👻 Robot Invasion Goes Global! Join Our #VirtualMakerBoo Home Challenge
Rupali Sharma • October 13, 2025
Hello Makers and Friends!
Our annual Halloween Maker Faire is just around the corner on Sunday, October 26th, bringing a high-energy dose of spooky science and creativity to our town! But if you can't join us in person for the Robot Invasion and Haunted Classroom, don't worry—the fun is going virtual!
We're inviting our entire community, near and far, to participate in the #VirtualMakerBoo Home Challenge! This is a FREE and imaginative contest for kids ages 3 to 15 to get hands-on and show off their spookiest, silliest, or smartest creations right from your kitchen table.
Grab your recycled materials, craft supplies, and a few spooky snacks, and choose your creative mission!
The 5 Spooktacular Challenges!
You can enter one challenge or all five. The goal is simple: invent, design, and have fun!
1. The Box Bot (Engineering & Recycling)
- The Mission: Design and build a spooky, silly, or fierce robot using only recycled materials you find at home (cardboard, foil, plastic bottles, egg cartons, etc.). Give your bot a great Halloween-themed name!
- Ages: Best for ages 6-15.
2. The Ghostly Glow Jar (Art & Light)
- The Mission: Create a beautiful, spooky lantern or decorative jar using paint, tissue paper, cutouts, or stickers. Your jar must include a simple, safe light source (like a small flashlight or battery-operated tea light) to show off its ghostly glow in the dark!
- Ages: Best for ages 5-12.
3. The Candy Corn Catapult (Physics & Movement)
- The Mission: Engineer a working mini-catapult or simple machine designed to launch candy corn (or any small, safe, seasonal item) as far as possible. Focus on making the machine stable and functional!
- Ages: Best for ages 8-15.
4. The Haunted Habitat (Design & Storytelling)
- The Mission: Build a miniature, spooky environment or diorama—a "Haunted Habitat"—for a small toy creature (like a plastic spider or a mini monster). Use natural elements (twigs, moss) and craft materials to bring a tiny, terrifying scene to life inside a shoebox or small container.
- Ages: Best for ages 3-10.
5. Spooky Snack Science (Culinary Creativity)
- The Mission: Decorate a cookie, cupcake, or simple snack to look like a mad scientist experiment, a monster face, or a haunted house. Creativity and color are key! (Adult supervision is required for all kitchen tasks.)
- Ages: All ages!
📸 How to Enter & Get Voted "Fan Favorite"
We want to see your creations! Follow these simple steps to make sure your entry is counted:
- CREATE: Complete one (or more!) of the challenges above.
- CAPTURE: Take a clear photo or a short (15-second max) video clip of your creation. (For the Catapult, a video is a great idea!)
- SHARE: Post your photo/video on your favorite social media platform (Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn or X) by Sunday, October 26th, at 5:00 PM EST.
- TAG: You MUST use the hashtag #VirtualMakerBoo and tag our page @Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn or X so we can find your entry!
🏆 Voting & Recognition
All eligible entries tagged with #VirtualMakerBoo will be collected! On Monday, October 27th, we will feature the top entries on our social channels and let the entire community vote for the "Fan Favorite" across all categories.
The Fan Favorite winner will receive Ultimate Online Recognition, which includes:
- A custom, printable Digital Maker Certificate of Achievement.
- A permanent Feature Story right here on our blog, celebrating their process and invention.
- A celebratory shout-out across all our social media channels!
Happy Halloween Making! We can't wait to see what you invent!
When you first step into a T.E.C. School’s Montessori classroom, you might notice something wonderfully unique: children of varying ages learning and working together in the same space. It's a hallmark of our approach, and visitors often ask us: "How can children with such different sizes and abilities all be supported, challenged, and thrive in one dynamic community?" The answer lies in one of the deepest secrets of Montessori pedagogy, a simple yet incredibly effective approach: the "three-year cycle." This cycle is a foundational element that underpins our holistic mission, including our vibrant STEAM curriculum, ensuring every child finds their footing, grows with purpose, and ultimately blossoms.
"The child is both hope and promise for mankind." – Maria Montessori As parents, don't we all yearn for our children to not just succeed, but to thrive? To grow into individuals who are not only capable and intelligent but also compassionate, resilient, and ready to contribute positively to the world? When you look at your child, do you see the vast, untapped potential, the bright spark of curiosity, and wonder how best to nurture it into a fulfilling future?