PICS: #FuturePark Technology makes learning a walk in the park

Published Feb 24, 2018

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Fancy your children building their own towns, composing their own music and creating their own virtual reality?

And adults are welcome to Team Lab Future Park at the Globe at Silverstar Casino in Joburg too, says Edmund Beukes, the project organiser for Future Park.

“Future Park was down in Cape Town for four months and we had countless adults coming alone to try out all the exciting activities. It’s meant for kids but adults have just as much fun,” he says.

With its offerings of digital hopscotch, Sketch town Papercraft and Light Ball Orchestra, Future Park has entranced more than 4million visitors worldwide.

Since its launch in 2014, exhibitions have been held in the US, Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and Singapore.

“The exhibition stimulates your child’s imagination as they build towns, compose their own music and create their own virtual reality.

“Children get to express their creativity in a unique way, while social skills are encouraged and an interest in technology and respect for diversity is fostered.

“Children can see their drawings come to life and adults can explore and indulge their imagination.”

In Light Ball Orchestra, children mingle in a space filled with colourful balls that contain sensors.

“Together the balls constitute an orchestra.

"The balls change colour when touched and when rolled they make sounds that change the music played by the orchestra.”

The Sketch Aquarium, says Beukes, is one of the biggest hits. “Each participant is invited to colour a drawing of a sea creature. Once completed, the paper is scanned and the image is projected on to a giant virtual aquarium.

“Children will be able to see their creations come to life and swim with all the other sea creatures.

"They may also touch the fish to see them swim away, or touch the virtual food bag to feed the fish.”

Then, there’s the Connecting Block Town. This activity involves children creating their own cities with digital cars and trains running on digital tracks.

Wooden blocks are used first to create the tracks and roads, and then digital versions are projected on to them. Children can even link their cities with others’ creations.

“Future Park is a playground for kids in the future. It’s all about kids interacting with technology. And not only is it fun but also educational. It teaches children about spatial development as well as fine motoring skills.”

Future Park will run for six weeks at Silverstar.

@SamNaik01 

The Saturday Star

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