Looking to give kids a safe and mentally stimulating place to play, the Think Tank for Children has arrived in La Jolla.
The center, which opened Feb. 14 for children ages 6-11, uses projects and daily challenges to teach children to collaborate, solve problems, research, communicate and hone their reading, writing and math skills.
It features five areas: Nana’s Condo, a Dino Lab, a Makers Space, the PBL HQ and outdoor spaces at 1110 Torrey Pines Road.
The center is led by La Jolla resident and retired educator Mary Sue Lindsay, who often used project-based learning, or PBL, in her classrooms.
“Project-based learning is inquiry-based learning, so instead of you giving them facts, they use their natural curiosity to find answers,” she said. “They are actively involved in the learning process, and the more involved you are, the more you are going to what you are learning. They have fun while learning, but it’s also challenging.”
Participants engage in daily challenges such as creating a piece of art or going on a scavenger hunt at the location. A longer-term project looks to solve a problem and can take six to eight weeks.
“For the big project, everyone comes together in small groups and brainstorms,” Lindsay said. “I love having multi-age groups because they have different ideas and approaches. It creates more questions. They look at how the problem formed in the first place, who is trying to solve the problem now, and how it affects us.
“The culminating project is a presentation to their parents, going over what research they did, what conclusions they drew and how they collaborated with others. Students today don’t have many opportunities to collaborate with each other. These students will work together to find answers.”
The center is open from 12:30 to 5:30 p.m. Wednesdays and Fridays, 2:30-5:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays. Session costs range from $40 to $75. Reservations are required.
Participants have the option to enroll one or several days a week, and projects are modified so everyone can contribute.
“When students come here, they are going to feel safe to use the equipment, type on the typewriter, get water from the fridge or flow between the rooms,” Lindsay said. “Having that space feel good and comfortable and have lots of resources is really important.
“There are also no screens here, and I think it’s great to give them that break.”
When she was a teacher for 20 years in Virginia, Washington state and Los Angeles, Lindsay wanted to create spaces “with a lot of things around for students to look at and be curious about,” she said.
“When I was a principal [for 20 more years at private schools], if there was a room available, we would create that space so teachers could take their students there.”
“I’m really excited” about re-creating that with the Think Tank for Children, Lindsay added. “There are lots of options for children in La Jolla right now, but I feel like there is room for one more. … It has turned out to be a lovely space.”
Tours will be offered from 10 a.m. to noon Saturdays, Feb. 22 and March 1. For more information about the center or to make reservations, visit marysuelindsaysthinktank.com. ♦
