Little Builders

“Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men's blood.” —Daniel H. Burnham

On Exhibit: September-December 2009

Little Builders is a hands-on science exhibition for children and their parents and other caregivers. Children create, play, and learn as they explore concepts related to building, playing with air, and using simple machines. Throughout Little Builders, the open-ended nature of the materials and activities allows creativity to flourish. Children are encouraged to use the exhibit in their own unique ways to personalize the learning experience. Little Builders is also a learning laboratory for parents, teachers, and other care providers to observe, understand, and interact with their little builders.

Little Builders provides rich opportunities for role-play. Children enter the exhibit and get ready to work by putting on a hardhat and construction vest. They can see how they look in a full-length mirror and then grab a little truck pushcart and some orange rubber cones before heading off to play.

Things to Do: 
  • Building
    • Design and build a "brick" Pattern Wall with large plastic blocks in a variety of colors.
    • Build and design structures out of wooden Building Blocks in many shapes and sizes.
    • Build three-dimensional structures using a variety of PVC pipes and connectors at the four-sided PVC Pipe House.
    • Crawl into miniature Latch Houses and practice fine-motor skills by hooking and unhooking latches while opening and closing doors and shutters.
    • Build pathways, houses, or anything else imaginable with soft, oversized blocks in Big Building.
    • Create a plan and build patterns with gears and Duplo® blocks at the Gear & Duplo® Table.
    • Climb on board a stationary Dump Truck and "drive" construction materials to their destination. A fantastic opportunity for role-play and for photos, too!
  • Playing with Air
    • Insert balls into vertical air chutes and watch the balls shoot through the clear pipes and pop into a basket in Power Toss & Catch.
    • Watch in amazement as plastic balls mysteriously float in Air Effect, bobbing up and down, at the Bernoulli blower.
  • Using Simple Machines
    • Turn a crank on the Mini-crane to operate a pulley system to raise and lower objects, use a friction brake to hold or release lifted objects, and use a set of pedals to rotate the crane on its base.
    • Use a Gantry Crane to move block cargo to a waiting Flatbed Car.
    • Transport objects and materials with the Pulley & Conveyer Belt.
    • In Ball and Pipe Plumbing, drop plastic balls through a series of clear "plumbing" pipes and watch as they travel down a twisty path.
    • Experiment with fuzzy paint rollers and dipping them into trays with imaginary "paint" to master the craft in Paint Wall and Rollers.
    • Pound oversized nails, turn oversized screws, and twist oversized bolts with plastic hammers, screwdrivers, and wrenches at the Tool Wall.
Learning Outcomes: 
  • Intellectual Development
    • Science Process Skills (Observing, Inquiring, Comparing, Predicting, Theorizing,
      Experimenting, and Problem Solving)
    • Mathematical Concepts (Number, Classification, Size & Shape, Space, Parts &
      Whole, Order & Pattern, Measurement)
  • Physical Development
    • Large motor skills (pushing, pulling, lifting, turning, bending, stooping, stretching)
    • Small motor skills (grasping, releasing, twisting, turning, pressing, pulling)
    • Coordination, control, and strength
    • Sensory development, perception and discrimination (visual, auditory, tactile)
    • Developing attention span
  • Emotional Development
    • Self-confidence (“I can do it!”)
    • Pride in mastery of skills and materials
    • Self-expression (verbal and nonverbal)
    • Making choices, planning purposeful action
    • Self-control and restraint
    • Involvement and satisfaction in one’s work, sense of accomplishment
  • Social Development
    • Communication (talking and listening)
    • Awareness of others
    • Cooperation (helping others, waiting for turns, sharing)
    • Expressing feelings and desires in socially acceptable ways
    • Understanding rules and expectations
    • Role-playing/trying on new identities

Little Builders was created and is toured by the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, Portland, Oregon