‘Tis the season of indoor play in NYC, and although it’s not my favorite season, I do try to get creative for the kiddos on the weekends. I am excited to share a new play space with you that is different from others I’ve seen. The GIANT Room mixes art with science, and is filled with the most challenging, yet fun activities for our little ones; from giant blank canvases for art making, to complicated tech tools they can put together and break apart, to laser cutters and 3D printers, this room is fully equipped to make our children feel GIANT. It is a colorful, safe, and educational environment for our kids to learn and explore independently, with the help of their female founders who have a background in early childhood education. It’s a space where kids can design clothing, make a mural, build a toy car, learn coding, and basically create anything they can think of. I can’t wait to take the girls to this Chelsea children’s paradise!
How did you get your start and what was your initial inspiration?
I want to create a world where every kid can act on their most GIANT dreams and dare to collectively build our future. For that to happen, they need an open space to grow their creative confidence, a culture that gives them the courage to make a mess and try new things, and a set of diverse mentors who guide them along the way. The GIANT Room provides exactly that space, that culture, and those mentors.
I have my PhD in Cognitive Studies in Education. I have spent countless hours over the years sitting down with kids, listening to their ideas, and trying to understand their points of view and ways of thinking. What I’ve learned is that kids have amazing thoughts and are eager to build on their ideas, but often times, they don’t get the chance to.
Most learning experiences for kids are curated step-by-step procedures designed by an adult - we do the thinking for them, and the kids’ role is to follow the steps. We often hide our learning process from kids; we learn behind the scenes and then show up in front of them as “experts” who know it all.
At The GIANT Room, we flip the model. Kids and adults sit down on the floor together; roll up their sleeves, make a mess. Kids are the ones who drive the entire experience. Adults are there to walk with them through that journey, hold their hand when they fall, and explore different paths.
What do you feel differentiates you from others in your field?
We don’t try to create a “childish” space for kids; we take them seriously and provide them with the real world-class tools one would see in a design studio or maker space at a top university such as Columbia, Cooper Union, or MIT. Our team of GIANT Mentors are working designers, artists, engineers, educators, and musicians who have degrees from Harvard, Parsons, NYU, Columbia, and Art Institute of Chicago. They work side by side with kids and families; sharing their expertise to seamlessly integrate arts, design, engineering, science, and technology.
There is no other space in the world where kids want to spend hours and hours learning, building, and creating and refuse to leave when it’s time to go. On average, families (from 2 to 12 years old) spend 2 to 4 hours at The GIANT Room, and many times, kids beg their parents to stay and give them more time to finish their projects.
What do you feel gives you longevity in this big city with so many options?
Each time you come to the The GIANT Room, I promise you the space won’t look the same as it did the day before. You’ll find new inspirations, new tools, materials, and ways of making, and an evolving “exhibition” that lives and grows.
Every two months, we start from scratch and turn our space into a blank canvas. We then come up with a theme for our “exhibition-in-making” and invite families to join us to build the exhibit together alongside artists such as Herve Tullet, Jon Burgerman, and Amanda Phingbodhipakkiya. Our first exhibition was “Wavemakers: A Festival of Light and Sound”; the second one was “GIANT Dream Land”, and the third one which is currently on is “Unseen Worlds” where participants get inspired by all the tiny living organism that live around us but we can’t see with our naked eyes.
I’m confident that as long as we stay true to our mission and give kids a space to build on their ideas, The GIANT Room will continue to be the most magical and “cool” (the way kids like to describe us) place to go to.
How do you positively impact your clientele?
The GIANT Room is a unique space where kids and adults work side by side, explore questions and collectively innovate to bring their GIANT dreams into the world. Our promise to kids is to help them find joy in problem-solving, creating, and inventing while building their confidence, team working, and communication skills. Our promise to parents is to provide the best in class education program as well as a safe, relaxed, and fun space for them to bond with their kids.
What is your favorite part of your job?
Spending time with our participants of all ages, hearing their ideas, supporting them as they create, and watching their eyes smile.
What is your favorite secret NYC spot?
I love being around other people so I don’t have any “secret” spots – but you can often find me at the Whitney or Cooper Hewitt museums, or at a table at Buvette Wine Bar in West Village.
How do you benefit mamas?
Mommies can count on us to provide the most magical, joyful, and in-depth learning experience for their kids that works with every family’s schedule. We are open 7 days a week and provide open studio, workshops, after-school, day camps, nights at The GIANT Room, birthday parties, field trips; you name it!
What is the most memorable feedback a client has given you?
“If my kids (7 and 9) had their say, they would literally live at The GIANT Room! This is the place creative and Inquisitive minds need. An inspiring learning experience that makes The GIANT Room so special.”
Pay it forward and name your top colleagues in the same field or related field.
The Cooper Union STEM outreach for high school students
Children Museum of the Arts in Tribeca
Columbia University School of Engineering maker space for school’s field trips
What is the best advice anyone's ever given you? Or what is your "mantra" / words to live by?
“Always go back to your mission, and never forget why you started it all.”
As moms, the day can escape us, what is your best time-saving trick?
I’d say, spending half an hour in the morning running, doing yoga, boxing, spinning, whatever your heart desires. It will give you the mental space and energy to be much more efficient throughout the day!