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Mad Scientist Lego Challenges completes the library Lego week.

Last Wednesday the children's room hosted a Mad Scientist Lego Challenge night for families. This coincided nicely with our upstairs Lego Contest display. I'm really getting into themed weeks at the library for programming although the caveat would be if someone was on vacation that week, they'll miss out on everything surrounding the theme but as librarians we learn that we can't always please everyone (but we sure try hard!).

Upon entry to the night, participants were given a bingo card and asked to complete at least 3 of the 9 challenges. We had 9 different challenges around the room:
Challenges: Can you building something that...

1: Survives the zip-line
2: Goes down the ramp
3: using littleBits
4: using just one color
5: using 2 x 2 bricks only
6: Stop motion
7: Lego firewalk (this one differed in our other challenges. We told the parents we'd like them to experience what it was like to step on a random Lego. In true kid fashion, they all said the walk "wasn't bad".)
8: is wearable
9: is awesome (to appeal to those kids that just want to build without restrictions).

This program was open to ages 5 and up with an adult for one hour. Everyone who finished received a Lego bookmark. I think our conceptual idea of makerspaces can have so much reach when paired with the popularity of an inter-generational toy like Legos. It is all about building and experimenting!



Mad Scientist Lego Challenge 2014 from Duxbury Free Library on Vimeo.

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