Youth Programs
Comprehensive making programs for Grades 1-12
Creativity for all ages at MAXT Makerspace!
Our programs for young makers get straight into the workshops. MAXT programs focus on fostering creativity and robust practical skills. We encourage young people to lead and problem solve to take their projects in their own creative directions.
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Mini Makers: Get Animated
Tuesdays 4-5p
Mar 4 - Apr 22
Dive into animation in this 8 week series for curious Mini Makers (Grades 1-4).
From flip books to thaumatropes, shadow puppets, story winders and zoetropes. This session we'll cover ways to create stories and motion with simple makes. We'll explore different skills and tools in the MAXT workshops to bring your characters and tales to life. -
Junior Creatives: Get Animated
Wednesdays 2.45-4.45p
Mar 5- Apr 23
Dive into animation in this 8 week series for Junior Creatives (Grades 5-8).
This session we'll cover ways to create stories and motion with kid led makes. We'll start the series making basic animation devices from flip books to thaumatropes, shadow puppets, story winders and zoetropes.
We'll explore different skills and tools in the MAXT workshops to bring your characters and tales to life as we end the session with creating characters, backgrounds and props to make our own mini stop motion movies!
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Young Creatives
MAXT's brand new flagship High School Program
16 weeks of making with learning opportunities in our new workshops equipped with 3D printers, laser and vinyl cutters, printing presses, screen printing, textiles equipment, stained glass, electronics and more!
Young Creatives is designed to assist local high school aged youth to become independent artists. The program will work through a semester long syllabus, building a robust set of transferable skills.
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Here Be Dragons : Mini Makers Summer
July 7-11
9a-1p
Go on an epic making quest this summer with the Mini Makers! Step into a world of fantastic beasts, princesses, castles and knights all made by you. Over the course of 5 days our brave adventurers will conquer a host of skills from fiber arts to 3D printing, cardboard to chainmail. They’ll end the week with a dragon’s horde of medieval masterpieces to take home.
Mini Makers is for kids entering grades 1-4
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The MAXT County Fair: Junior Creatives Summer
July 14-18
9a-1p
Step right up for a whole host of new games and activities at the MAXT County Fair! We had so much fun last year making a whole host of fairground games and decorations that we’re doing it again - with all new projects! From wood working to textiles, problem solving and painting. Spend the week creating with us, then celebrate with your very own fair for family and friends.
Junior Creatives is for youth entering grades 5-8
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Upcycled Adventures: Mini Makers Summer
July 21 - 25
9a-1p
Turn trash to treasure in this week-long program for Mini Makers. We’ll dive into a whole world of thrifted finds and surplus supplies, to create some fun and functional art pieces. Explore mosaics, woodwork, papercraft, textiles and more as we make our way to a more sustainable summer!
Mini Makers is for kids entering grades 1-4
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Public Art Party: Junior Creatives Summer
July 28 - August 1
9a - 1p
Make a BIG impression this summer at MAXT. A full week of art to really show off your creativity, we’ll work on multiple pieces of public art: designing and installing part of our permanent murals at MAXT, creating a Little Free Art Library and designing a mini art trail for public display later in the year. Plus lots of fun and fast large scale art to get that inspiration going!
Junior Creatives is for youth entering Grades 5-8
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Fashion Week: Young Creatives Summer
August 18-22
9a-3p
Get ready for your own runway show in this week of fashion exploration in our textiles space at MAXT. Create pieces for your own personal style - from a mix of creative challenges to structured tuition in garment sewing, this week has it all! Create your own fabrics with dye and printmaking techniques. Learn how to sew from patterns, how to use a serger, perform some alterations and embellish to make your work truly unique. We’ll end the week with a Friday evening fashion show - bring your family and friends.
Young Creatives is for youth entering grades 9-12
Clay Class for Middle Schoolers
Six Weeks - May 1st - June 12th
Students in grades 5-8 can join us for our kid-centric class, expanding on skills they may have learned at school, or getting the chance to play with clay for the first time! Focusing on pinch pots, small sculptures, coil-, and slab-building, students will build fundamental skills while creating their own fun and functional ceramics.
Knitting Needle Earrings Trio with Bur Oak Studio
A special class with Bur Oak Studio, travelling from Indiana! We’ll take cut up ‘beads’ from aluminum knitting needles, and use the wonderful palette of colors to make 3 pairs of bright and unique recycled material earrings to keep or give as gifts! Several ear wire choices available. Please let us know if you have metal allergies.
Age Range: 10+
Level: Beginner
Knitting Needle Necklace with Bur Oak Studio
A special class with Bur Oak Studio, travelling from Indiana! Whimsy and repurposing are at the heart of these fabulous, adjustable necklaces! Jennifer will walk you through simple jewelry making techniques to make a one of a kind necklace using parts of colorful, old aluminum knitting needles & crochet hooks. You will choose from a large selection of more beads in glass, ceramic, semi-precious stones and more- whatever catches your eye & tickles your fancy! Necklace is a braided cotton or hemp with a sliding macrame clasp for adjustability.
Age Range 10+
Level: Beginner
Hammered Wire Rings
Get your hammer arm ready for our ring making class! Instructor Gabby will guide you through the process of taking jeweler's copper wire and a variety of beads and stones to create your own unique hammered ring, sized to fit you or a special someone!
Age Range: 14+
Level: Beginner
Colorful Coil Baskets
Dive into the meditative art of coil basketry with local artist Devin. Using natural rope and locally produced yarns, students will learn the foundations of coil basketry and build up unique and beautiful small vessel. A perfect beginners class for relaxation and colorful expression!
Age Range: 14+
Level: Beginner
Linocut Prints Inspired by Nature - Youth Session
Join experienced art educator Kelsey for a special youth session of this fun and creative linocut course. Students will explore nature themes through sketching and carving their own linoleum block design. Students will have the opportunity to print their design on a variety of paper and cards to show their work to the world!
Age Range: 12-18
Level: Beginner
Spooky Screen Printed T-Shirt Make + Take
Get into screen printing with this fast and fun workshop! Professional screen printer Carrie will give a short talk on the screen printing process from digital design to screen preparation and printing. Students will then get to try their hand at printing a spooky design from our premade screens.
Age Range: 14+
Level: Beginner
Ghostly and Ghastly Fiber Arts Workshop
Create a dastardly duo of spooky projects in this special Friday the 13th workshop. Nicole will guide students through summoning an adorable amigurumi crochet ghost. In this class you will learn the basics of 3 dimensional shapes and finishing techniques for stuffed creations.Dave meanwhile will lead a group through extracting a needle felted eyeball pincushion from nothing more than wool roving. Costumes encouraged, basic crochet experience (single, increase and decrease) a plus but beginners welcome.
Macramé Witch Bells
Get ready to scare away enchantments this spooky season - or just add a little bit of Boho charm to your living room! Learn the basics of macramé with talented cord handler Kate and produce your very own witch bell decoration in soft colored cotton with cheerful chimes.
Age Range: 14+
Level: Beginner
Tabletop Gaming for Middle Schoolers with The River Center
Join us for a weekly tabletop gaming group just for middle schoolers! Play board games such as Dungeons & Dragons, Quest, Magic: The Gathering, a board game library and so much more!
Make new friends, learn new games or master ones you've been playing all along. It's going to be fun!
Students from SMS will be bussed to MAXT Makerspace where the group will meet.
Halloween Costume Cafe
Is your costume more sad than spooky? Need an extra hint of magic in your witchcraft? Then come on down to MAXT for some help repairing and bedazzling your look with our makers. We'll have the tools and skills to guide you in the right direction and supervise your work, but you're going to have to get hands on to create your vision!
Children welcome, ages 18 and below must be accompanied by an adult.
This is a free open house event, registering ahead will help us know you’re coming!
Clay Class For Middle Schoolers
Using basic tools and techniques, students will learn to work with clay using pinch pot, coils, and slab handbuilding techniques to create both functional and sculptural ceramics. Focusing on these basic techniques students will develop the fundamental skills necessary to move on to larger and more complicated projects. Learning in a safe and fun environment we will introduce good habits with clay, and work to inspire the students to continue on in their own creative endeavors. No experience necessary. (Once a week; 4 sessions)
Beginning Woodturning - Youth Session
A great beginning course for middle school students with experienced instructor Doug. Students will learn how to safely work in the woodshop using lathe tools to turn a wood block into a fast and fun finished piece. Perfect for kids who want to explore, build and create!
Tabletop Gaming for Middle Schoolers with The River Center
Join us for a weekly tabletop gaming group just for middle schoolers! Play board games such as Dungeons & Dragons, Quest, Magic: The Gathering, a board game library and so much more!
Make new friends, learn new games or master ones you've been playing all along. It's going to be fun!
Students from SMS will be bussed to MAXT Makerspace where the group will meet.
Python Programming with the MicroBit
Dive into programming with Python and take away your very own MicroBit computer to experiment and grow your Python skills! Chris will guide students through a series of mini tasks using the MicroBit mini computer and a simple web based interface. Students will build programs to use the MicroBit's inbuilt LEDs, buttons and sensors to see their programs at work in the real world. Bringing your own laptop is advised, PCs are also available for use in our computing lab.
Age Range 14+
Level: Beginner
Beginning Sewing - Pincushion / Thread Catcher
Are you ready to dust off your sewing skills or get started in learning the basics of machine sewing? Join us in the textiles studio to make a thread catcher with a pin cushion. This fun and useful project is perfect skill builder for beginner sewists and a quick and easy project for those who are more advanced. Feel free to bring your own special fabric (approximately 1/2 yard), or use some of the fabric we have on hand in the studio. Quilting cotton, linen, or any moderately stable woven fabric will be suitable for this project.
Age Range: 14+
Level: Beginner
Quilting for Beginners: Tablemat
Join seasoned textile arts instructor Erica for this quick and easy introduction to quilting. Students will learn how to select, measure, cut and stitch fabric into a pieced quilt top. This top will then be used to create a simple quilted tablemat by layering with batting and backing fabric, then using a simple 'stitch in the ditch' quilting method. Perfect for beginning sewists, no experience required!
Tabletop Gaming for Middle Schoolers with The River Center
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