Just Make: DIY.org

Source: diy.org via Dave Jenni on Pinterest

Our former neighbor recently filmed some promotional videos for DIY.org.  We have been describing this website as a modern day Boy/Girl Scouts, except your troop is all online.  There are badges to be earned for all kinds of skills ranging from the traditional ones like Camper and Medic, to craftier skills like Stitcher and Potter, and even very 21st Century skills like Web Designer and Front End Developer.  Needless to say, it's become a bit of an obsession around our house.

The whole website is designed for kids and is very safe and user friendly.  Kids choose an animal face avatar and are either assigned or create a Nickname.  As you complete your projects to earn badges, you post a picture or a video documenting it to your profile.  Once it is approved (usually within 24 hours) your profile acts like a mini blog that people can follow, favorite, or comment on.

Yesterday, my youngest spent all day building a cardboard house to earn a Fort Builder badge.  At the end of the day she reflected how this could've been a long, boring Saturday.  Both siblings were gone all day (dance rehearsal/BMX riding), the neighbor buddy was off-island running errands, and attempts to schedule last minute playdates were thwarted by being too last minute.  Instead though, she had completed a project from start to finish and was very proud of the result.

I cannot gush enough about this website.  Every adult I've referred to it wants to join, too!  The community it has created online is so sweet and amazing.  It's very inspiring to see what kids are making and the acknowledgement they receive by posting it to their profile.  Best of all, the whole thing is currently free and isn't plastered with ads.  I'm not sure how they manage that or how long that will last, but it certainly makes me love it even more.

(Sorry for the round-a-bout link to her cute little tutorial video above.  I couldn't figure out how to embed it directly from the site.)