A Haven of Creativity: The WonderLab’s Unforgettable Impact
“Dad, I don’t want to go trick-or-treating, I want to stay in the WonderLab!” These words, uttered by an 11-year-old on Halloween night, perfectly encapsulate the magic we aimed to create with Mayor Clayton’s WonderLab. Brooklee, a remarkable young visitor on her Make-A-Wish trip, found an irresistible allure in our new STEAM activity center. Hailing from Utah, she spent her week-long, cost-free vacation at Give Kids The World Village – an 89-acre storybook resort for children with critical illnesses – requesting daily visits to the WonderLab. By the end of her stay, her entrance was met with cheers from volunteers and staff, a testament to the profound joy and engagement the space inspires.
Opened in July 2024, Mayor Clayton’s WonderLab, a vibrant six-room STEAM center, has been met with an overwhelming response. Stories like Brooklee’s are common, featuring faces illuminated with excitement and a palpable sense of accomplishment. Parents frequently share how their children loved the activities so much, they plan to replicate them at home. Perhaps most impressively, even teenagers, a notoriously hard-to-please demographic, have remained captivated for hours on end.
Designing Dreams: The Vision Behind the WonderLab
The genesis of a makerspace at Give Kids The World came from Ian Cole, the Village’s Chief Innovation Officer and producer of Maker Faire Orlando. In 2020, he enlisted the talents of my husband, Evan – a brilliant designer – and myself, an experiential educator. Together, our trio made the pivotal decisions that ultimately brought the WonderLab to life.
Give Kids The World Village already boasts an impressive array of themed venues, from a majestic castle and a movie theater to an ice cream shop and thrilling rides. Families return each evening from Orlando’s theme parks to themed parties, including a beloved Halloween bash – hence Brooklee’s memorable comment. Within this rich context, our challenge was to design an experience specifically for vacationing tweens and teens: a space that was beautifully themed, highly adaptable, and deeply aligned with the Village’s mission of inspiring hope for wish families. All of this was to be housed within a building requiring extensive renovation.
Balancing Whimsy and Practicality: The Design Philosophy
The core design challenge for the WonderLab was multifaceted: how to create a space that was flexible yet attractive, childlike without being childish, and neither overstimulating nor boring. We sought a delicate balance that would resonate as ‘cool’ with teens, yet never overshadow the activities themselves. Our solution was to craft a compelling narrative that would serve as the foundation for every subsequent design decision.
Once the story was established, the design elements began to coalesce. Evan envisioned a “childlike sci-fi” aesthetic, characterized by a bright color palette and elements drawn from the Wonderbot world. Crucially, natural wood was integrated throughout the space. This design choice provides a visual resting place from the vibrant colors, with the end grain of the wood deliberately exposed to allow children to observe the construction and craftsmanship – a concept we affectionately term “practical whimsy.”
The WonderLab’s Unique Narrative
At the heart of the WonderLab is Mayor Clayton, the Village’s beloved 6-foot-tall bunny mayor. Having met countless children over the years, Mayor Clayton recognized their boundless creativity and the need for a dedicated space to nurture it at the Village. He called upon his trusted friends, the Wonderbots – named Wonder, Imagination, and Possibility – to help bring his vision to fruition. They eagerly agreed, transforming an old building into a cutting-edge lab filled with robotic inventions.
One such invention is the ingenious Brilliance Bottler. This machine collects creative brilliance, converting it into usable power for the lab. Thus, every time a child sparks an idea, they are quite literally helping to keep the lights on – a powerful metaphor for the impact of their ingenuity.
Experiential Education: Learning Through Doing
While Evan meticulously crafted the design, look, and feel of the WonderLab, my focus was entirely on its functionality. With 16 years of teaching experience primarily in history, art, and literature, I initially felt daunted by the prospect of designing STEAM/STEM activities. My lack of direct experience in these fields was a significant hurdle. However, the answer became clear: learn as much as possible from those who are experts.
Our dedicated team, including Evan and Christie Miga and Ian Cole, worked tirelessly from concept through construction. On opening day, our facilitators – all passionate volunteers – were ready to guide children through a myriad of engaging activities, from controlling animatronic figures with MIDI controllers to weaving bracelets on 3D-printed looms. The WonderLab stands as a testament to collaborative innovation, proving that with creativity and dedication, a space can be built that not only entertains but profoundly inspires.
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