Thursday, January 28, 2027 · 3:45 PM – 4:45 PM
Harvard Public Library — 4 Pond Rd., Harvard, MA
Maker Space Build-Along: Chain Reactions! Best for Grades K through 6 (younger children with adult supervision) Playful Engineers Teaching Artists Jay and Merlin present an in-person, hands-on event in which participants design, build, test, and play with Rube Goldberg “Machines” – complicated chain reactions accomplishing simple tasks. Participants learn through demonstration, and then through self-directed play, to make kinetic ‘machine’ parts, exploring force and motion, scale, and cause and effect, including catapults, zip-lines, domino towers, and gravity-powered carousels. Jay and Merlin bring their chain reactions kit from their Traveling Makerspace, with tracks, balls, blocks, cars, action figures, rubberbands, string, tinkertoys, k'nex, and literally thousands of dominoes. Trial & error-focused activities generate multiple opportunities for participants to learn from their success and their failures. We'll hear groans and cheers, as the machines run their course! Registration is required – attendance is limited to 100 total attendees. This program is sponsored by the Friends of the Harvard Public Library.