Hi! I'm so happy to hear about experiences with kids at different hackerspaces. I can offer that Matt exclaimed with laughter because, for a few weeks, it seemed like the subject of "kids at NYC Resistor" was going to pull our wonderful hackerspace completely apart in arguments. <br>
<br>Some hackerspaces don't allow anyone under 18, but in San Francisco, the Crucible (<a href="http://thecrucible.org/">http://thecrucible.org/</a>) which teaches *welding* and other dangerous things (like firebreathing! squee!), has classes for kids as young as 12. <br>
<br>Love the stories from syn2cat! Yay kiddos! <br><br>And in the North Bay (near Santa Rosa and Sebastopol), a few of us are trying to set up a small hackerspace that is primarily meant *for* kids/teens. We want to help the kids involved figure out how to self-organize the space, after we give them some guidance to start. <br>
<br>Peace, love, and dreams of the future -- <br><br>-- Rose/yarnivore<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Sun, Jan 24, 2010 at 12:30 PM, Steve Clement <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:steve@localhost.lu">steve@localhost.lu</a>></span> wrote:<br>
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webmind wrote:<br>
> In reaction to:<br>
> "A topic which I would love to raise at some point in the near future - -<br>
> 'children in hackerspaces'."<br>
<br>
</div>We here at syn2cat do a lot with Kids in and around our HackerSpace.<br>
<br>
The last thing we did was a Soldering workshop with 10-12 year olds and<br>
it was a full success. And guess what, they did burn their fingers and<br>
did not spontaneously combust! FTW!<br>
<br>
We were 3 "supervisors" for 12 Kids. Mostly for convenience so they can<br>
ask us questions and we can properly help.<br>
<br>
The only important thing we had to do is explain the ground rules and<br>
that in case they burn themselves they need to tell us and we'll fix em' up.<br>
<br>
As this was a School Class the "School" Paid for everything which<br>
covered our investments into the Kits etc.<br>
<br>
I guess working with Kids needs a lot of common sense. It comes without<br>
saying that we will NOT let them "fire the Lazor!!" or hand everyone a<br>
chainsaw for the fun of it.<br>
<br>
And yes the younger they are the more they like to draw stuff.<br>
<br>
<br>
I gave one entry-level IT Security course for Kids. And I was overwelmed<br>
by the Fact that there were 20 of them and I wasn't ready yet and they<br>
were impatient so I handed them paper and colors. Then told them to draw<br>
me a Computer Virus and a Computer Worm.<br>
<br>
It was pretty impressive how they interprete these terms ;)<br>
<br>
Anyway, we at syn2cat are available for any help or questions you might<br>
have related to Kids and Hacking.<br>
<br>
Our next bigger project (starting in 3 weeks) is an Electronics workshop<br>
for 12-15 year old girls.<br>
<br>
If anyone has more experience working with Girls (and what they actually<br>
like and enjoy) we would be more than happy to hear more about that on<br>
another Thread.<br>
<br>
cheers,<br>
<br>
Steve<br>
<br>
- --<br>
The Hackerspace in Luxembourg!<br>
syn2cat Hackerspace.lu A.S.B.L.<br>
11, am Hueflach | L-8018 Strassen<br>
<a href="http://www.hackerspace.lu" target="_blank">http://www.hackerspace.lu</a><br>
<a href="mailto:xmpp%3ASteveClement@jabber.hackerspaces.org">xmpp:SteveClement@jabber.hackerspaces.org</a><br>
mailto:<a href="mailto:steve@hackerspace.lu">steve@hackerspace.lu</a><br>
.lu: +352 20 333 55 65<br>
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