Planks, pulleys, nuts and bolts … What can you build with Rigamajig?
Since its debut in 2011, Rigamajig has found its way into schools, playgrounds, children’s museums and backyards around the world.
What’s the new whatchamacallit at Creative Discovery Museum? That’s Rigamajig, a largescale building kit in the museum’s newly expanded Make It Space.
Starting Saturday, March 12, guests can construct a variety of configurations of the toy to perform various engineering tasks. The Rigamajig consists of several long wooden planks, wheels, pulleys, rope, nuts and bolts designed to make building imaginative and collaborative.
“Guests of all ages will enjoy the opportunity to use the high- quality, large-scale pieces to build together with other children, use their creativity to solve problems and develop spatial thinking skills,” says Karen Dewhirst, museum experience manager for science and exhibits. “Most importantly, though, they’ll have fun while learning.”
Since its debut in 2011, Rigamajig has found its way into schools, playgrounds, children’s museums and backyards around the world. The kit originally was conceived and designed as a custom play feature for the High Line Park in New York City by Cas Holman and Friends of the High Line, working with early learning educators, woodworkers and children.
Holman says there are no right or wrong ways to play.
“It’s not about a finished product,” she says. “It’s the playful process.”
CDM’s Rigamajig was made possible by a grant from BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee Health Foundation in conjunction with KaBoom, a national nonprofit that envisions a great place to play within walking distance of every child in America. The organization focuses on “constructive free play with loose parts” to encourage open- ended learning.