Makerspace: Think Play Learn!
Brain Games and Puzzles
The science is in...play matters!
(And so does rest!)
Cognitive science shows you retain more by switching up what tasks your brain is engaged in...so come in to the Makerspace and try your hand at puzzles, coloring pages, origami, brain teasers, old-school board games, and tactile toys!
Don't forget to ask for what else might be in the BookBot at Pendleton; we have books of logic puzzles and coloring books for adults, including mandala designs and lateral thinking brain-busters.
Solve a puzzle, whether that's a word puzzle, a jigsaw puzzle, or a 3-D tactile experience; be creative with word games, number games, building sets, and visual art; stretch your thinking with card sets and brain puzzles; and rest your mind with coloring, origami, and our tactile collection. Enjoy the space...it's there for you!
Microelectronics Kits
Discovery Kit for Raspberry Pi
The Kitronik Discovery Kit for Raspberry Pi Pico is a great way to learn about microcontrollers, Python coding, and physical computing. The kit is supplied with all of the components needed to complete the seven included experiments, including a large-format breadboard and a Raspberry Pi Pico. No soldering required! You'll need access to a computer with Thonny (free download).
Inventor's Kit for Raspberry Pi Pico
The Kitronik Inventor's Kit for the Raspberry Pi Pico offers the perfect introduction to physical computing with the Pico. This Inventor's Kit contains everything you need to complete 10 exciting experiments and the included booklet walks you through every step of each. No soldering required! You'll need access to a computer with Thonny (free download).
Brain Teaser Puzzles
3D Wooden Tetris Cube
Wooden Brain Teaser Puzzles by Picasso Tiles
Puzzles
We have puzzles from 250-1000 pieces. Request one for check out at the Information Desk.
Card Packs and Card Games
Critical Thinking Skills card deck
Empowering Questions deck
Wordsmith Deck for writers
Shakespeare trivia deck
IDEO Method cards
Logic Puzzles and Games
Tumble Maze Logic Game
Kanoodle puzzle game
Chroma Cube Logic Game
Traditional Card and Board Games
Jenga
Chess sets
Giant Checkers sets
Giant Deck of Playing Cards
SET Card Game
Word Games
Bananagrams
Keep Gwen Stefani away from this one!
Mobi
Okay, so this is a number game, not a word game...it still gets the juices flowing!
Magnetic Poetry kits
We have the Nature, Haiku, Country Songs, and Unicorn Lover kits!
STEM Models and Kits
Organic Chemistry Molecular Kit
Mini Human Skeleton Model
Cat Anatomy Model
Dog Anatomy Model
Horse Anatomy Model
Putty and Kinetic Sand
Thinking Putty - Crazy Aaron's Hot Head version
This putty fights you back! It gets tougher the more you stretch and play with it, for when you need to burn off some steam!
Thinking Putty - Crazy Aaron's Color-Changing version
It changes colors from shades of yellow to shades of green as you work it in your hands!
Thinking Putty - Crazy Aaron's Super Scarab version
Pretty iridescent colors that shift under the light...like a beetle's wings!
Kinetic Sand
Fidget Spinners and Toys
Magnetic Ring fidget spinners
Great for stacking, twirling, and fidgeting. They snap together with an oh-so-satisfying click!
Infinity Cube
Nope, it's not a Rubik's cube...you fold it open and in on itself again and again...try not to hypnotize yourself!
Building Sets
Legos
Use our basic set to model your ideas or just to see how high you can build them up...just don't step on them!!
Keva Maple boards
These boards are great for modeling; they glue together and you can take them home when you're done!
Magnetic Building Sticks
Origami
Origami paper and instruction books
Sometimes simple crafts are the best. We have books of origami patterns to follow and plenty of colored paper for you to try it out with! Make a garland of cranes for your room, fold a flower for a friend who's having a bad day, or send your mom a pretty paper pinwheel! We can't guarantee you'll be folding dinos in no time, but we'll give you the opportunity to practice!
Colored pencils and coloring pages
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Sketch out your project ideas in color on blank paper or use some of our printed coloring pages to fill in a mandala.
Abacuses
These Japanese-style abacuses can be used to learn mental math, which can improve concentration, mathematical ability, and cognitive function, and enable stunning feats of computation...ever heard of a soroban competition?