Makerspace Inventors Workshop

Design. Build. Test. Make It Work.

Makerspace at SPARKGROUNDS is built around open-ended creation—students aren’t following instructions, they’re figuring things out.

Participants work with a wide range of tools, materials, and components to design and build projects that solve problems, test ideas, or bring their own concepts to life. Some students arrive with a clear plan; others discover their project once they begin. Both are part of the process.

There are no identical projects and no fixed outcomes. Instead, students work within a prepared environment filled with possibilities—wood, cardboard, electronics, fasteners, simple machines, and more—supported by instructors who guide, challenge, and help move ideas forward.

Each session introduces new prompts, new materials, or new constraints to push thinking in different directions. Returning students don’t repeat work—they take on more complex builds, use tools with greater precision, and develop stronger problem-solving strategies. A first-time student might be learning how to connect materials and complete a basic build; a returning student might be designing multi-step projects, integrating moving parts, or refining a design through multiple iterations.

Work ranges from simple builds to complex, evolving projects—always grounded in making something that actually functions.

• Builds real problem-solving and design skills through hands-on creation
• Uses a wide range of tools, materials, and building systems
• Designed for both new and returning students at multiple levels
• Students design, build, test, and refine original projects

Classes meet every other week, giving students time between sessions to think, plan, and return ready to continue or improve their work. For a full Wednesday experience, pair this workshop with our two-hour, Open Makerspace Club and keep your child building, designing, and engineering every week.

Fall 2026 Topics

• Week 1: Build Challenge — Constraints & Creativity
• Week 2: Structural Engineering — Strength, Load, and Failure
• Week 3: Circuits I — Power, Flow, and Light
• Week 4: Motion Systems — Gears, Linkages, and Movement
• Weeks 5-6: Circuits II — Inputs, Outputs, and Control
• Week 7: Integrated Systems — Build + Motion + Electronics
• Week 8-9: Final Build — Design, Integrate, and Refine

Guardians are required to complete our waiver before the first club meeting--if they haven't already done so for a different SPARKGROUNDS event. All events are led by professionally trained and insured staff who have passed a Level 2 background check. Students can withdraw from a class series at any time simply by emailing us and prorated refunds are always provided automatically.

This SPARKGROUNDS event is available for direct pay through Florida's Step Up FES-EO, UA, and PEP scholarships. Find events in the Marketplace by selecting 'find providers' and searching for 'SPARKGROUNDS.'