Where to get your budding architect involved in Atlanta and beyond.
Does your kiddo enjoy all things cranes, bulldozers and excavators? Do you find building blocks and LEGO bricks scattered across your floors? Is Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site a part of your nightly reading routine? Does your high school student have a goal of being an engineer, architect or superintendent? If so, you might have a builder-to-be on your hands. Foster your child’s creative streak via these play places, afterschool programs and camps.
Gritty Fun
Chamblee is home to Isaac’s Sandlot, an innovative indoor experience for kids. Here, children can unleash their construction dreams in a gigantic sandbox filled with Tonka trucks and ride-on excavators and dig up buried treasures waiting to be uncovered. Meanwhile, adults can unwind in comfortable seating areas complete with coffee, charging ports and free Wi-Fi, making it easy to work or simply relax. The venue provides card and board games for those seeking group entertainment beyond sandplay.
Super Scouts
At the Museum of Design Atlanta, Girl Scout troops can discover how design and STEAM technologies empower them to change the world. MODA’s workshops, tailored for up to 20 scouts and lasting two hours, are crafted to cultivate innovative problem-solving skills. Troops can explore Digital Game Design where they’ll learn about algorithms and sequences while creating their own maze game. The Art & Design workshop challenges scouts to discover art in their surroundings, express ideas through their own creations and experiment with composition to earn their badge. The Craft & Tinker workshop encourages tactile creation using diverse materials, including 3D printers and recycled goods. Various workshops are offered for all scouting age groups.
museumofdesign.org/girl-scouts
Buzzing into STEAM
Georgia Tech’s Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics and Computing hosts the Kids Interested in Discovering STEAM Club and STEAM workshops designed to spark interest in science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics. The KIDS Club caters to second through fifth graders with Saturday workshops from 9 a.m. to noon at Tech’s Clough Undergraduate Learning Commons. For $65, students can engage in hands-on activities such as building skyscrapers or making games with all supplies provided. STEAM workshops are available for sixth through 12th graders, exposing them to diverse science and engineering topics using creative problem solving. Additional programming is offered during the school week as well as summer.
expandedlearning.ceismc.gatech.edu
Architecture Academy
High school students looking to explore a future in design can participate in the immersive Architecture Summer Academy at Kennesaw State University. This two-week “pre-college” program offers a comprehensive introduction to architecture as a potential career. Participants delve into the design process through hands-on architectural projects covering topics such as drawing, sustainability and landscape design, all within a studio setting. It’s an opportunity for aspiring architects to engage with the built environment in new and exciting ways while gaining essential skills for college and beyond.
OPERATOR OASIS
If you’re willing to go farther from home, this unique theme park near Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, allows children to safely operate real excavators, crushers, lawnmowers and gators while creating unforgettable memories. Dig ’N Zone is designed for all ages, with attractions from toddlers to teens. All machines are speed-limited, seat-belted and supervised. Beyond the thrills, Dig ’N Zone cultivates real-world skills like hand-eye coordination through engaging play. Kids get to explore, get dirty and build in an authentic environment. With 27 acres, there’s ample space to play and experiment.
