cartons
- Cardboard sheets
- Foil
- Popsicle Sticks
- Toothpicks
- Tinker Toys
- Lincoln Logs
- Wooden Objects
- Building Supplies
- Scrap Wood
- Paper Towel Rolls
- Miscellaneous Metal
- Paper plates
- Paper cups
- Legos
- Building blocks
- Clay
- Playdough
- Sand or Kinetic Sand
- Sensory Bin Items (shells, rocks, plastic animals, shaving cream, etc.)
- Tissue Paper
- Beads
- String
- Yarn
- Fabric
Click HERE to get links to the items mentioned above plus a few extras!
Makerspace at Home Supply List by Category
These are the items listed above but sorted into categories for easier organization!
Coloring/Painting
Washable Markers
Crayons
Washable Paint
Water Colors
Paintbrushes
Construction Paper
Graph Paper
Printer Paper
Decorations
Stickers
Stamps
Pom Poms
Googly Eyes
Pipe Cleaners
Buttons
Glue/Tape
Glue Sticks
White Glue
Glitter Glue
Hot Glue Gun
Scotch tape
Washi tape
Masking tape
Colored masking tape
Duct tape
Tools
Scissors
Hole Punch
Building
Egg cartons
Cardboard sheets
Foil
Popsicle Sticks
Toothpicks
Tinker Toys
Lincoln Logs
Wooden Objects
Building Supplies
Scrap Wood
Paper Towel Rolls
Miscellaneous Metal
Paper plates
Paper cups
Legos
Building blocks
Sensory
Clay
Playdough
Sand or Kinetic Sand
Sensory Bin Items (shells, rocks, plastic animals, shaving cream, etc.)
Tissue Paper
Textiles + Jewelry
Beads
String
Yarn
Fabric
Click HERE to get links to these makerspace items!
Money Saving Tips for Building Your Makerspace
Going out and buying everything for your Makerspace at home all at once would be really expensive. The list above is not a requirement; it’s more just to give you ideas!
I recommend starting with what you already have. Then, you could ask friends and family to save their extra cardboard, paper towel rolls, yarn, etc.
Make a wish list and shop secondhand or purchase from the list for birthdays or Christmas. You could even go on Nature Walks and encourage your kids to build with items that they find out in nature.
Makerspace at Home Safety Tips
Some of the items above have small parts and are not safe for small children to use unsupervised. I recommend keeping these items out of accessible reach for kids and teaching your older kids how to thoroughly clean them up.
Always supervise young children while they use their Makerspace. But, allow them the space and time to create without your input even if you are supervising!
Local Makerspace Options
If you don’t have time time, budget, or space to create a Makerspace of your own, many cities have free Makerspaces available to the public!
Ask your local library or art museums, check with local schools in your area, or ask other homeschool parents if there are any free Makerspaces near you!
There are 2-3 free Makerspaces close to where I live that I learned about recently. This is a great option if you don’t want to or don’t have the space/budget for a Makerspace at home.
A Makerspace Promotes Creativity and Imagination
With a Makerspace, your children’s imagination and creativity are limitless! I am amazed by the projects my kids have come up with when given space to freely create.
Click HERE to get links to some items to help you build your Makerspace at home!
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