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Interactive Computer Exhibits For Ages 3-8?
Johnny Mnemonic writes "My company has the opportunity to contribute to a children's museum in our area. We are a technology company, so I'd like the exhibit to be computer/networking related, and to raise the awareness and understanding of how the Internet, networking, and computers work. However, children's museums cater to a pretty young age group, 3-8 years old, so the the exhibit needs to be highly interactive, durable, tactile, and yet instructive of the concepts. Google fails to turn up any turn-key options, and, although the concepts are computer related, a computer-based exhibit tends to be too fragile and susceptible to withstand the rigors of 250 preschoolers/day. How would you design a display that meets these requirements and is still fun and educational?"
I did some exhibitions a few decades ago, but I think the principles would be the same.
Anything that shows 'cause and effect' for the 3 year olds: Press this and this happens.
Don't forget that 8 year olds already use computers in the classroom
You should have an interactive centerpiece - mine was a 'Robot' built on an stand covered with old cards with a speaker as a mouth, based on an Apple ][ with a speech card. The space bar was programmed to cycle through different progs - like math tables, songs (Daisy Daisy from 2001) etc
We had some old hubs and switches with different colored network cables. Not powered at all so they could just plug them in random order.
A continuum of old to new tech as a display - a big daisy-wheel was a real hit. Also any old tech that still works like LCD typewriters, dot matrix printers, coupled modems.
Web Cams with screens out of the way.
Some LAN net talk for the older ones. I had a messaging guest-book system set up.
Fractal displays and interesting screen savers. Set up a SETI for public view.
There's a lot you can do, but don't forget that whatever you set up, it will take maintenance.
Don't be apathetic. Procrastinate!
I like this idea.
Where I grew up, we had a children's science museum (Great Explorations: http://www.greatex.org/index.php ) that I used to visit during summers (they did 1-2 week summer camps). The most popular exhibit (most of them were rotated in and out) was always the Touch Tunnel. Totally dark inside, with corridors, ramps, etc. You had to feel your way through to the end. Kids loved it, even when the lights were on. The idea was really simple: giving kids the experience of relying on something other than their sight, and it was really effective.
It is great to see the author's company contributing to a kid's museum. I still remember some of the things I learned at those summer camps (like the letters of the alphabet in ASL). I always loved learning, but it was those camps that really sparked my interest in the sciences.
I took my adopted sisters there once a few years ago (they were adopted at 5/6 years of age when I was 19). I think I had more fun with the exhibits than they did *grin*
There is a very nice exhibit like this at The National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation in Tokyo. White and black billiard balls are used. The first 8 balls are the address (to different stations around the room), the next 8 balls are the character you want to send. A kid arranges the balls in one of the sending stations and then releases them into the internet. The balls flow through several 'routers' (contraptions that look like they are based on old telephone technology). The balls flow to the destination (to which the kid has run over to and is waiting for his balls to arrive) and then the character is displayed. My 6 year old played this for a long time and would have played it all day.
There is a picture here at the bottom of the page. There is also contact information. I'm sure you could get a detailed description of its construction if you wrote them an email.
Good luck!
I'm a big fan of CS Unplugged. It's generally aimed at a slightly older age range, I think, but you can probably adapt some of their demos quite easily.