Creative Learning Kits for Physical Microworlds: Supporting the making of meaningful projects using low-cost materials

Creative learning kits are physical, low-cost and easy to fabricate materials that support creative learning experiences. The kits were designed to be used in the context of physical microworlds: environments that support learning through the making of personally meaningful projects. Since the microworlds were first proposed by Seymour Papert in the 1980s, implementations of microworlds tend to use primarily technology-based kits that require high-end materials like computers. In low-resourced settings, what might the possibilities be to implement this approach using primarily low-cost and familiar materials? To explore these questions, we present the design of four physical, low-cost kits: Creature Creature Creation Kit, Interior Design Kit, Wearable Kit, and Automata Kit. Based on observations from initial tests in workshops with kids ages 6-8 years old, we share some preliminary insights: children were not only able to create and express themselves with the kits, but also able to see familiar materials in new ways. We conclude by reflecting on challenges and opportunities for designing creative learning kits that use affordable, accessible, and reproducible materials to implement physical microworlds.