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Microsoft Flagship Store and littleBits Bring Kids a Summer of Inventing
[June 23, 2016]

Microsoft Flagship Store and littleBits Bring Kids a Summer of Inventing


Kicking off on July 5th, the Microsoft (News - Alert) Flagship Store in New York will host a free series of unique summer camp experiences called "Be an Inventor with littleBits," as part of Microsoft Stores' YouthSpark camps taking place throughout July and August in their New York retail location. The free four-day maker camps at the Microsoft Flagship Store located at 677 Fifth Ave. in New York will take place throughout July and August and will allow kids to explore their creativity through littleBits, a platform of easy to use electronic building blocks. Through this innovative summer camp experience, kids ages 8-11 will get an introduction to electronics and robotics in a fun, interactive, and collaborative environment. Those interested in learning more details and signing up can do so at microsoft.com/youthsparkcamp or microsoftstore.com/newyork.

Campers will utilize the award-winning and critically-acclaimed littleBits' Gizmos and Gadgets Kit to bring their ideas to life and make amazing inventions such as a remote-controlled car to do their bidding, or an art spinner create beautiful geometric patterns. Through the littleBits Invention Cycle, kids will learn how to create, play, remix, and share inventions while building creative confidence, problem-solving and collaboration skills. Through the littleBits "Invent for Good" Open Challenge, campers will be asked to brainstorm and prototype an invention that addresses a problem in someone's life. Campers will then showcase the best of their ideas to parents, caregivers, and peers in the final day of camp.

p> Ayah Bdeir, CEO and Founder of littleBits, said, "Microsoft Stores have been supportive in joining our mission to get kids inventing. Together we are introducing the next generation to robotics, electronics, coding and other technologies that help hone their problem solving skills and encourage them to create. Our mission at littleBits is to not only inspire kids to invent, but also to provide them with the confidence to do it, which is why there is so much synergy in our series of free maker camps at the Microsoft Flagship Store."



Allison Knight, Community Development Specialist at the Microsoft Flagship Store in New York said, "'Be an Inventor with littleBits' is a great addition to our YouthSpark summer curriculum and we are excited to host these workshops exclusively at the Microsoft Flagship Stores in New York and Sydney. Microsoft Stores offer free programming, classes and workshops year-round for students, and the collaboration with littleBits is another great way for kids to be creative with technology and learn valuable skills."

"Be an Inventor with littleBits" is one of many YouthSpark Summer Camps hosted by Microsoft Stores designed to teach kids the basics of coding, how to create games and apps, and other STEM and computer science skills. You can learn more about Microsoft's YouthSpark initiative at microsoft.com/youthsparkcamp.


About littleBits

littleBits is the New York-based hardware startup that is on a mission to Democratize Hardware by empowering everyone-of any gender, age or technical background-to Create Inventions, large and small, with its innovative platform of easy-to-use Electronic Building Blocks. The company's innovative building blocks snap together with magnets to allow anyone to build, invent, and prototype with electronics independent of age, gender and technical background. From classrooms to homes, littleBits is driving excitement for invention-based learning through design challenges and in-classroom curriculum. The company is also dedicated to successfully bridging the gender gap with its gender-neutral platform, inspiring young girls and young boys to unleash their creativity and embrace STEAM (Science, Technology, Art and Mathematics) through the invention cycle. littleBits is being used by more than 12,000 educators across the world as an engaging tool for making STEAM more accessible to all students and preparing them for the jobs that haven't been invented yet.

The company was founded in 2011 by MIT (News - Alert) graduate, TED Senior Fellow and cofounder of the Open Hardware Summit, Ayah Bdeir, and has grown to be a global leader in hardware. Bdeir was named one of Fast Company's Most Creative People in Business, one of one of Inc.'s "35 Under 35" and "Entrepreneurs to Watch," one of Entrepreneur's "10 Leaders to Watch," one of Popular Mechanics' "25 Makers Who Are Reinventing the American Dream," and one of MIT Technology Review's 35 Innovators Under 35. The littleBits platform includes more than 9 kits and 67 interoperable modules with millions of products sold to over 150 countries around the world. The littleBits invention app takes inventing to new levels with thousands of additional invention ideas and challenges. The company was named in CNN's "Top 10 Startups to Watch", one of the CNBC Next List, and has been profiled by the BBC, Bloomberg (News - Alert), CNBC, Wired, Popular Mechanics. To learn more, visit littleBits.com.

About STEAM/STEM

While the STEM movement-a call to elevate the studies of science, technology, engineering and mathematics as a national priority-began to take shape in 2006, a separate push to add the arts to that equation, transforming STEM to STEAM, followed soon after. By integrating art and design with STEM subjects, schools are working to strengthen students' abilities to be creative and flexible problem-solvers, to explore different ideas, to recognize failures as opportunities for discovery and to communicate well with others. With STEAM projects, students learn by inventing, creating and designing-and understanding the true meaning of human-centered design.


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