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Lego clubs can
help kids develop STEM interest
By Bob Robinson
GREENVILLE – Last month it was machines, this month it’s monsters. Some
kids just do their own thing. Others get “into it” and build their own
version of the theme.
Reuben Kennett and Julie Frona conduct the 6-8 year-old Lego Club for
Greenville City Library the first Thursday of each month. Sometimes
Kennett builds an example to show the kids. His example in September
was a “People-put-together” machine…
“If they are broken,” Kennett said, “they put themselves in the machine
and they come out fixed.”
“Cool,” said Ethan, six, and Eli, almost 10. Later in the evening Eli
devised his new and improved “Mini Figure Creator.”
Attendance was down in September but back to normal with 13 children
showing up to build their monster… or whatever creative scenario they
might come up with. The end result could be accidental or preplanned.
“One kid over there is building a dragon,” Kennett noted.
Lainey Miller was building a house with a police station next to it to
“lock up the bad guys.” Owen was building a monster in a T-shirt while
Gibson built a jail and a bank. “One guy stole the money,” Gibson said.
“The other two are giving it back.”
The jail was huge, more than twice as big as the bank.
Another child was building a “giant slenderman.” What’s that?
“Everybody knows about him,” the child answered. Then he went back to
work.
About 20 minutes prior to the end of the one-hour session the children
take their completed projects and put them in the showcase near the
checkout desk.
One youngster, Stephen Meier, proudly displayed what looked like a Star
Wars project.
“That’s all he does at home,” said his dad. “We don’t have to worry
about TV. He gets off the bus, drops his back pack and goes into his
Legos room.
Homework? “Yeah, he gets it done but there’s not much at this point.”
Stephen hopes to be an engineer someday.
Frona commented about STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math),
noting it’s big now.
“This is engineering,” she said. “They’re building things.”
After projects have been displayed, children get a snack and story
time. This month’s story was about a little boy who didn’t want a nice
monster under his bed; only an ugly scary monster would do.
Greenville Library offers a variety of activities for young people. The
6-8 Legos Club is the first Thursday; the 9-11 Legos Club is the third
Thursday. Both meet at 7 p.m. Every Thursday at 11 a.m. is Story Time
for ages two and under; Wednesdays at 11 for ages 2-3 and Tuesdays at
11 for ages four and up. Kids of all ages can meet at The Coffee Pot
for Story Time at 7 p.m. the second Monday of each month. The library
also has free Movie Events at 1 p.m. on selected dates. The next one is
Oct. 26.
Published courtesy
of The Early Bird
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