Full STEAM Ahead: Building Brighter Futures Through Play

The Grand Forks Children's Museum’s pop-up mini museum, Full STEAM Ahead, is more than a celebration of science, technology, engineering, art, and math—it’s a joyful invitation to explore what it means to grow, connect, and thrive.

Yes, kids build towers, solve math challenges, design quilt squares, create luminescent art and launch drones, but they also build friendships. They take turns, share tools, play games together and cheer each other on. They experiment with ideas, not just materials and learn that mistakes aren’t setbacks, but stepping stones. They collaborate, compromise, and discover that every voice matters.

Discovery is everywhere: in the sparkle of a child realizing how gears work, in the quiet pride of solving a puzzle, in the laughter that erupts when a tower topples and gets rebuilt, taller than before. These moments aren’t just educational; they’re transformational.

At Full STEAM Ahead, we celebrate success in all its forms, whether it’s designing a train track, treating an animal in the veterinary clinic, or a shared high-five. Every triumph, big or small, builds confidence, resilience, and joy.

Sometimes, the most powerful learning happens when kids are simply playing together. In that space of imagination and connection, they’re practicing empathy, respect, and the art of being part of something bigger than themselves.

Full STEAM Ahead honors the foundational principles of childhood: curiosity, creativity, collaboration, and kindness. It’s hands-on learning, heart-forward growth, and a whole lot of fun.

Katie Mayer, Executive Director, Grand Forks Children's Museum