StartKidsUp is an educational innovation project that seeks to develop leadership and self-esteem in children from 6 to 12 years old so that they face their daily challenges with passion and autonomy.
We accomplish it by using Design Thinking in educational activities (extracurricular, games, and workshops).
The StartKidsUp experience…
Design Thinking is a methodology that allows working on entrepreneurship, innovation, and social impact. When we take it to the educational field, this proposal offers children a real context from which they will be able to learn to manage their (frustration, self-esteem, resilience through the success and failure inherent in innovation) and learn key skills (empathy, creativity, critical thinking, through real problem-solving).).
StartKidsUp has created a curriculum based on Design Thinking that is distinguished by three elements:
our games are designed to help children develop the skills and emotions involved in Design Thinking. They are created to give kids a fun way to get ready for the challenge of creating their innovative project. Some of them are:
Based on the popular game TABÚ, children are exposed to buying and selling objects while working on their communication skills, negotiation skills, and financial literacy. And along the way, they expose themselves to managing high doses of frustration!
Based on the popular game Catan, children apply skills and strategies to acquire secret locations on a world map. They learn to wait, to plan ahead of time, and to make decisions with limited information.
Based on the popular game Telephone, children learn to communicate assertively in the shortest possible time and empathically with others.
Based on the popular Monopoly game, children learn concepts such as saving, investing, and property management in a fun way. They put their decision into practice.
Based on the popular memory game, children reinforce their recognition of the Sustainable Development Goals and reflect on which of the 17 SDGs seems most relevant and arouses the most interest.
At StartKidsUp, children have fun while they solve a real challenge. Example of challenges: How can we help children who are bullied? How can we help preserve the seabed of the city of Barcelona?
Four steps to overcoming a challenge with an innovative project
Based on a real challenge, chosen by them, they begin to investigate more about the problem, interview those involved to be able to empathize with them, observe the problem, etc
How can we help children who are bullied?
They consider, debate, and reach an agreement on the best solution to the problem.
We are going to create an anonymous support chat for other children who suffer from bullying
Here they shape their start-up. They create their logo, website, and the solution itself.
They prototype with the materials they like best. They use plasticine, Lego, Minecraft, Scratch, Canva, etc. to represent their innovative solution.
We designed a web page with a space to share anonymous messages by people who suffer bullying
They present, convince, and learn to justify why the world needs their project.
They get feedback, which isn’t always positive; when we innovate, we don’t always get it right the first time. So they learn to be patient and resilient, believing in themselves, and fighting for their projects!
We do our “elevator pitch” in front of children who have suffered from this problem and collect their impressions
Look at how Design Thinking materializes in our activities!
Video in which the children of StartKidsUp show us how they undertake
Once the experience is over, the little ones take away, in addition to a personal transformation and fun with their friends, a personalized assessment of their talent and key skills.. Our reports, designed by psychologists and educators, will help children and families discover more about their concerns, improvement opportunities, and key skills to reinforce the personal, social, and academic success of the child.
StartKidsUp will alter the life experiences of the kids who take part. They will have a real and unique experience that is not currently being carried out at school, which allows them to work on key skills for life and school.
The flexibility of the Design Thinking methodology allows for personalized learning and ensures that no one is left out. Any child with different capacities (ASD, high intellectual capacities, ADHD, etc.) will find all the opportunities to learn at StartKidsUp and be able to develop an innovative project with social impact according to their needs.
At StartKidsUp we know that the greatest need that a child from 6 to 12 years old has is the construction of their self-esteem and self-concept.. That is why we always talk about a magic triangle: me, us and society. At StartKidsUp, children evolve from:
Educators, entrepreneurs, and designers committed to generating an impact on future generations, so that children can be autonomous and happy in the world of today and tomorrow.
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