Last week we had a very enjoyable day at Maidstone Grammar School for Girls running a Crazy Golf Workshop, this workshop is proving very popular this term and I’m sure you can see why! It encompasses so many different aspects of STEAM learning by combining coding knowledge with design and technology to build an interactive crazy golf obstacle.
What is a Crazy Golf Workshop?
In our Crazy Golf workshop learners work together to problem-solve and build a mini golf course, which involves the use of physical computing to program and build fun interactions to trigger throughout the course. First they need to program the micro:bit’s light sensor to detect when the ball passes through a tunnel at the start of the course, this restricts the light reading briefly which triggers other events to happen, such as a spinning ferris wheel or a monster’s mouth opening (to name but a few).
To build their creations learners use a micro:bit and connect additional electronics using a ring:bit as a breakout board. This allows servos and NeoPixel LED strips to be connected easily and also provides power through the connected battery pack. Throughout the workshop learners must, not only, overcome coding challenges but they also have to consider their designs to create something that is both appealing and robust. The girls produced some amazing results and had a great time as well. Here’s a video showing an overview of the day:
If you’re interested in booking one of our workshops in your school, check out our workshop list here.