Kids Discovery Factory, a nonprofit children’s museum and educational outreach organization based in southeastern Indiana, is transforming the way children experience STEAM learning through play. Serving students from Pre-K through 8th grade, the organization provides hands-on educational experiences designed to inspire creativity, innovation, and curiosity through Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics.
Through both their interactive mini-museum space and traveling outreach initiative known as the Mobile Factory, Kids Discovery Factory helps children engage in open-ended play, collaborative problem-solving, and imaginative exploration using immersive exhibits and Imagination Playground Big Blue Blocks.
Bringing Hands-On STEAM Learning to Schools Across Indiana
Kids Discovery Factory launched its Mobile Factory outreach program in 2017 to make educational play experiences more accessible to schools and communities throughout the region. What began as a compact mobile exhibit has grown into a dedicated STEAM-learning box truck that delivers up to 10 interactive exhibits directly to schools, organizations, and community events across Indiana and Ohio.
Today, the Mobile Factory visits more than 90 schools and organizations, transforming gyms and learning spaces into engaging environments where children learn through movement, creativity, and play-based discovery.
The organization expanded its impact even further in 2022 with the opening of its permanent mini-museum space. Together, the museum and outreach programs reached more than 15,000 children and families across 15 counties in 2023 alone.
Why Kids Discovery Factory Chose Big Blue Blocks
Kids Discovery Factory joined the Imagination Playground family during its inaugural year with its first set of Medium Blue Blocks. After seeing the lightweight foam blocks used successfully in museums and interactive exhibit spaces, the team recognized how valuable they would be for portable educational programming and collaborative play experiences.
In 2019, Vanessa Beetz joined the organization and now serves as Program Director. Vanessa says the Blue Blocks quickly became one of her favorite hands-on exhibits because of their ability to engage children across multiple age groups while encouraging creativity, confidence, and curiosity.
“Block play is not only fun,” Vanessa explains, “but it builds confidence and makes us more curious about the world around us and how it works.”
How Open-Ended Block Play Encourages Creativity and Collaboration
One of the most powerful aspects of loose-parts play is its ability to bring children of different ages together through collaborative, imaginative experiences.
Vanessa frequently observes preschoolers and middle school students building side-by-side with the Blue Blocks — something that often surprises educators. Older children create elaborate stories and imaginative worlds while younger children experiment with movement, construction, and creative problem-solving.
According to Vanessa, the blocks act as “a gateway to imaginative play,” helping pre-teens and teenagers engage with creativity in a way that still feels comfortable and socially engaging.
As children grow older, opportunities for imaginative play often decrease. However, the open-ended design of Big Blue Blocks encourages older students to continue exploring innovation, storytelling, engineering, and teamwork through active play experiences.
Building Forts, Cities, and Creative Learning Environments
At both the Mobile Factory and the museum’s permanent location, some of the most popular Blue Block creations include:
- imaginative forts
- collaborative structures
- obstacle courses
- flexible seating arrangements
- creative cityscapes
One especially popular activity for preschool and kindergarten-aged children involves standing the blocks upright to create buildings and pretend cities. Children then stomp through their creations like giants or Godzilla, turning the blocks into an immersive imaginative play environment.
These playful experiences support:
- social-emotional learning
- communication skills
- spatial awareness
- gross motor development
- creative thinking
- collaborative problem-solving
Parents also frequently join in the building activities, making block play an interactive experience for the entire family.
Durable Foam Blocks Designed for Museums and Outreach Programs
After more than six years of heavy use, transportation, and play by thousands of children, Kids Discovery Factory’s Blue Blocks remain in excellent condition. Their durability, lightweight construction, and portability make them ideal for museums, schools, libraries, and traveling educational programs.
Vanessa notes that the bright blue color and unique sculptural shapes immediately attract visitors during community events and public programs.
“The iconic look of the blocks has become synonymous with our museum,” she explains.
The organization later expanded its collection through community sponsorships and partnerships, adding a Large Loose-Part Bones Set to further support creative construction and collaborative play.
Big Blue Blocks Support Art, STEM, and Sustainable Play
In addition to supporting STEM learning, Vanessa highlights the artistic value of the blocks. Children use the foam shapes to build sculptures, invent structures, and express themselves creatively without generating the material waste often associated with traditional sculpting projects.
Because the blocks can be reused repeatedly in new ways, they provide a sustainable and environmentally responsible approach to creative exploration and educational play.
Celebrating Our 2023 Fall Block Champion
We are proud to recognize Vanessa Beetz and Kids Discovery Factory as our 2023 Fall Block Champion for their dedication to expanding access to play-based learning, educational outreach, and collaborative creativity throughout Indiana and Ohio.
Their work demonstrates how open-ended play and Imagination Playground Big Blue Blocks can transform schools, museums, and community spaces into environments where children can build, imagine, experiment, and learn together.
If you are located in southeastern Indiana, be sure to visit Kids Discovery Factory or explore how the Mobile Factory can bring interactive STEAM learning experiences directly to your school or community event.
Until then — BUILD ON!
Considering Big Blue Blocks for Your School or Community Space?
Imagination Playground’s Big Blue Blocks are used in schools, museums, parks, libraries, and community spaces around the world to create engaging environments for collaborative, open-ended play.
If you’re considering Big Blue Blocks for your school, park, museum, or community space, schedule a consultation with our team to explore the right play solution for your environment.