Programs for Organizations Serving Neurodivergent Youth

Unleash your participants’ potential

Recommended by children’s mental health professionals

Looking for a program or club that kids will love, that will help them learn social-emotional skills? Why not work with the leading STEM organization for kids?

Choose from Coding, Robotics or Minecraft!

FEATURED BY

Coding

Grades 3-5 & 6-8

Kids will learn everything they need to know to code their very own game: character development, storyboarding, animation, environment and level design, beta testing and, of course, coding.

Skills Learned:

Resilience

Confidence

Internet Safety

Game Design

Beta Testing

Minecraft

Grades 1-2, 3-5 & 6-8

We leverage kids’ interest in Minecraft as a gateway to introduce them to other STEM topics such as Robotics and Coding. Minecraft is also a great medium for teaching positive netizen skills and communication skills.

Skills Learned:

Social Skills

Patience

Communication

Coding

Teamwork

Problem Solving

3D Design

Robotics

Grades 3-5 & 6-8

Kids use online robotics simulator technology to learn how to make electronic creations that they previously only dreamed of. Wire up circuits, make virtual lights light up, design solutions to real-world problems, learn about a variety of electromagnetic concepts, and code a virtual ‘robot brain’ to make something awesome.

Skills Learned:

Confidence

Teamwork

Math

Electronics

Reading

Writing

Design

Mini Makers

Grades 1-2

Mini Makers introduces kids in grades 1 and 2 to our core technology topics: Coding and Robotics. They will design their own video games, create robotic inventions, do design and experimentation, and more.

Skills Learned:

Social Skills

Confidence

Design

Electronics

Problem Solving

Planning

Technology that inspires creativity.

Reserve your Program or Club: Robotics, Coding, Minecraft

Real-World Technical Skills

Kids learn industry-leading technologies, equipping them for high-earning careers of the future.

Putting Projects into Practice

Kids don’t just learn programming concepts – they get to use them to make real projects like games.

Confidence & Social Skills

Embedded in all our programs are social skill lessons, and the chance for kids to socialize with like-minded peers.

A Positive Approach to Tech

We want every child to leave MakerKids with the belief that they can use technology to shape the world around them.

Clients

Laura Kirby-McIntosh – for CBC article “My Autistic Daughter Creates Worlds That Welcome People Like Her”

“One of my favourite memories of Clara and Minecraft was the day we took a visit to Maker Kids, a STEM-focused kid-friendly maker space in downtown Toronto. We went for a drop in session because we heard that they had Minecraft-related programs. Clara walked in carrying one of her store-bought pickaxes and headed over to a group of boys seated at a pod of computers at the back of the room. One of them looked up and complimented her on the pickaxe. “Are you guys playing?” she asked. “Awesome!” One of the other boys looked up and said “Hold on: a girl who likes Minecraft? COOL!” Clara grinned widely and pulled up a chair, quickly joining in on their game. Before long, she was teaching them things they didn’t even know. As a teacher myself, I couldn’t help but beam with pride. Her confidence exploded that day.”

“I honestly can’t say enough good things about MakerKids, Jenn, and the rest of the team. When my son started his first multi-week Arduino class last spring, he had only done a few open-make days, and had never – not ever – done an extracurricular program or camp. He is 11, super-bright, with high-functioning autism, and always found the challenge of being successful in a group of peers when there are activities happening totally beyond him. Right from the first day of the class at MK though, every single member of the staff strove to understand exactly what my son’s anxieties were, and accommodate him. They immediately connected with his passion for building and technology, and used that as a way to make him feel connected to the program and the group. He loved every class, and Thursdays quickly became the best day of the week by a long shot. His confidence grew immeasurably, and he loved every minute of the course. He was able to learn first hand about the process of building a project from the ground up, from planning, to revision, to the multiple steps in testing and revising and failing and trying again. Most of all, he was clearly delighted to be in a place and with people who not only “got” him, but loved the same things that he does. His passions and interests – which are usually only marginally addressed and fostered in school and other settings – were encouraged and celebrated. You can’t get better than that. This past summer he also did a one week camp session at MK, and from start to finish, he had a blast. He was outgoing, relaxed and even helpful with some of the younger kids in the group, and was able to handle things which a short time ago would have been overwhelming. Best of all, he was so excited and proud of what he was accomplishing every day, and eager to do more. Truly I think if he came up with a place where he felt right at home, with everything he could ask for there, he’d be talking about MakerKids. Ok, maybe he would like a jet engine, but otherwise, it’s just about perfect. Regan Daley, Mum of 11-year-old inventor.

“Working together with the MakerKids staff to create a unique social skills group has been fantastic and created a fun engaging learning environment. Their staff have been great at connecting with the kids and working with a behaviour analyst to adapt their programming to the needs of the the clients.” – Dana Pettus, M.ADS BCBA, Senior Therapist, AlphaBee ABA Services

Contact Us

All classes are taught by live instructors. Virtual and In-Person options available.
Select the location nearest to you to ensure you are enrolled with a MakerKids community near you.