Spotlight: Design & Build Studio
At The Handwork Studio, we celebrate uniqueness. We know each child has different interests and ideas of fun. So when designing our six studios and twenty-eight programs, we wanted to offer kids the opportunity to explore different mediums. This month, we’re spotlighting Design & Build. It’s one of our favorite studios. In truth, we have exactly six favorite studios, but this one is so special it deserves some stage time.
What is Design & Build?
Design & Build is the ultimate pathway of making ideas into reality. Each program begins with a camper’s idea and results in a tangible 3D creation. The first phase is all about embracing imagination. Inner artists shine as they are called to the forefront to dream up the boldest, most unusual, and most detailed creation. Then, the inner artists pair up with highly talented architects and engineers- themselves! Campers utilize hand tools, award-winning cardboard kits, and top-tier imagination as they bring their masterpieces to life. Through the thoughtful guidance of counselors, campers discover new skills and get comfortable navigating new areas.
Why do kids like it?
Kids love Design & Build for a few reasons. The most obvious is the program content. Design and Build programs are jam-packed with superheroes, villains, dragons, roller coasters, and more! With a critical thinking at its core, creative stimulation is instant. While planning and creating, Campers learn fundamentals about how things work, namely base-level physics and engineering. Scientists and academics work hard to maintain this secret, but it turns out that physics and engineering are fun! While campers are learning about how the world works, they simultaneously create their own world, one in which they make all of the rules and come up with all of the ideas. Campers have complete autonomy over their universe, whether it's the course of a roller coaster or a storyline in Imagine Quest.
What do parents say about it?
To be frank, parents of children who have enrolled in a Design & Build program are, for the most part, shocked. “My kid did what” is something we often hear. Yes, we all tell our kids that they can do anything, and we mean it, but designing and building an amusement park at age 8, for example, is beyond what we usually imagine. Of course, parents love the actual product their children created. However, they are astounded at the confidence with which they navigate this world of imagination and science. At the end of the program, parents walk away with children who are confident in themselves and the value of learning.
What are the available programs?
There are four Design & Build programs available for Summer 2022. Each program begins with safety protocol and culminates with a fabulous showcase in which campers demonstrate the incredible creation they managed from design to completion.
Imagine Quest
We named this program Imagine Quest because “super awesome, wild mythical adventure with friends” was simply too long. In Imagine Quest, campers develop a wacky storyline that involves a critical mission to save a friend. Campers then get to create the world in which they complete this mission. The stakes are high, the mission is critical, and fire-breathing dragons are often just the beginning of this week long adventure.
Superheroes v Villains
If English class, woodshop, and art combined, and became a lot “cooler,” Superheroes v Villains would be the outcome. It begins with your child’s favorite stories; we dive headfirst into comics and movie scripts. Next, we analyze the themes and elements that create a world. Campers then create a place inspired by their favorite superhero. Finally, with their newly learned skills about structure as the means to an epic end, the application is effortless. We watch in awe as they get lost in wonder, not at the superheroes but at themselves and all that they can do.
Design Your Own Amusement Park
We all know the joy of attending an amusement park. Waiting in long lines as the anticipation for your favorite ride builds. Now, imagine the excitement of designing your dream amusement park, filled with only your favorite rides and games. Of course, we are not talking about Rollercoaster Tycoon, although we do politely acknowledge its success. Campers build a genuine small-scale amusement park complete with circuitry and LED lights in this program. They develop fine motor skills, spatial awareness, and handwork-inspired confidence as they watch their idea go from blueprint to execution.
Wonders of The World
In Wonders of the World, we return to the original beacons of architectural mastery and “visit” ancient Egypt, Greece, and more. This is not your average history lesson, however. Instead, campers learn about the world's ancient wonders through the lens of how they were built. This analysis goes deep as campers then recreate these structures on their own. By implementing engineering fundamentals, campers become active participants in history. This program teaches the design process and building techniques and the benefits of looking at what came before us.
There are so many ways to fall in love with Design & Build and so many skills to be gained. Children cultivate fine motor skills, social-emotional awareness, balance, and structure design. Campers also develop a skill that transcends all areas of life: Project planning. Campers learn how to project, plan and manage the project through to completion. This skill helps them be better learners, better leaders, and accomplish even the boldest ideas. Click here to inquire about the Design & Build program schedule for Summer 2022.
About The Handwork Studio:
The Handwork Studio is a fun summer enrichment camp where kids learn by making. A blend of a traditional summer camp and hands-on learning activities, our programs help kids explore new skills, discover their capabilities, and embrace the power of innovation in a nurturing environment. We strive to be an inclusive and diverse community committed to creating a holistic environment where all campers and staff feel included, respected, and celebrated. Under the guidance of professional counselors and our award-winning curriculum, kids go from beginners to confident creators in a week. With camps throughout the summer, your child could learn to code a robot to life one week and design their own clothes the next.
The Handwork Studio provides endless learning opportunities for kids to get back to the basics of creating with their hands and gain skills that last a lifetime. Come create unforgettable memories with us this summer!
Discover hands-on skills in 2022 with our summer camp programs!
The Handwork Studio, a fun, summer enrichment camp where kids learn by making. Since 2001, we've been the leading educators in teaching kids hands-on skills that you won't find in your school curriculum. Whether your child is interested in building, sewing, coding or design, we provide engaging activities for kids to embrace their imagination and think like innovators. Click below to find a summer camp location near you.
