Camp Explore 2025: Artful Mechanisms with Playful Engineers

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For students in Grades 4-8 in Fall 2025

Thursday, July 24 - Friday, July 25

10:00-11:30 am 

Trefz Forum

As part of Camp Explore 2025, build a kinetic sculpture or mechanical crank-driven automaton in this two-day workshop. Learn basic engineering and physics principles with Jay Mankita, founder of Playful Engineers, while making simple machines come alive through artful design. Work with wood and wire, cardboard, and other ordinary materials. Experiment with crankshafts, cams, and linkages. You will you plan, assemble, and fine-tune your own kinetic project that tells a story, sets a scene, or brings a character to life.

This is a cumulative, two-day workshop. Attendance at both sessions is recommended. 

About Jay Mankita Jay Mankita is the founder of Playful Engineers, an arts-in-education company that fosters play-based learning, creativity, and open-ended engineering. Jay has spent years guiding students to learn by tinkering with mechanisms, solving design challenges, building problem-solving skills, and sparking the imagination.

This a free program for those who attend. Because of the limited number of students, you will be charged $25 upon registration. Your deposit will be refunded less credit card processing frees upon attendance or notification of inability to attend sent to [email protected] a week before the program starts AND we can fill your spot.

Questions? Contact [email protected]

Camp Explore is made possible by the continuing generosity of Roz and Bud Siegel.

The Library is pleased to be able to offer free programs and events through the generous donations of patrons like you. Please consider giving to the Library so that we can continue to offer events like this one. Donate Now!