MacInspires Greenwich Offers Broad Spectrum of STEAM Summer Enrichment

School’s nearly out! Are you ready? MacInspires Greenwich has a full menu of STEAM offerings this summer featuring 20+ subjects for ages 6-16, many new for 2018.

Options include Entrepreneurship Camp, Rocketry, Video Production, Coding, 3D Printing, Music Production and more.

Located conveniently at 37 West Putnam Avenue, steps from the top of Greenwich Avenue, the location is ideal to drop kids off for a full day or half day of enrichment activities that cater to your child’s curiosities. They also offer an extended day option from 4:00pm to 5:30pm.

The instructor to child ratio is five students per instructor. MacInspires’ team of 20+ instructors are passionate and skilled STEAM educators with varying educational and professional backgrounds. MacInspires offers instructors ongoing professional development.

“We try to have them try everything during the week, but they can focus on one thing if they find something they really like, and then focus on a project,” said MacInspires founder Travis Sluss. “The kids are learning, but it has to be fun. You learn more when you’re having fun.”

At MacInspires, campers do an educational version of Minecraft that they can’t do at home. They learn about computer logic and programming through the game.

“We set up challenges for them in the game that they have to accomplish,” Sluss said. “Kids come in thinking they know all about Minecraft, but we have a totally different version. They realize they can learn a lot about Minecraft and impress their friends.”

Also popular is 3D printing. “We don’t allow kids to download patterns,” Sluss said. “They make their designs from scratch.”

Part of the process are the fails. “Always,” Sluss said. “Nothing works the first time.”

Travis Sluss at MacInspires

If they come for a series, or camp, or private enrollment, children make original creations using circuits with micro-controllers. “They’re doing half coding and half wiring,” Sluss said.

At MacInspires the Makerspace also features a green screen where kids learn film making. They have been doing parody commercials with testimonials for inventions. After they make the movie, they put on a sound track with sound effects and music using Garage Band.

 Noah and Ryan use their coding skills to control their robots "Dash" and "Dot" playing soccer at MacInspires July 19, 2017 Photo: Leslie Yager“People think their kids will be in front of a screen here, but, with the exception of pure coding,  that’s not the case,” Sluss said. “Kids are in front of the screen enough.”

Subjects and activities vary by age, please see details below.

MacInspires encourages students to explore all age appropriate subject areas but have the option of working within their area of interest.

5 Sessions: June 18-August 24
Half day: 9:30am-12pm or 1:00-3:30pm
Full day: 9:30am-3:30pm (lunch is provided by MacInspires)
Extended day: 4:00-5:30

MacInspires in Greenwich is located at 37 West Putnam Avenue.

Book online here. Call 203-531-5720 with questions.

The MacInspires logo highlights the subjects offered by that session.

MacInspires, Greenwich Free Press

Because STEAM is so hot these days, MacInspires reimagined their “store” as a Makerspace where kids 7-15 explore several “zones” and expand on what they’ve learned in school while enjoying themselves. The zones include a tinker table, robot table, a Fab Lab, a micro controllers area and an audio visual area for stop motion film making, green screen filming and Garageband.

Another project is building a retro arcade gaming station controller. Photo: Leslie Yager

Building a retro arcade gaming station controller at MacInspires.  Photo: Leslie Yager

MacInspires founder Travis Sluss with some of his students in a lighter moment.