Summer

Junior Inventor's Shed

10 – 13*

Explore digital fabrication, rapid prototyping, and hands-on design through projects that blend art, technology, and imagination. No prior experience is required, just curiosity and a willingness to build, experiment, and innovate.

*This is a Junior Artists program and will follow those guidelines outlined in our FAQ section.

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Overview

Inventor’s Shed invites young makers to step into the world of design, prototyping, and invention. Over the course of one week, students will learn to use cutting-edge tools in the Creative Technology Lab, including 3D printers and laser cutters, alongside traditional design methods like sketching and model-making. Guided by faculty, participants will design original projects that may range from wearable tech to interactive sculptures, sustainable product prototypes, musical instruments, or imaginative gadgets.

Each day, the program balances structured skill-building workshops with open lab time, allowing students to bring their own ideas to life. Along the way, students develop creative problem-solving skills, learn to collaborate, and gain confidence in turning ideas into tangible prototypes. The week concludes with a public exhibition where students showcase their inventions to peers, family, and the wider community.

*The final culmination is Friday afternoon, with Saturday being a move-out day for residential students.

Additional Information

This program does not require any type of assessment or portfolio to get into the program. Instructors will work with your child at their level. Your child will improve and learn new skills, whether they are a beginner or have been an artist for years.

-A refillable water bottle
-Comfortable clothing for studio work
-Sturdy closed-toed shoes (required in the lab)
-Notebook/sketchbook and pencils/pens
-Personal laptop or tablet for design work (optional)

Phones and other electronic devices are not allowed during class time in Children’s Center. Day students should not bring a personal device. Residential students should leave devices in their dorm room, or will turn in their device to the teacher during instructional time.

Your student will be following this basic schedule each weekday:

Day students should be dropped off at Children’s Center between 8:15 – 8:25 am (breakfast is not included for day students)

Residential Students will be walked to breakfast as a group and then to Children’s Center

8:30 am: Morning Sing/Greeting
9:00 am – 11:20 am: Morning Classes (snack provided)
11:30 am – 12:15 pm: Lunch in the Dining Hall (provided for residential and day students)
12:30 pm – 3:45 pm: Afternoon Classes (snack provided)

Day students should be picked up from Children’s Center at 4:00 pm.

Residential students will be walked as a group to afternoon activities with the RA’s.

Day students will be allowed to use the pool on Tuesday – Friday from 4:00 – 5:45 pm with the supervision of a parent or guardian. (Enrolled children only, please. No siblings or friends.) Lifeguards will be present.

Nathaniel Ober is a sound-based installation artist living and working in Yucca Valley, CA. With a creative practice spanning installation, sculpture, sound, digital prototyping, fabrication, astrophysics and the sciences, Ober’s work is heavily inspired by, and often in collaboration with, the natural world and gives voice to the landscapes that surround us. His work has been featured at the San Fransisco Center for New Music, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, Parque Explora in Medellín Colombia, Arteles Creative Center in Finland, International Symposium on Electronic Art, as well as leading education and research programs in several universities and has been awarded many residencies across the globe. Ober holds an MFA from the Digital Arts + New Media program at the University of California, Santa Cruz, and a BFA from the Columbus College of Art and Design.

Check out our Kids & Teens FAQ’s to learn more about summer programs

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