Dan & Cassidy Towriss IDEA Space KC

The energy in IDEA Space today was unforgettable! 🤖⚡

We welcomed 75 second graders from for a hands-on STEAM field trip inspired by The Three Billy Goats Gruff. Students coded robots to cross the bridge and used the engineering design process to build LEGO bridges wide enough for the goats and tall enough for the troll to pass underneath.

The highlight of the day? Watching a full-size FIRST Robotics robot race across the floor, quickly retrieving fuel and launching it into the hopper. The cheers, gasps, and excited questions filled the room.

Moments like this are why early exposure to engineering and technology matters — curiosity grows, confidence builds, and students begin to imagine what they might create next. 🚀

🦃✨ 3rd Grade STEAM to the Rescue! ✨🦃
Our young engineers put their creativity to the test with a big challenge: design a device to trap the turkey!

With a limited budget and a menu of materials to “purchase,” students worked in teams to brainstorm, plan, budget, prototype, and iterate—just like real engineers. 💡📊🔧

From pulley systems to clever box traps, these 3rd graders showed off incredible problem-solving skills, teamwork, and imagination. The best part? Watching them realize that every idea gets better when you keep testing and improving!

👏 So proud of their hard work, collaboration, and BIG STEAM thinking!

💻 Choose your own adventure—literally!
Students are putting their Python skills to the test by creating immersive, text-based adventure games. 🎮✨

Through this project, they’re mastering core coding concepts like functions, loops, data structures, variables, and user input—all while crafting interactive stories where every choice changes the outcome.

From debugging to plot twists, every line of code builds creativity and logic.

Learning in action 🔨✨

Our Architecture students didn’t just model a shed in Revit — they’re building it in real life. From site visits and blueprint planning to power tools and framing, this project turns theory into skill, confidence, and craftsmanship.

This hands-on build gives students a real-world lab to explore:
🏗️ Footing + structural calculations
🌡️ Heat loss + gain and energy considerations
🪵 Wood-frame construction + tool safety
📐 Problem-solving through every step

Watching them translate digital plans into real structures — piece by piece — is what authentic learning looks like. 🚀

Proud of these future architects, builders and innovators!

🎯 Middle School Makers: Pinball Challenge in Motion!

Our middle school makers are turning creativity into kinetic energy as they design and build their very own pinball machines! 🛠️ Students are using to model every component with precision, then assembling their CNC-cut parts in the fabrication lab.

When they hit design obstacles, they don’t stop — they innovate! 💡 Using 3D printing, students prototype custom bumpers, flippers, and themed obstacles to bring their chosen storylines to life. From concept to playtesting, this project blends engineering, design thinking, and problem solving into one high-energy experience. ⚙️🎨🎮

Did you know that IDEA Space KC is the proud sponsor of KSHB 41’s Weather Academy? You can use the link in our bio to watch the weekly Facebook segments packed with information about the science of weather!

🍂✨ Fall fun for our littlest makers! ✨🍂

PreK students joined us for a special day of hands-on learning at IDEA Space. They explored how to design and build creative structures using manipulatives—learning the basics of engineering through play. 🧩🏗️

To celebrate the season, students also strengthened their fine motor skills by crafting jack-o’-lanterns with the ChompSaw 🎃✂️—a perfect blend of creativity, coordination and confidence-building!

We love watching our youngest learners discover the joy of making. 💡💛

✨ From wooden toys to custom skateboards, our Middle School Makers are leveling up their design game!

With dial calipers in hand and critical thinking in action, students are mastering by learning how to measure precisely, create multi-view drawings, and translate their ideas into accurate CAD models.

It’s not just about building parts—it’s about building problem-solvers, designers, and innovators who can turn imagination into reality.

💡 What would you design first in CAD?

Did you catch IDEA Space on KSHB 41 KC Spotlight? It's not too late to sign up your student for fall after-school STEAM fun!

KC Spotlight | Shining Star for STEAM Learning in the Metro, Apply Today Sponsored: IDEA Space KC is focused on STEAM Learning and offers after school and field trips opportunities. Enroll today.