Maker{Futures} - Maker{Move}

With Maker{Move} we bring all of the resources and materials to your schools, early years settings, museums, libraries or community groups. We provide a series of workshops in which participants can design and make a range of objects and engage in STEAM challenges. The focus is on making without striving for a specific goal. The process of creating, tinkering, testing and modifying allows children to develop the skills they need to solve complex problems.

How do I book the van?

Please complete the booking enquiry form and we will contact you to arrange a date and next steps. All we need is a place to safely park the van, access to electricity and room to set up tables and equipment.

We bring two fully-trained assistants, who all have enhanced DBS status.

What does it cost?

The cost of a visit to cover staff, equipment and resources is £150 plus VAT per 60-75 min session (minimum of two sessions, up to four sessions per day). Please get in touch to discover more.

How many children can participate?

We can accommodate up to a maximum of 60 KS2 children in each session. Where possible we recommend smaller groups of up to 30 for for EYFS/KS1 children. Get in touch to see how we can meet your needs.

Teacher feedback

"Fantastic and inspiring. Exactly what children need to learn and develop social skills and problem solving."

"Children who normally struggle with demands in class, excelled at these challenges."

Activites that work for your setting

Making in the Early Years

At Maker{Futures} we are passionate about ensuring that children develop their maker mindset from the outset. Young children are naturally inquisitive, and we build on their curiosity through our range of playful and creative activities. From exploring robotics, to simple coding, and from foam construction to augmented reality, our EYFS maker workshops allow children to explore and build on their 'Characteristics of Effective Learning'. We encourage children to think creatively, tinker, innovate and to become the next generation of problem solvers.

Primary school activity days

Our mobile makerspace enables primary school children to explore a range of hands-on activities, which develop their logical thinking skills.

Through the Maker{Cycle}, we help them to find problems, think about how to solve them, make rapid prototypes and to test them.

We set up between 12-15 maker stations for children to explore electronics, coding, robotics, virtual and augmented reality, and practical making.

Maker{Futures} primary school workshops are give the whole school community the opportunity to develop their 21st Century maker skills through practical, challenging and creative activities.

A STEAM problem solving day in KS3

Our Key Stage 3 Maker{Futures} workshops allow students to save the universe! Through a range of team building, problem solving activities, pupils work together to save a planet from a disastrous meteorite.

We help students see how maker skills can lead to great future careers. We show them why working together, figuring things out, and being creative really matters. Our KS3 Maker{Futures} days will be a fantastic addition to what secondary schools are already doing in STEM/STEAM, giving students hands-on skills and a day to remember.

Maker{Futures} is a Children’s University Learning Destination where children and young people can collect learning credits that count towards their CU awards.

If your school is part of CU, our sessions can be included in the learning hours recorded. Or if you are booking us for a community event, participants can bring along their passports to learning.

FAQs

What would be a typical timetable for the day?

The day will be made up of up to four activity sessions for different groups or classes.

Typically, we run two morning sessions and two afternoon sessions. You can decide which classes or groups visit at each time slot. Ideally there will also be a few minutes (or the usual school break time) between sessions, to allow us to reset activities.

You could also consider using slightly shorter sessions for EYFS/KS1 and allowing a bit longer for KS2.

Example activity timetable:

8.15am – Maker{Move} arrival and set-up

9.15am – 10.30am – Group 1

10.30am - 10.45am – Break

10.45am - 12.00pm – Group 2

12.00pm - 1.00pm – Lunch

1.00pm - 2.00pm – Group 3

2:00pm - 2:10pm - Break

2.10pm - 3.10pm – Group 4

Please inform us if your hall is required for lunch – we’ll need to allow for this in the timetable.

Should we group children of similar ages?

Yes if possible. Our sessions work best when similar aged children are grouped for the morning or afternoon. This enables us to adjust the activities at lunchtime if needed. Once a booking is confirmed we will contact you to plan the timetable.

What happens at the start of each session?

Children will be given an introduction and safety briefing and will then be able to go and explore each station for as long or as little as they wish during their session.

We encourage the children to visit at least four stations, but most will want to have a go at everything. We will spend five minutes at the end asking the children what they enjoyed and learned.

How many staff will be there on the day?

The Maker{Move} day will be led by two Maker{Move} team members and we are sometimes joined by student volunteers from the University of Sheffield or STEM Ambassadors.

All our staff and volunteers have enhanced DBS checks and have done safeguarding training.

Each session also requires two members of school staff per 30 children. For the larger groups (up to 60) and groups of younger children the sessions work best if additional school staff and/or parent helpers can get involved and help to support the activies.

What health and safety measures do you have in place?

All of our activities have been risk assessed and some require supervision by Maker{Move} staff to ensure tools are being used correctly. The children, staff and volunteers are given an introduction and safety briefing at the start of the session.

Children’s behaviour is the responsibility of school staff. Higher risk activities such as the woodworking bench have a ‘no second chance’ approach to disruptive or dangerous behaviour to ensure the safety of the child and other children, staff and volunteers.

This policy is explained to the children at the start of the session. If first aid is required on the day, this will need to be administered by the school.

Do you have arrangements for children with SEND, EAL and other sensitivities?

We want all children to access the Maker{Move} activities where possible. It is helpful for us to know about children with additional needs before we arrive so we can help these children to participate. Where children require 1:1 assistance to navigate the activities, this will need to be provided by the school.

How can teachers get involved?

Allow pupils to get stuck in, play and experiment. Use selective questions to encourage pupils to reflect, explore, refine and adapt. Have a go at the activities yourself. Perhaps think about how you could use them to support learning in your curriculum.

Can you tailor the activities to suit our topics?

Yes! We offer taster days, a selection of themed workshops and bespoke days designed to enhance your school project. Please get in touch to find out more.

Where are you based?

We are based at the University of Sheffield in the UK. We visit schools, museums, libraries and community spaces in South Yorkshire and the surrounding area. To find out if we can visit you please get in touch.

What activities are on the Maker{Move} van?

We bring all of the resources and materials to you, providing a series of STEM/STEAM based activities, differentiated for learning levels and abilities.

The activities include electronics, woodwork, robotics, cardboard construction and digital creativity and children are encouraged to move freely around the activities during the session.

The process of creating, tinkering, testing and modifying allows children to develop the skills they need to solve complex problems.

Where will you set up the activities and what access do you need?

We require a large area to set up the makerspace activity stations (for example a hall) with level or ramped access. We also need access to power. On good weather days we are happy to set up the makerspace outside, but we would need a poor weather back-up space.

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