Welcome to the magical world of making! In 2014, I was introduced to the maker movement by the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh. I had the fortunate opportunity to train with their maker educators, and also participate in Maker Faire Pittsburgh 2015.
Making revived my childhood imagination and sparked a desire to create. This renewed spirit of creativity overflowed into my work as an educator and was supported by family and friends. Miss Makey and the Magic Bin evolved out of sharing my passion with others, hoping to inspire them to embrace their inner maker.
When the idea for the book struck me, I looked to my sons and close friends for inspiration. I brought out my magic bin and trash stash and invited the children to make any invention they could imagine. As my kitchen and dining room overflowed with cardboard, egg cartons, pipe cleaners, duct tape, and flowers, I watched in awe as they joyfully worked on their designs. They confidently chose their materials, and found the perfect adhesive to pull it all together. I loved watching them proudly share their work with each other!
You can see their amazing inventions in the final pages of Miss Makey & the Magic Bin. You can also learn more about the children who participated and see behind the scenes photos by viewing the “Meet the Makers” video they created…