Makerspaces are becoming a hot button draw in schools, as they should! A makerspace allows for students to take risks and be creative. But the price tags of elaborate 3D printers, coding robots, circuit sets, and coding systems can make a makerspace seem unattainable. With budgets being squeezed to the last penny and wanting to bring this mindset to my district, I figured out how to start a makerspace for less than $20 in my school. Here’s how you can do it, too.
STEP 1: Upcycle!
Check with your school’s maintenance department. The odds are that there is a closet or room where “equipment” goes to die. Look for:
- Desks
- Filing cabinets
- Shelving
- Peg boards
For my makerspace, I used an old teacher’s desk and a filing cabinet. You can find some really creative filing cabinet ideas out there, including ones that have been covered and painted.
I was also able to find…
