Calling All Makers! Look What You Can Build, Watch, Share & More With PBS Design Squad Nation!

Our young people are super lucky to be involved in the Maker movement that is being embraced by schools and communities around the world.  It has brought innovation, creativity, tinkering, exploring and so much more into their lives and throughout education.

These spaces for our makers aren't just physical spaces.  They can also be found online and through wonderful apps being developed to bring making to our students no matter where they are.

I have a new favorite place for just this!  It is called Design Squad Nation from our friends at PBS. It is filled with places for our makers to Play, Build, Watch, Share, and more!  I love how children can personalize their experience on this website by exploring all of the different places in a variety of topics such as Outdoors, Sports, Friendly, Art, Food, Animals and Heros. 

In Watch...

all kinds of videos can be viewed, in a variety of subjects.

In Build, students work through a step-by-step process.  This is one of the coolest things about the Design Squad site!

You choose 1, 2 or 3 building materials...

then click on the Spinner to see what can be made.

It brings up such fun things to create...

with step-by-step directions, wonderful pictures, and videos that help in the making process.

The directions can even be downloaded and printed from the Design Squad website.

I also love how students contribute by adding new designs they have created.  It is really easy by clicking on Add Your Design on each building page.

All of the designs that others add can be seen too.

Next up is Games and there is something for everyone here.

I found a game that creates music called String Thing. 

It was really neat being able to create music in a variety of ways and even learn how sound works.

One more place on the Design Squad website is Top Builder...

which showcases makers and the awesome things they are creating.

PBS has included a wonderful place for Parents, Educators, and Engineers which includes...

Resources such as Activities, Animations, Video Profiles and...

Episodes....

Guides....

and Trainings. 

All our makers can sign up to be part of the Design Squad. 

Hagan signed up last week and was really happy to see how he could collect points to spend on different stickers.

By going to the Awesome Machine, Hagan can Watch, Share and Make to earn more points....

and even participate in Team Challenges.  

Hagan also enjoyed finding what other kids were creating and playing.  He can't wait to share this with his classmates when school starts.

To connect with Design Squad Nation and find out more you can find them on Twitter at @DesignSquad and.....

on Facebook at Design Squad Nation too.

One more place that is really fun to check out is the Design Squad YouTube Channel.  You can see so many of their awesome episodes....so much fun!

I can't wait to see how you and your makers Design The World with the Design Squad from PBS.