To learn more about the World of Wonders Science Museum’s MakerFest,

LODI — Sacramento resident Stephen Richardson said his 8-year-old son was not overly enthusiastic when he told him the family would be spending Saturday afternoon at a science museum in Lodi, but that changed the moment they walked through the door.

“My son didn’t seem excited at first, but he’s excited now,” Richardson said.

The World of Wonders Science Museum held its biannual MakerFest on Saturday. The event featured several educational stations, including Toy Dissection, Deconstruction Junction, Artwork Alley, Marshmallow Shooters, Crafting Corner, Squishy Circuits, Cardboard Creation Station and a Kids Construction Zone.

“MakerFest focuses on the idea of tinkering and understanding how things work,” World of Wonders Education Director Nick Gray said. “So much of what we purchase, so much of the technology we rely on, we get an end product, so few people understand what’s actually going on inside these things.

“The idea with MakerFest is to get into some of those things, looking at the inside of electronics and toys, and just playing around, tinkering with materials to test their limits and their abilities to see what they can do and what you can accomplish with them.”

World of Wonders opened in March 2009. Gray said the 9,000-square-foot facility is planning a massive expansion that will turn the area into a huge science plaza.

Gray said he expected 300 to 400 people to make their way through the museum Saturday for MakerFest. Many gravitated toward the Marshmallow Shooters station, where they used PVC pipe to shoot mini marshmallows at a target. Others flocked to Deconstruction Junction, where they took apart electronics to see what was inside.

Richardson’s 13-year-old daughter, Aleisha, was fascinated by the inner workings of a telephone.

“I had to unscrew it and on the inside I found all these different pieces,” she said, pointing to the telephone’s circuit board.

Richardson’s son, Stephen Richardson II, seemed to be enjoying himself, too.

“Everything is so cool,” he said.

Some liked the simplicity of the Cardboard Creation Station, where children were given cardboard, duct tape, scissors and the freedom to create anything in their imagination. Others were drawn to Squishy Circuits, a station where kids learned to conduct electricity using salty Play-Doh, a power source and components such as speakers and motors.

“I’ve heard good things about this place, so we came to check it out,” said Teresa Grigas, 28, a Stockton resident who was accompanied by her husband, John, and their 4year-old daughter, McKenna. “We’ve been to other places and this seems to be more hands-on, and it has something for all the ages.”

Richardson’s wife, Kaneisha, agreed.

“The kids don’t seem bored at all,” she said. “There are so many things to do, so if they get bored with one thing they can just hop to the next.”

Gray said that is part of the magic of the World of Wonders.

“When they walk out the door they probably don’t even realize that they’ve learned all this,” he said. “It’s great because you’ve engaged them from the get-go. Automatically, they’re engaged in this fun activity, and in the process of being creative they’re also learning about resistance or polarity or whatever concept is involved.”