Curriculum Resource: Makers Faire

Yesterday my son and I attended the North Carolina Makers Faire.  The Makers Faires are events sprouting up all over the country that showcase people who promote DYI in all sorts of media:  robotics, arts and crafts, food, green technology, woodworking, textiles, clothes.....you name it.

They are ideal places for homeschoolers, who are, after all, DYI educators.  I saw at least five other families from my homeschool group when I was there.  If you homeschool, these faires are great resources for teachers/inspiration in all sorts of fields.  For example, I found one woman who was croqueting squids, jelly fish, and shells, which would fit right into our oceans project, and who gave me a free croquet pattern for a sea creature.

I don't know why my pictures aren't showing up, but they may appear in a later version.  But until you can see, you just have to trust me how cool and fun these events are.  There was a 175% growth between last year and this year, so they are obviously popular.

If you can't make it to a Markers Faire, I suggest you check out the Make Magazine.  It has lots of clear instructions about how to make items in a wide variety of displays--Lego, play poker, make homemade lace through tatting, etc.  It's a great place to look for hands-on projects.

UPDATE:  I got the photo problem figured out, so here are some pictures that show the diversity and creative almost-mayhem of the event.