PHOTO BY BEN FILIO

Ten years ago, Remake Learning Days started as a question:

Could the region show off the incredible things happening in schools, libraries, museums, and beyond? Could it celebrate — and spread the word about — the world-class opportunities offered to kids and families? If so, what would that celebration look like? Who would participate?

Yu-Ling Cheng, co-producer of Remake Learning Days, said suggestions came pouring in from across the region. Such a celebration could naturally include teachers, after-school educators and parents. But it could also cast an even wider net: “The recycling center in a neighborhood that hosts these fun maker events for kids,” said Cheng, rattling off example after example. “And the parks that share they can do a special learning event on bird world migration day.”

PHOTO BY BEN FILIO

It was, Cheng said, “a defining point for Remake Learning,” a peer network of educators, artists, and innovators in southwestern Pennsylvania.

From that came Remake Learning Days, one of the world’s largest open houses for hands-on learning for youth, families, grandparents and educators to discover creative ways of learning. Since then, the festival has proven so popular that it now reaches 15 regions around the world.

And it all started in Pittsburgh. Now celebrating its tenth anniversary, Remake Learning Days’ Southwestern Pennsylvania festival runs May 1 through May 23, with hundreds of hands-on learning events designed for kids of all ages (pre-K through high school) and their families, caregivers and educators. Most events—hosted by libraries, schools, tech centers, parks, museums, play spaces, and community centers across Allegheny and surrounding counties—are free.

“Everyone wants to showcase what they’re doing in school buildings and communities,” said co-producer Dorie Taylor. “It feels very collaborative. It’s a true community effort.”

PHOTO BY BEN FILIO

Organized by six different learning themes—Arts, Maker, Outdoor Learning, Science, Technology and Youth Voice—events can be as varied as indoor scuba diving, VR goggles that let kids and families experience being a bird in flight, and learning about using drone technology in farming. SLB Radio hosts a popular activity for families to record a podcast where they ask questions and tell stories with one another.

“I’ve watched kids who you can tell are shy get comfortable in the podcast booth,” said Cheng. “It’s like their anxiety melts away and their voice comes out.”

Some Remake Learning Days events also qualify for Career Ready PA Backpack Challenge badges, an initiative of the Pennsylvania Department of Education that helps students prepare for their next steps after graduation.

Remake Learning Days is sponsored by The Grable Foundation along with support from The EQT Foundation, Richard King Mellon Foundation, The Benedum Foundation, The Buhl Foundation, The PNC Foundation, Carnegie Mellon University, and the University of Pittsburgh. It is also hosted in partnership with Common Sense Media, Learning Heroes, and the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh.

Cheng said that people often ask why Remake Learning Days happen during a busy time of year. May, it turns out, makes for a perfect combination of nice weather for outdoor activities, opportunities for community organizations to preview what kids can do over the summer, and a chance for schools to show off what they’ve been doing all year.

“Oftentimes you have a group of students—kids themselves—leading stations and introducing grandma and grandpa to what they’ve made, or what they’ve created or coded or whatnot,” said Taylor. Their pride—students’ and families’ alike—shines through in those moments. Parents have also reported that they enjoy learning new things about their child through the events and the simple pleasure of spending quality time together.

“As soon as the festival is over,” Taylor said, “we get emails from schools: ‘Let’s talk about next May. What are the dates for Remake Learning Days?’”

Learn about hundreds of fun and fascinating events for your family at remakelearningdays.org.

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