Maker Faire in Singapore

Maker Faire Singapore happened last weekend and we made time to check out some of the most creatives minds from tech enthusiasts, crafters, scientists, educators, hobbyists,and even homeschoolers where they showcased a wide spectrum interesting projects. Alexis was keen to go as it was held in his former and now defunct Primary School.

About Maker Faire Singapore

Maker Faire is a family-friendly showcase of invention, creativity and resourcefulness, and a celebration of the Maker movement. It’s a place where people show what they are making, and share what they are learning. Originated in California in 2012, this movement has travelled to other shores and this is the 4th year Maker Faire is happening in Singapore!

The aim of Maker Faire is to entertain, inform, connect and grow this community so that we can foster and celebrate a more hands-on and do-it-yourself culture, where people can come to participate in hands-on activities and learn new skills at the event.

The number of booths and workshops that were happening were incredible and it was reported that there were 250 booths! So there’s definitely something that will catch your interest and some of these were very fun to watch too.

Naturally this robot that does latte art caught my eye. The result is not that impressive if you ask me since I think the ones done by the baristas does a better job.

There’s also Strawbees, where you can make structures from straws.

In this day and age, our equipment give up on us far too quickly. And as a result,  we tend to adopt a more convenient habit of throwing them away instead of looking to repair it.  I’m often guilty of it myself especially when the fans in my home that always spoil within 2 years.

It was fascinating to see some of these projects like the 3D printing machine in real life and watching the designs taking form.

 

There are also crafts who brought their proud creations from yarn bombing, paper clips earring, cards,  oragami, clay figurines and so many more. They came to share their love for their craft and also to sell their wares.

I signed Sopie for a workshop by Preschool Market for a hands-on session and made our own games instead of relying on games on the iPad or computer. Making games together is also a great idea to get kids to work with their hands and spend quality time parent and child bonding time too.

Making a game with materials that can be easily found at home.

Preschool Market is part of the Science of Play team, a Lien Foundation’s StartWell initiative and you can check out some of their useful resources that incorporates play in a child’s development here.

Another activity that captured Sophie’s attention was of course the Bike 4 Fun at the ground level where old bikes are upcycled and given a new lease of life. And what you have are fun and innovative rides.

According to the manager of Bikes 4 Fun, he hopes to show children the value of reinventing and being creative. And from the designs of the bikes above, he certainly delivered.

Sophie was keen to try the different rides, from the friendship bike to the unicycle with training wheels and even huge train look alike ride. It was quite a scene to see the kids maneuver about in their unique rides.

We also learnt about how current works with this simple circuit board put together by an engineer who wants to teach kids about science. I’m surprised that Sophie was quite keen on it and even tried her hands at it.

The look of her face when the bulb lit up was so satisfying and she went on to experiment with the buzzer and fan versions. Frankly, it’s not something that she’ll pick up from me, so I’m glad that this fair exposed her to activities like this.


Personally, the greatest take away from Maker Faire is the opportunity to see a culture of making and creating from all walks of life. I’m more of a crafter than a science enthusiast but some of the projects were really eye opening. It makes you wonder just how far the boundaries can be pushed when we dream of things bigger than ourselves.

I especially liked the DIY motto from upcycling to reinventing and creating new things from scratch from regular everyday items. And this environment encourages creativity and curiosity which are key to a child’s development. 

We can’t wait for the next Maker Faire next year!

 

For other creative play that you can do with your kids, do check out these post

• DIY Ceral Box Mailbox
• Pancake Art
• DIY Fishing Fun

Tagged: creativity