Playful Learning Lounge

Monday & Thursdays 3:30-4:30 PM

No-Tech

Low-Tech

High-Tech

Design Challenge

Design a Playful Learning Experience for

~End of Year Learning
~Summer Learning
~Back to School Engagemen

Stop by the Playful Learning Lounge Mondays& Thursdays 3:30 – 4:30PM

~Learn a new skills in 15 minutes or less

~Create and Make Something Fun during a 15 minute practice time

~Connect with others explore ideas for Designing Playful Learning

Week 1

Monday – Cardboard Attachments with Caty Wolfe

Thursday- Paper Engineering with Patricia Aigner

Week 2

Monday – SVG/ Vector Graphics with Lucie deLaBruere

Thursday – Loose Parts with Darcie Rankin

Week 3

Monday – Microbits with Kristen Wilson

Thursday – 3D Printing with Tony Galle

Stop in to Play and Connect with Other Playful Educators
Take your new skills and ideas to the next level by entering the Playful Learning Challenge

Playful Learning Lounge

Create With Cardboard

Monday, May 3, 3:30-4:30 PM

Grab some scrap cardboard, scissors, exacto knife, masking tape, glue or a glue gun, and come ready to learn some new techniques for creating cardboard attachments.

Prepare to unleash your creativity as you create with cardboard.

Learn a New Skill, Tips, and Tricks for creating with Cardboard
Create and Make Time with your New Skill
Connect and Discuss ideas for designing playful learning using Cardboard
Enter the No Tech – Low Tech – High Tech Playful Learning Challenge

Caty Wolfe is the Pre-Tech instructor at Center for Technology in Essex with a focus on art and technology She has integrated Design Thinking and Making into her curriculum and her students are always challenging her to push the boundaries. Her students have collaborated with creators of Pinbox 3000 to take the Pinboxes to new levels.

Playful Learning Lounge

Create With Paper

Thursday, May 6, 3:30-4:30 PM

Grab some paper, cardstock, glue, tape, and scissors and come learn how you might use paper in your creative designs.

Prepare to unleash your creativity.

Learn a New Skill, Tips, and Tricks for creating using different types of paper
Create and Make Time with your New Skill
Connect and Discuss ideas for designing playful learning using paper
Enter the No Tech – Low Tech – High Tech Playful Learning Challenge
Patricia Aigner is Technology Director at Rutland Public Schools. She is involved with the International Society for Technology in Education where she connects with educators around the world, and is a statewide leader around STEM education and the maker movement.

Playful Learning Lounge

Create With SVG Graphics

Monday, May 10, 3:30-4:30 PM

Bring your laptop or Chromebook and we’ll create our own designs to cut out using Cricut/Silhouette cutters or laser cutters from paper, cardboard, vinyl, wood, fabric, leather, or acrylic.
With this new skill you can take your creations to a new level.


Prepare to unleash your creativity.

Learn a New Skill, Tips, and Tricks for creating using SVG Graphics
Create and Make Time with your New Skill
Connect and Discuss ideas for designing playful learning using SVG Graphics
Enter the No Tech – Low Tech – High Tech Playful Learning Challenge

Lucie deLaBruere has spent 30 years as am ambassador of creativity and innovation in K12 schools. From her days as a high school teacher, to her time as a K-8 innovation coach to teaching graduate courses, she has integrated cutting edge technology. She is passionate about connecting educators who love to design hands on minds on learning through creating and making.

Playful Learning Lounge

Create With Loose Parts

Thursday, May 13, 3:30-4:30 PM

 Grab a shoe box and fill it with masking tape, craft supplies. bottle caps, foam, paper, recycling or anything you might find in your junk drawer at home or at school.

Prepare to unleash your creativity as you invent using your loose parts box.

Learn a New Skill, Tips, and Tricks for creating with Loose Parts
Create and Make Time with your New Skill
Connect and Discuss ideas for designing playful learning using Loose Parts
Enter the No Tech – Low Tech – High Tech Playful Learning Challenge
Darcie Rankin started her professional career as an electrical engineer, but found her true passion was for working with students when she had a chance to go into schools to speak about science and engineering. She received her elementary teaching endorsement and Masters degree in Curriculum from St. Michael’s College. She has been learning alongside elementary students for the last eleven years and loves working with younger learners to engage them with hands-on activities. She strives to infuse her educational practice with student voice and choice as she encourages students to take risks, be creative, collaborate, play and have fun! She is currently a PreK – 8 STEAM educator at St. Albans City School in St. Albans, Vermont. Darcie is also a code.org elementary level facilitator for Vermont and enjoys connecting coding and robotics with the elementary learning experience.

Playful Learning Lounge

Create With Micro-bits

Monday, May 17, 3:30-4:30 PM

Bring your laptop or Chromebook and we’ll use a the Microbit virtual environment to introduce you to how you might use Micro:bits to design playful learning. Combining code and physical computing will take your creative projects to a new level.

Prepare to unleash your creativity.

Learn a New Skill, Tips, and Tricks for creating using Micro-bits
Create and Make Time with your New Skill
Connect and Discuss ideas for designing playful learning using Micro-bits
Enter the No Tech – Low Tech – High Tech Playful Learning Challenge

Kristen Wilson is the information technology instructor at the River Valley Technical Center in Springfield, VT. She is an online teaching specialist and an adjunct faculty at VTVLC. Her fusion of art and technology involves making and inventing with microcontrollers, 3D printing and laser cutting. Kristen is president of Vita-Learn and is a lifelong learner. She is also a board member of NEISTE.

Playful Learning Lounge

Create With 3D-Printing

Thursday, May 20, 3:30-4:30 PM

Bring your laptop or Chromebook and get started with TinkerCad for designing for 3D printers. Pick up some tips and tricks to help you unleash your creativity.

Prepare to unleash your creativity.

Learn a New Skill, Tips, and Tricks for creating using Tinkercad
Create and Make Time with your New Skill
Connect and Discuss ideas for designing playful learning using 3D-Printing
Enter the No Tech – Low Tech – High Tech Playful Learning Challenge

Tony Galle has been an educator in Vermont for 18 years. He’s a former Art teacher with a passion for technology (in his artwork and personal life). Having completed a Master’s degree program at UVM with an Education Technology focus, he now works as the Technology Integration Specialist at St. Albans Town Educational Center. Tony built his first 3D printer in 2014, and he now combines his expertise with SketchUp and TinkerCad and his experiences with 3D modeling to teach students of all ages how to create.

WeVideo Logo
Platinum Sponsor

Vita-Learn Member
Login