To foster the next generation of critical thinkers, problem solvers, innovators, and leaders through hands-on creativity-enhancing exploration.
INTRODUCING THE CHILD CREATIVITY LAB
The Child Creativity Lab’s mission is to foster the next generation of critical thinkers, problem solvers, innovators, and leaders through hands-on creativity-enhancing exploration. The organization’s vision is to inspire children to challenge their comfort levels and thereby raising their potential for personal development and contributions to society.
The Child Creativity Lab opened its Depot for Creative Reuse in September of 2015. This facility features a community makerspace that offers an eclectic variety of STEM-based workshops for children, teens, and educators that are hands-on, purposeful, and yet fun, engaging, and similar in excitement level and entertainment value of jump houses and other “pure-play” amusement centers.
In addition, the Depot for Creative Reuse provides a much-needed resource to the community for extremely affordable reclaimed and reusable materials sourced from businesses all throughout Southern California.
The organization also offers STEM-based educational outreach programs, via the CCL Museum-on-Wheels, to schools, libraries, community events, afterschool programs, churches, and more.
EDUCATION SYSTEM ALIGNMENT
The CCL’s mission supports key deliverables associated with California’s adoption of the Common Core State Standards, a real-world approach to learning and teaching.
Furthermore, in early 2013, the California State Department of Education joined the national Partnership for 21st Century Skills (P21) initiative, becoming the 18th state in the network. P21 helps address a critical concern of the federal No Child Left Behind Act by preparing students for an “increasingly competitive economy that demands innovation”. P21 doesn’t look to replace the core subject areas; rather, it integrates a “4Cs” platform into the curriculum of each existing academic core standard that our schools are graded on. One of the 4Cs is explicitly defined as “Creativity and Innovation”.
As an engaged partner to our school systems, the CCL’s STEM-based programs and activities will be designed to support these overarching California State Department of Education initiatives.
ACCESS TO UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS
The CCL will purposely support access to all children and families, regardless of financial and other limitations. Based on household income levels in Orange County, CA, it is anticipated at least 11% and upwards of 20% of total admissions at the CCL will be free or substantially reduced to accomodate these families. The CCL is also committed to building its facility well close to various forms of public transportation, providing access to the entire community.[1],[2]
HELP CREATE OUR CHILDREN’S LEGACY
We invite you to learn more about the CCL and how we can partner together to bring this much-needed resource to Orange County, California.