Give Kids The World Village has debuted Mayor Clayton’s WonderLab, a one-of-a-kind, immersive STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) activity center. As this charity, WISH-granting destination continues to inspire hope and fulfill dreams, they also continue expanding their memory-creating offerings. Mayor Clayton’s WonderLab is a place of inspiration for dreamers of all ages.
Inside, six unique spaces engage families in a wide spectrum of fun and educational activities. Lab Access is the futuristic entrance where families are welcomed by an animatronic robot dressed like Mayor Clayton, the Village’s six-foot mayor bunny. Here, kids can learn about the myriad of activities and state-of-the-art learning tools available each day.
Mayor Clayton’s WonderLab
Mayor Clayton’s WonderLab is located in the heart of the village. Next door to unlimited ice cream, ADA accessible rides and a new spa, this WonderLab will offer indoor experiences all-year-round. In fact, the indoor elements are a key factor in this opening. Give Kids The World Village has a large outdoor water play area, accessible attractions and even pony rides. But Florida’s unpredictable weather can cause those to shut down at a moments notice. Mayor Clayton’s WonderLab is ready for fun, no matter the weather.
“The WonderLab is designed to spark new interests, excitement and hope for teens and tweens who visit Give
Kids The World Village as part of our ongoing effort to create magical experiences and unforgettable memories for
every member of the family,” says Give Kids The World Chief Innovative Officer Ian Cole.
3D printing and friendship bracelets
One area that stuck out was the Friendship Bracelet Station. This seemed like the perfect combo of tech, personal connection and kid-friendly. 3D printers are hard at work inside of the WonderLab. These printers are creating animatronic birds, new play pieces and even these special looms.
Kids of all ages are welcome to try their hands at making a friendship bracelet. And, the work isn’t regulated to the WonderLab. As kids explore Central Florida’s park, take a flight home or even hang in their village cottages, they can continue working. This tactile experience can be used again-and-again, and it all starts inside of the WonderLab.
It begins with education, as kids are taught about the 3D printers and how they can build their own friendship bracelets. From there, children are gifted their own 3D printed loom and shown how to make a bracelet. Their imagination is set free as they choose different color pieces of yard in whatever line-up they desire. This newly created skill can be used anywhere, no Wi-Fi or power required. These kids can create a real-world object to share with loved ones – something simple but very memorable.
From yarn into memories
These colored pieces of yarn can stand for memories, favorite attributes, emotions and more. The kids get to be creative and have distractions from hospital visits, lines at the theme parks or whatever life throws at them.
With the in-house 3D printers, these looms can be made special for each child. And, as new ideas are born, the machines can help this area modify its offerings. Many offerings at Mayor Clayton’s WonderLab are fun and educational, but this project stood out because it offered a take-home aspect.
Imagination & engineering inside the WonderLab
The tech gets a big upgrade thanks to Garner Holt. Garnet Holt’s technology and imagination can be seen at Disneyland, Las Vegas, Universal Studios Hollywood and many other world-famous entertainment destinations. Now their tech can also be enjoyed by future designers and engineers.
From basic functions to set-up show sequences, these WISH Kids and their families can take control of animatronics. During our visit, we watched kids quickly learn the controls and bring these robots to life. Move an arm, twist the torso or tilt the head, all customizable functions of these donated robots.
Garner Holt has offered educational elements via the Garner Holt Education through Imagination for years. Now visitors to Give Kids The World Village are encouraged to explore and learn any day of their visit. Even the youngest kids can learn with simplified lessons and examples.
Edutainment (education through entertainment)
You don’t need to be able to process all the elements of a complex animatronic to enjoy this area. In fact, you can simplify the process down to a single movement. Kids and family members can build their own hydraulic elements with instructions and colorful tools. From a simple lift to a more complex system, this area encourages tactile learning.
This continues in a separate area of the WonderLab where kids are encouraged to see the interworking of a bird animatronic. From a base wooden skeleton, to gears, power, plastic and even feathers, each step is broken down.
Digital animation aspects are also explored with a set of stop-animation desks. Using small toys, fabric sets and a smart tablet kids can build their own movie picture-after-picture. On the opening day a child was determined to create a dinosaur film, complete with a full cast of prehistoric characters.
The Brilliance Bottler connects the WonderLab areas at Give Kids The World
In another area of Mayor Clayton’s WonderLab memory games are used to fill up the Brilliance Bottler, which is powered by kids’ wonder, imagination and possibility. This Brilliance Bottler connects every section of the WonderLab with themed lighting elements. Kids can see their work transfer into colored elements which align with the lab’s robot ambassadors, Won (for Wonder), Mage (for Imagination) and Bil (for Possibility).
You can tell a lot of heart and thought went into this Give Kids The World Village renovation. If you weren’t aware, a large majority of this village is powered by volunteers. From weekly, to monthly, or even single trip visits, these volunteers offer their assistance and stories to needing families. Give Kids The World states, “One of less than 1% of all U.S. charities to receive Charity Navigator’s highest rating 17 years in a row, Give Kids The World is made possible by thousands of dedicated volunteers, who donate their time, talent and passion filling up to 1,800 volunteer shifts every week.”
The Mission of Give Kids The World Village
Give Kids The World Village is an 89-acre, whimsical nonprofit resort in Central Florida that provides critically ill children and their families from around the world with magical week-long wish vacations at no cost. Amidst snoring trees, enchanting castles and the world’s largest game of Candy Land, Give Kids The World creates life-changing moments that lift spirits, renew hope and inspire belief in the impossible.
Every year, more than 30,000 children in the U.S. are diagnosed with a critical illness; and half of those who are eligible for a Wish choose to visit Orlando and its world-famous theme parks and attractions. Give Kids The World Village is the nonprofit that fulfills all of these wishes. Their nonstop work is nothing short of a miracle.
EYNTK.info stands firmly behind Give Kids The World and their mission. We have personally witnessed life-changing moments at the Village, even during our limited visits. Since 1986, Give Kids The World has welcomed nearly 200,000 families from all 50 states and 77 countries to laugh together, play together and create priceless memories away from hospital stays and medical treatments. We encourage you to learn more, volunteer and donate to this amazing cause.
Ponies, skyscrapers and magical castles for charity
Ever wanted to see a magical pony? Give Kids The World has the connection. Ever wanted to descend down a skyscraper to raise money for Make-A-Wish Children? Give Kids The World can make it happen. Want to know how this village is remembering the legacy of these children? Take a look inside the castle.
