Page 7 - Makerspace Miniature Golf

 

Greetings, it's me, Alberto, but you can call me the Makerspace Guy!

Every school day, my students get to create at various workstations, which happen simultaneously in my classroom.  Our newest station is Miniature Golf, where students use their Maker skills to build small golf courses out of cardboard.

There's an important difference between miniature golf and putt-putt golf.

Explained in easy terms,

"Putt-putt courses usually have no overriding theme. Holes are very bare besides the obstacles guarding the hole. Many mini-golf courses have themes or are more complex in their hole structure (putting down hills, through a cave, under a waterfall, etc.)."

---  Matthew Marcon, PENINSULA PULSE

(Click on the link to read the brief article: Mini-Golf vs. Putt-Putt .)

If your students are like mine, they love constructing obstacle courses.  Therefore we play miniature golf rather than putt-putt in our classroom.  (Yes, indoors!)  The kids also enjoy building houses, bridges, windmills, and other structures as part of their projects.

Due to time limitations, students are not required to create the entire standard 9 hole course.  Just a structure with 1 or 2 holes is sufficient.  ---  Also, we relax the official game rules quite a bit.

Here are some helpful tips, hacks, and bright ideas to start a TEE-rific miniature golf station in your own classroom 😁:

WHAT YOU'LL NEED

1.)  FLOOR SPACE

I have the kids build their courses on the floor to keep the classroom tables available for other stations.  When completed, the students set up their projects in the designated area in front of the room for our "Show & Tell"-type Makerspace Showcase, which takes place at the end of every class period.

2.) BUILDING TOOLS

Scissors, pencils, markers, rulers, tape, glue, etc.

3.) CARDBOARD

To read how we collect cardboard for our classes, along with the types of board we request, click on the link to read my previous blog entry: Collect Cardboard with Your Own Makerspace Donation Box.

4.) CONSTRUCTION PAPER

Make sure you provide various colors and sizes.  ---  BTW, stock up on green paper.  Lots and lots of green paper to represent the artificially turfed fairways.

5.) EXTRAS

Among the special items that have been requested by my students for their mini-golf courses:  foil, pipe cleaners, yarn, disposable cups, paper plates, straws, cotton balls for snow, and bulletin board paper.  ---  Usually green bulletin board paper.

6.) TOY GOLF CLUBS

***There are some very important details of which you should be aware.***

Available at DollarTree.com

I was excited when I found inexpensive toy golf sets at my local DOLLAR TREE discount variety store.  They were located in the seasonal Spring/Summer section, so I didn't hesitate to snatch them up.

I bought 6 sets at DOLLAR TREE, each merely costing,... hum, uh, hum,... oh yeah, $1.00! 😁

Every set comes with...

• 1 disposable net bag
• 1 plastic putter
• 1 tee
• 1 putting cup
• 1 plastic flag
• 3 light-weight plastic balls (in 3 different colors!)

NOTE:  Children will crush the plastic golf balls, by accident or on purpose.  (Be prepared for the heartbreak.  Yours.)  I've found no way to repair the balls, but I'm looking for replacements.  Fortunately, each set comes with 3.

To order a case of 24 golf sets, visit the Dollar Tree website.  Simply click on the link: 24 Children's Plastic Golf Play Sets.

HELPFUL TIPS

Friends, save yourself some time and frustration by learning from my mistakes.

TIPS FOR BUYING

• Notice details before you buy.  Other toy golf sets I've seen come with 3 different types of clubs, but sadly only 1 putter.  You need putters.
• Don't purchase the set if the included golf balls are too small.
• Look for sets that offer different color clubs and balls, so students can easily identify which is theirs.  This cuts down on confusion as to which ball belongs to each student.
• Remember, most brick-and-mortar stores only sell the toy golf sets during the spring and summer retail seasons.

TIPS FOR CLASSROOM

• I permanently store away all the plastic putting cups and flags.  They're not necessary.  Let the kids create their own.
• Encourage students to work in teams of no more than 2.
• Only 4 toy clubs are issued at a time for each class period, due to the size of our room.
• Warn students that if their balls fly across the room (like baseballs) their clubs and balls get taken away.
• Limit the number of weeks you offer this station.  Although making miniature golf courses is a fantastic project, kids will lose interest after a while.  Also, it frees up the floor for yet another cool station idea.

HACKS

Even MacGyver would approve.

• Have your students create their own golf clubs out of cardboard.  They can use foil to fashion a ball.  ---  NOTE: I was originally inspired to start a miniature golf station by a student who made his own clubs and course.
• All out of cardboard?  Use heavy cardstock paper or poster board instead!
• Make smaller tabletop versions to save time, material, and space!

BRIGHT IDEAS

• Create a hybrid game, with half miniature golf/ half another sport.  Example: half golf/ half bowling!
• Build a course where each section features logos of different sports teams from your state!
• Design a course with a fast-food restaurant theme.  (You know, something you'd love to see at McDonald's someday.)
• Make exciting ramps!  One daredevil kid made the ball jump his ascending ramp, fly through a pretend ring of fire, land onto a descending ramp, and drop into the hole.  ---  The whole class cheered wildly for him!

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Well, creative friends, I hope this entry has inspired you to try creating miniature golf courses with your students.  I'm certain your kids will have fun!

Out of all our Makerspace projects for the 2020 - 2021 school year, this was the most favorite among my students,... by PAR. 😁

(Pictures collected for the collages, plus the gifs and the photos used for this blog entry were all found online.) 

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