Workshops

‘One Thing leads to Another’ was produced in collaboration with the Science Works Museum in Melbourne as a part of their Test Lab. I developed a concept for a series of exciting chain reaction workshops for kids and adults, focussing on creative problem solving, collaboration and learning by making.

“We were extremely pleased with the workshop Jens put on for us. Everyone who took part ended up as co-inventor of an amazing working machine, and was often surprised at their own ingenuity. The participants relished the chance to explore their ideas freely, and by the end of the two hour workshop, many seemed inspired to go home and take over the house with chain reaction machines of their own. We recommend Jens’ workshops to anybody looking for a creative and original way to explore the process of invention and engineering.”

Tom Lang, Science Works Test Lab Programs Officer

After a short introduction into the functioning of contraptions, participants will build in small teams their part of a room-sized chain- reaction installation out of recycled components.
Each team is responsible for one section of the whole mechanism. Equipped with a building sheet, the participants start transforming a pile of apparent random stuff into a working component of the whole machine in a process of creative thinking, tinkering and experimentation.
Once all assembled and connected, the kids learn to preset their part, eliminate mistakes and explain the functioning of their section to the others. After that, off we go: once triggered there is no stopping of the chain- reaction (at least in a perfect world) till the big final surprise: it ends as a lolly shooting machine!

Creativity, problem solving, precision, learning through doing, communication and team work are encouraged, while children gain some hands-on understanding of the ‘cause and effect’ principle.

Depending on age groups, several circus techniques are introduced.
Starting off with a fun movement game, children then will train with different circus objects. These might include ball juggling, plate manipulation, stick balancing and tight wire walking. All exercises are designed to give some feeling of achievement, independent of the level. The classes generally finish with the creation of an acrobatic group pyramid.
The workshop challenges the children’s motor skills, coordination and balance, as well as encouraging team work and perseverance.