EVERYTHING is a #Maker material. If dirt and sticks are good enough for nature to build with, they are good enough for us. Paint pigments originally came from minerals and berries and… so use anything.
Dumpster dive
Upcycle
Ask for donations (more later)
You never know what a kid will use , so have a variety of things available and visible
Visible is important…they need to see it to know if they can use it
(out of sight, out of mind)
Which means labels are also important.
Some people use words AND pictures.
Storage is the #1 issue of #Makerspaces – where and how to put so much “stuff”
Clear totes/boxes of all variety of shapes and sizes are good so it is easy to see what is in them IN ADDITION to great labeling (so get a label maker)
Some have suggested a color code system, like green-yellow-red dots that have some meaning, like :
Green is no approval needed
Yellow signifies just let me know you are using
Red is for “i need to be near you”
There is one downside to having materials out and available.
Somehow that box of straws (or rubberbands or buttons or…) will end up empty – and no one has used them on any projects
Some kids will take things just because.
They have not learned (YET) purpose and reason and sharing.
This is all a learning process.
Thoughts :
1) No two Makerspaces are the same (even in the same District/Building)
2) No Makerspace can have everything
3) Focus on what your kids want/will use and what your community will support
We have come up with all sorts of lists of “Materials for Makerspaces”, but it is truly an infinite list (that begins with paper and cardboard)
A getting started list separated by “no cost”, “low cost” & “budget busters” that Dr. Jacie Maslyk put out a few years ago ”
We also came up with an “AtoZ” list ….but really just look at it for ideas (link coming)
{everything & anything is a “maker material”}
About that “Ask for donations”…
Storage is the #1 issue of #Maker, so you don’t have room for everything and anything.
Some people have found that being specific is most helpful.
Give your community a list of items you are truly looking for.
Also, some like to do a specific time frame for “Donation Drives”, like a week of dates.
“We could use these items (list) for our Maker projects”
“Please drop them off during the week of _______ from (time) to (time) at (location)
Here is an example of a list that an educator sent out (you could probably format it better than I did…)