Thank you to the thousands of people who came out to KIDfest, KID Museum’s signature event in Silver Spring! This year’s festival was abuzz with attendees programming robots, making glowing flowers, exploring space and innovative technologies, weaving on a giant loom, learning how to code, and getting inspired to invent the future.
Highlights included the awe-inspiring Maglev train technology by the Central Japan Railway, the Girl Scout’s inflatable planetarium, pedaling on bikes to generate energy with Pepco, and Alex Sowa, the self-taught teenage Backyard Blacksmith, who forged metal all day.
Families swarmed the KID Museum tent to program robots to pop balloons, create light-up LED flowers, and weave colorful recycled fabrics on a giant loom. Also popular was the lantern-making at KID’s Culture tent, 3D printing at KID’s Fab Lab display, and Coding Jams led by the museum’s Coding Corps.
Young Makers showcased creations made at KID Museum camps and school visits, as well as through the Invent the Future Challenge. This year’s Challenge officially kicked-off at KIDfest, and Jack Smith, Superintendent of Montgomery County Public Schools, which partners with KID Museum on this initiative, was there to lend his support.
An exciting lineup of KIDtalks speakers — local innovators and industry leaders — gave talks on topics like planet formation, engaging girls in STEM, and the future of 3D applications.
If you’re eager for more, come visit us at KID Museum year-round for dynamic, hands-on activities that inspire kids to follow their imaginations and discover what they can create. View our calendar.
Thanks again to our sponsors: Montgomery County, Lockheed Martin, Emergent BioSolutions, Pella, Pepco, Arts & Humanities Council of Montgomery County, Arthur C. Clarke Foundation, Central Japan Railway, CuriosityStream, EagleBank, Gallagher & Associates, L.L.Bean, Lunii, MOM’s Organic Market, Montgomery College, ABC7/News 8, iHeartRadio, BlackSpoke, Thrively/Activity Rocket. School Partners: Bullis School, Washington Episcopal School, Whittle School & Studios Contributors: Silver, Safeway, KIND, Ozobot, Big Escape Rooms Silver Spring, National Geographic’s Science Fair film
(all photos credit to: Marketa Ebert & Gabriel Mellan)
