KID Museum
Why Failure in Making?
We already included reflective practice around iteration into our student experience at KID, but spending time to reflect on our time as educators was why we were interested in this opportunity because it was done as often as we desired.
What has been most helpful and has continued on as a conversation is thinking about designing activities with productive failure in mind. This has pushed educators to think about how to intentionally eliminate certain moments of failure (i.e., the wrong tools or supplies), but to work in elements where learners can iterate, or learn through making mistakes, etc. (Lead Facilitator)
One Failure Moment or Challenge
One failure moment came at the start of the process, when educators felt very self-conscious and worried that reviewing their teaching would feel like a performance evaluation. We overcame this challenge by using tools from the website like the “failure buckets” notetaking sheet and the bingo activity (“I would’ve said the same thing”), which reframed the experience as collaborative and reflective rather than evaluative. Allowing educators to pre-select a handful of video clips for facilitators to choose from also helped them feel more in control. Together, these strategies clarified that the goal was experiential learning and professional growth, not judgment.
one insight or practice We Continue
One key practice our organization has carried forward is intentionally discussing productive failure when designing new activities. Rather than focusing solely on what will make an activity “work,” we now consider where moments of struggle might naturally occur, how staff can support visitors through those moments, and how to turn setbacks into opportunities for reflection and learning.
About us
MISSION: KID Museum fosters the “Mind of a Maker” in kids and youth, empowering the next generation with the skills to invent the future.
VISION: We see the world as full of promise, potential, and possibility. We envision a bold future where there are pathways for every young person to engage in the hands-on, transformational learning and exploration that unlocks new opportunities. We work everyday to make this vision a reality.
At KID Museum, we see the world with the “mind of a maker”— a worldview that is guided by our values, curiosity, creativity, collaboration, and compassion. We foster this mindset in the kids and youth we serve, working with them to become empathetic and persistent problem-solvers, teammates, and changemakers.
