What you'll do
Embrace your inner toymaker in this fantastically fun weeklong class. Transform ordinary materials into extraordinary playthings as you design and create a new twisting, twirling, high-flying or magically moving toy every day of the week.
Be visionary as you invent your own characters and setting for a magnificent magnetic scene that moves like magic. Engineer a pair of turning toys—a dizzyingly fast spinning top and a mix-and-match facial expression twister—learning drawing basics to embellish them with optical patterns or moody features. Be determined to practice paper folding and cardboard construction skills, then have a blast crafting a propulsive rubber band-powered cannon and a cool custom spaceship. Wrap up the week with a ton of new know-how and an array of playful projects.
Note:
This weeklong class is more than just innovation-igniting projects—it’s an immersive experience full of delightful details, including interactive games, silly traditions, snacks (see Materials, below) and dress-up days designed to build community, bolster confidence and deliver loads of camp-away-from-camp fun.
The curriculum combines some of our most popular toy-making projects. If you’ve taken our single-session Rubber Band Cannon, Magnetic Scenes, Expression Twisters, Twirling Tops or Stellar Spaceships classes, your child will be familiar with some of the week’s activities—and have the chance to put a new spin on a project they’ve done before.
What you'll need
Materials
- 1 strong magnet
- 1 penny
- 2-3 tin cans
- 1 circular object for tracing
- 2 rubber bands
- 6 paper clips
- 2 pieces of cardboard
- 2 toilet paper tubes
- 2 thin cardboard boxes
- 12-14 sheets of standard-size paper
- 1 set of markers
- Scissors
- Scotch tape
- Glue
- Pencil with eraser
- Snack: Please have a snack and drink ready for your child approximately one hour into class.
- See the welcome email that arrives after you enroll for more detailed material lists broken out by day.
Technology
- Computer or tablet with speaker and camera
- Internet access
- Zoom application installed
- Signed in with your child’s name
- Unmuted (the instructor will manage class muting/unmuting)
What you'll take away
- Paper folding, cardboard construction and foundational drawing techniques
- The skills to be visionary and turn your ideas into reality
- The skills to be determined and understand that mastery takes effort
- A collection of custom toys, including a rubber band-powered cannon, a magnetic scene, a mix-and-match expressions twister, a fast-twirling top and a spectacular spaceship
Join the community
The last step in the Galileo Innovator’s Process is share. Great learning can come from sharing successes and failures—to solidify your own experience as an innovator and to inspire others.
ELL
Some bilingual staff & support for multilingual families.
Mga Espesyal na Pangangailangan
Support for Students with Special Needs (Oakland Camp Director has a Masters in Special Education).
Mga deal
Yes. Every year, we award thousands of weeks of specially priced camp through our financial assistance program. Apply on our Financial Assistance page. Scholarships available.