Business News Network’s The Disruptors.
“While school’s out, keep kids away from their iPads with a trip to MakerKids, an intensely creative DIY emporium. Amateur Elon Musks are invited into a room full of supplies to bring techy fantasies to life: crayons for drafting and easy electrical kits for robotics.”
Whether your little maker is into Minecraft, Coding or Robotics, MakerKids has the ideal party for your child. These are just some of the options for shindigs that run 2 hours long. Most of the parties are geared to kids aged 6-13. Cost varies depending on the number of guests and the length of the party, which includes an instructor-led activity, supplies, party space, one staff member to help with the event, set-up and clean-up. Parents are welcome to bring in their own refreshments such as drinks and cake.
According to Forbes, there are 2.5 quintillion bytes of data created each day, and that number is only increasing as more and more people go online.
If you have a child with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), you’re well aware of the struggles they face.
It might just look like a fun waste of time, but playing video games can teach your kid all sorts of valuable skills.
Jennifer Turliuk is the CEO and founder of Makerkids, the first and largest facilitator of programs, camps, and parties focused on the idea of creation rather than consumption. Topics like coding, minecraft, and robotics are explored through fun and games, in hopes of encouraging more young people to take interest in STEM-related careers. She began coding at the age of 12 and has dedicated her life to opening up possibilities for young people interested in being creators or makers.
Women’s Post spoke with Turliuk about entrepreneurship, Makerkids, and being a DJ for Redbull
The Canadian Franchise Association (CFA) announced today that Jennifer Turliuk, CEO of CFA-member franchise MakerKids, has been named the first place Grand Prize winner in the 2017 NextGen in Franchising Global Competition. This is the third year in a row that a CFA member has been named a Grand Prize winner, with John Evans of EverLine Coatings winning in 2015 and Carmelo Marsala of Spray-Net winning in 2016. Canada is the only country to produce a Grand Prize winner three years in a row.
MakerKids is an educational trailblazer, providing after-school programs and a playful space dedicated to giving kids the resources they need to feel empowered by the digital world. Programs teach children technological skills like coding, Minecraft, and robotics.
A Canadian children’s education program is setting itself as the standard for inspiring kids to be creators.
Toronto-based MakerKids, which provides after-school programs and play spaces dedicated to empowering kids through technology, has won the 2017 NextGen Franchising Global Competition, a worldwide program that engages young entrepreneurs seeking careers and business opportunities in the franchising industry.
MakerKids’ CEO explains how the brand stands out from the competition.
Earlier this year, Jennifer Turliuk, CEO of Canadian franchise MakerKids, won the Grand Prize in the 2017 NextGen in Franchising Global Competition, edging out over 400 young franchisors from around the world. This was the third consecutive Grand Prize win for Canada, with John Evans of EverLine Coatings and Services winning in 2015, and Carmelo Marsala of Spray-Net winning in 2016. Canada is the only country to produce a Grand Prize winner three years in a row.
We spoke to the three NextGen winners to learn more about their award-winning concepts, and to find out why millennials are the future of franchising.
The IFA Franchise Education & Research Foundation announced today the winners of its 2017 Franshark competition, sponsored by the Frederick A. DeLuca Foundation and Subway which was held at the International Franchise Association 57th Annual Convention in Las Vegas. The four entrepreneurs—who hailed from the United States, Canada, Mexico and Australia—were selected by a panel of judges from 18 winners of the NextGen in Franchising Global Competition, which engages young entrepreneurs seeking careers and business opportunities in the franchising industry.
After-school technology education franchisor MakerKids’ CEO, Jennifer Turliuk, became the third Canadian to win the grand prize at the NextGen in Franchising Global Competition.
MakerKids provides a playful space for children to learn technological skills, such as coding, Minecraft and robotics.
“I’m so happy and grateful to have won the competition,” says Turliuk. “I am proud to have made this a ‘hat trick’ as the third Canadian to win. I look forward to using this experience to grow our brand.”
The competition took place at the International Franchise Association’s (IFA’s) annual convention in Las Vegas, Nev., from Jan. 28 to Feb. 1. More than 400 entrepreneurs aged 21 to 35 from around the world submitted business plans, 18 were chosen as finalists and three were selected to present their businesses to a panel of judges and an audience of 3,000 convention attendees for a chance to win cash prizes, ranging from US$5,000 to US$10,000.
As an acclaimed tech school for kids, this is one of the largest programs of its kind in the world. It runs courses, camps and parties on coding, Minecraft, robotics and more. The Bloor Street West school also teaches softer skills like leadership and communication.
The Maker Movement in schools has students learning by doing
Companies partnering with schools to help foster student innovation
With the ever-increasing demand for jobs in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math, schools are examining new and innovative ways to ignite students’ passions for those subjects.
As a result, a number of companies have started to create camps and travelling workshops to get students thinking about STEM subjects in novel ways, and private schools are among their clients. Here is a quick look at a trio of Canadian companies doing exactly that.
One of 5 things to do this weekend
Jennifer Turliuk is the CEO of MakerKids, the first and largest makerspace in the world for kids. The company runs programs on robotics, coding and Minecraft through camps, after school programs and birthday parties. Its goal is to help kids ages 8 to 12 move from being consumers to creators. Graduates of MakerKids have gone on to start businesses, invent products, present their projects on national TV and teach classes. MakerKids recently won, over 400 competitors, the NextGen in Franchising Competition at the International Franchise Association’s Annual Convention (also mentioned by Blue, above). The company is now looking to franchising to help open many new locations in the next few years.
Marsala’s business Spray-Net, Evans’ operation Everline Coatings and an educational concept called MakerKids created by Jennifer Turliuk have all won a contest run by the U.S.-based International Franchising Association to select the best franchise ideas presented by millennials from around the world. The top prize has been taken by Canadians three times in its four-year history.
Everline is a franchise that paints parking lots and other road surfaces, while MakerKids runs extracurricular programs that develop STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) skills in young learners.
There’s a lot they can learn from working with them, confirms Jennifer Turliuk, CEO of MakerKids, which runs after-school programs in robotics and coding. “Robots are great for kids to learn that they can be creators and not just consumers of these sorts of technologies. Steve Jobs, Bill Gates and the founders of Google all credited their childhood experiences with robotics and electronics as part of their success.”
There are plenty of ways kids can participate, from creating chatbots to programming night lights, she says. “Kids make their own decisions on how they want them to interact.” In her travels, Turliuk has seen plenty of robotics games and toys for kids being tested, such as Dash and Dot, mBot, Arduino, Caterpillar robot and Canada’s own Little Robot Friends.
There’s a lot they can learn from working with them, confirms Jennifer Turliuk, CEO of MakerKids, which runs after-school programs in robotics and coding. “Robots are great for kids to learn that they can be creators and not just consumers of these sorts of technologies. Steve Jobs, Bill Gates and the founders of Google all credited their childhood experiences with robotics and electronics as part of their success.”
There are plenty of ways kids can participate, from creating chatbots to programming night lights, she says. “Kids make their own decisions on how they want them to interact.” In her travels, Turliuk has seen plenty of robotics games and toys for kids being tested, such as Dash and Dot, mBot, Arduino, Caterpillar robot and Canada’s own Little Robot Friends.
“If your child is obsessed with a guy named Steve, Minecraft Camp at MakerKids is for them. Campers learn how to create their own Minecraft skins and to custom design mobs.”
Teaches kids tangible skills
“One of the best parts of MakerKids is that it gives youth a creative outlet, one that allows them to learn the importance of planning ahead, being accountable for your work and above all, being able to tackle challenges independently when required.”
“A great spot for a party”
“Makerspace lets kids play to encourage creativity and confidence”
“Showing a photo of a boy wearing an electronic bow tie he’d made for his father, both beaming as much as the red LEDs lit up around the child’s neck, it’s clear the Toronto maker space is now a welcome necessity for driving the next generation of innovations.”
“MakerKids is teaching Toronto children to ‘design the future”
“MakerKids is “remaking the way children learn and play.””
“These classes are perhaps the latest example of how the way children play is changing. While kids have long tinkered in the garage with a parent, makerspaces provide kids with the chance to explore science, technology and engineering in a more formalized way.”
One of the Top Digital Kids Classes in Toronto
“From robotics to electronics and even Minecraft, Maker Kids offers mind-blowing lessons in making stuff, mostly with a digital focus.”
“Children are innately creative, and have amazing ideas when they’re given the freedom to explore. MakerKids is kid-friendly Toronto space where your children will find that freedom, so that they can learn by doing. They offer a wide variety of programs for kids. You’ll find workshops, after-school programs, Minecraft programs and even birthday parties. Through their programs they’re encouraging others to become creators, and not just consumers. That’s a pretty powerful thing.“
“MakerKids has the coolest parties for kids ages 8 and older, especially if they’re into creative digital arts and crafts. Electronics, Minecraft and more, and the best part is the parts are supplied. You can bring your own food and cake.”
“A youth-oriented lab space, MK encourages curious kids to explore new technologies in a fun, safe environment.”
“MakerKids is a Toronto-based kids’ Makerspace with the benefit of a prestigious advisory board including Massimo Banzi of Arduino. They offer a variety of programs including learning to code Minecraft and making robotic inventions. The CEO of MakerKids, marketing heavy-hitter Jennifer Turliuk, cites a focus on “Process over Product,” and kids’ interest-driven programming as keys to MakerKids’ success. You can read more about the MakerKids’ recipe in their article in Make: Volume 40.”
“A place where robots come to life, ideas are prototyped, and the act of playing/tinkering is not only allowed, but encouraged”
Canada’s first makerspace dedicated to kids
“Canada’s first makerspace dedicated to kids opened in Toronto in 2012. MakerKids offers workshops, camps and workshop sessions that combine high- and low-tech. Kids can learn robotics and programming for Arduino – small, hackable circuit boards that control other electronic devices like televisions or lighting fixtures. They can also learn basic electronics.”
“The lessons can also start kids on entrepreneurial tracks, crafting their own prototypes for product ideas.”
“One of the most popular workshops [at Toronto’s Mini Maker Faire] for makers of all ages was the Booth by MakerKids”
