Tools are not the only part of Maker culture, but it's hard to make anything without them! 3D printers are just one example of how the Maker Movement has enriched the educational technology landscape in the last decade. High demand and improved technology for tools like 3D printers, CAD software, and microcomputers like Arduino have made them cheaper - and more accessible to a wider age range. Tools like these bring out the wizard in regular people, allowing even kids in elementary grades to design things that were once reserved for professionals in labs.

That said, along with the rise of digital fabrication, there is a renewed interest in hand-fabrication, using simpler shop and craft tools like saws, crochet hooks, and drills. Especially in societies that are saturated with smartphones, internet connectivity, and easy access to hi-tech, even the simplest tool can pique a child's natural curiosity. In several of our partner schools, we've seen growing numbers of boys ask to learn how to use sewing machines - often before the girls!

More important than the choice of tool is the access to tools and training - access sends the message to kids that they are respected as creators and expected to be learners. Basic tool training gives them the freedom of creative choice that eventually drives their learning. For an overview of various tools you might find in a Makerspace - including 3D printers and more - check out our tool guide.

Formal K-12 education systems based on standards of knowledge and ability are too often used to divide and undervalue students based on a small set of measurable skills.  Maker projects, by contrast, are inherently open-ended, hands-on, playful activities. Students can express newfound skills and knowledge by creating a work of art or a functional invention. In the process of Making, students often learn more deeply about core content because they begin to ask their own questions in order to Make things they care about.

In these ways, Making promotes rich learning experiences - hard to measure on tests, but essential practice for real-world experiences awaiting students.

​The essence of the Maker movement is democratizing innovation: giving everyone the tools to create, the courage to fail, and the empathy to solve problems as a community. Our success as a civilization may depend on our ability to empower all people and work together for a common good.

Read up on Making in the classroom, project inspiration, Makerspace design, and making a case for Making in your school.

The K-12 Maker Lab team is here to help K-12 classroom educators create and deliver fun, enriching Maker experiences to all of their students - no matter what subject they teach. We offer

• free starter activities with step-by-step tutorials
• free reference materials for using common Maker tools and running safe, effective Makerspaces
• training workshops for teachers and other K-12 educators

We work directly with other K-12 educators to collect and co-design resources. Everything you see in our Maker Methodology has been piloted by a dedicated team of teachers and administrators, and we're proud to showcase Maker projects from real K-12 classrooms in our Idea Gallery.