Marley has been coming to Thinkery’s Meredith Learning Lab since she was 2 years old. For her and her family, Thinkery has been a magical place where learning is fun and engaging. At Spark After Dark: Cheers to 40 years, she shared about her experience falling in love with learning at Thinkery.
When I was eight…which feels like forever ago I went paragliding! You take a running leap of fear and faith off a cliff. The next thing you know you’re soaring 10,000 feet in the air. It was scary to take that jump. But once I did, and I was soaring through the sky, it was thrilling! It taught me that I can do hard and sometimes scary things. When you think about it, it’s kind of what learning feels like. A little scary, but exciting. And when you’re done you feel so good!
That’s why I love Thinkery. It’s learning and fun. I’ve been coming here for as long as I can remember. Before the doors opened, I came to visit the pigs outside. As I grew older, I came after my mom finished work. I went to summer camp. I even had a sleepover here. Austin kids are so lucky to have a magical place like this right here! Over the years, I went from listening to stories in the story nook to exploring how water moves in currents and then creating in Innovators Workshop and at Summer Camp. Now that I’m a lot older I get to bring my younger cousins! They are from Houston, so they don’t have a Thinkery!
To me, what makes Thinkery so special is that we kids get to explore, have fun, and learn. I have dyslexia which makes some learning hard for me. But at Thinkery, every kid, no matter what, gets to be creative and explore and experience in our own way. You can ask my parents… I like to be in charge. It’s great to try new things, make mistakes, and try again. The best part is… when I figure it out, I get to show someone else… including my parents. Did you know you can use your cell phone flashlight to write on the wall in the light lab? My mom didn’t either.
Thinkery is turning 40, So this is like Thinkery’s birthday party. Of course, birthday parties have cake and candles and wishes. I’m going to do something we’re not supposed to do. I’m going to tell you Thinkery’s birthday wish because I know with all the people in this room, WE can make this wish come true. Thinkery’s birthday wish is: That ALL kids get the chance to fall in love with “Thinkery learning” the same way I have. Because we should all have the opportunity to explore and soar.
You can help ensure that children, like Marley, have the opportunity to learn, play, and grow! Make a gift today to spark joyful learning for ALL.