Jay Mankita is a maker/educator who specializes in play-based learning, and facilitates mechanically-oriented maker space experiences for kids through his arts-in-ed maker space-themed company, Playful Engineers, founded in 2015. Students make their own chain reactions, mechanical linkages, crank-driven automata, pencil geometry, and other "artful mechanisms." Jay lives with his family in Amherst, MA, but travels the Northeast to teach and learn.
"I learned a ton! Jay is able to weave in scientific and engineering principles in such a subtle way that the students didn't even realize they were learning."
-Keeley Lombardi, 4th Grade Teacher, Burkland E.S., Middleborough, MA
"I would absolutely recommend this program to others. Jay was engaging, knowledgeable, and did a wonderful job encouraging the students while also giving very helpful feedback and suggestions."
- Jillian Bennett, Children's Librarian, Harvard P.L., MA
-Keeley Lombardi, 4th Grade Teacher, Burkland E.S., Middleborough, MA
"I would absolutely recommend this program to others. Jay was engaging, knowledgeable, and did a wonderful job encouraging the students while also giving very helpful feedback and suggestions."
- Jillian Bennett, Children's Librarian, Harvard P.L., MA
