Curiosity First
You do not need to be the expert in the room. Begin with one dependable project, one practical tool, and one small win you can try this week.
For curious K-6 tech teachers
Project not found?That's where curious teaching starts.
Maker404 is for teachers who do not need every answer before they begin. Start with a project, a tool, or a small experiment worth exploring with students.
14 low-prep challenges
18 classroom notes
Free classroom downloads
Classroom-Tested
Everything here is shaped around short prep windows, mixed skill levels, and materials you can actually find.
Kid-Ready
From cardboard builds to digital tools, the goal is low friction, fast starts, and real creative payoff.
Pick Your Lane
Choose the format that fits the hour you have.
Sometimes you need a project. Sometimes you need a printable. Sometimes you just need one solid next step. Start with the path that solves today's problem fastest.
New to tech teaching?
Start Here
Best if you're staring at a blank curriculum map and need a calmer first move instead of a full overhaul.
Open the starter pathNeed a project?
404 Challenges
Grab a fast build when you need students making with cardboard, tape, constraints, and a clear test.
Browse the challengesWant the thinking?
Blog
Read what worked, what failed, and how ideas moved from home projects back into school.
Read the journalNeed it printable?
Downloads
Pull down lesson plans, checklists, and robotics files you can use the same day.
Open the downloadsNeed a tool?
Apps
Launch classroom-friendly apps without accounts, clutter, or setup drama.
Browse the appsNeed supplies?
Tools
See what is actually worth buying, saving, or scavenging for a working makerspace.
See the toolboxChallenge Spotlight
Balloon-Powered Car
Design a car powered only by a balloon and discover how thrust, alignment, and lightweight design change the outcome.
Latest From The Workbench
What's working lately.
Short notes from the classroom, from family projects, and from the tools we keep building along the way.
Leaving a School After 5 Years: What I Did to Take My Resources With Me
After five years, I started thinking about what I'd actually built at my school and how much of it lived inside accounts I was...
Read the noteFive Maker Challenges I Reach For First (And Why They Keep Working)
After a few years of running makerspace challenges with K-6 students, I’ve noticed that most of what gets labelled a “STEM activity” falls into...
Read the noteI Built a Free Drone Weather Tool Because the Good Ones All Went Paid
In my last post I wrote about getting a used Promark P70 VR drone and going down a rabbit hole of FAA registration, the...
Read the noteProject Not Found
Pick one useful thing and take it back tomorrow.
A challenge, a printable, or a tool is enough. Momentum beats overhaul.