STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering) education is a crucial part of modern education, focusing on providing children with practical knowledge and problem-solving skills. To support this initiative, I.O.Me005 organized a ThinkBricks STEM Kids Event in Lamu on March 4th, 2023. Twenty children between the ages of 8 and 12 were given hands-on guidance on how to use Think Bricks to build adaptable housing structures that can change based on contextual and environmental dynamics. 

Think Bricks are similar to Lego bricks and were designed by Dorrit, a master’s student from Delft University of Technology, during her one-and-a-half-month attachment at the lab. These bricks are made from wood fabricated by a CNC machine and are easy to snap together with pencils to create a variety of structures. 

During the workshop, the children used the Think Bricks to build mobile houses, with cardboard being used for the walls and roofs, and pencils used as skeletons and chassis for the automobile. Each group presented their movable house to the rest of the participants at the end of the event, with the houses being judged based on creativity, functionality, and overall design. 

The children were proud of their creations and were able to work together in small groups, learn effective communication, and come up with unique designs for their movable houses. The event helped promote creativity and encouraged imagination in the children, leaving them with valuable experiences and skills for the future.