From Design Thinking to 3D Creation: How Parents and Children Built Solutions Together

This July, MakerBay’s Parent-Child 3D Print Summer Workshop transformed curious young minds into innovative problem-solvers through a unique three-week journey of collaborative creation.

Over the course of three weeks, our workshop space was filled with creativity as youngsters worked alongside their parents to identify real family challenges and develop practical solutions through design thinking, 3D design and printing.

Learning Through Making

The programme began with an immersive introduction to design thinking, where participants learned to empathize with target users through using tools like empathy mapping and the “5 Whys” method.This foundation in human-centered design equipped our young makers with the mindset needed to identify potential pain points and genuine problems from their family.

As the workshop progressed, participants picked up 3D modeling tools like TinkerCAD and Fusion 360 to do hands-on prototyping while applying design thinking principles to every step of their iterations.

From Problems to Prototypes

Through multiple trials, support and advice from our incredible mentors, our participants developed an impressive array of practical yet creative solutions.

“Sleepy Wakey” – A clever Minecraft-themed launcher designed to help his mother wake him up during school days. (Raphael Kwan)
“Towel Twister” – An assistive towel twisting device for his grandmother with back problems. (Alvin Luk)
“Iphone & Ipad Holder” – A customized multi-functional device holder that addressed his father’s needs. (Marcus Law)
“Laptop Charging Reminder” – A small yet functional laptop charging reminder for her family. (Chloe Law)
“Clothes Sorter” – An automatic sorter that holds clothes and helps his mother sort them on the spot. (Gilbert Chim)

Fostering Empathy Through Co-Creation

Each project represented not only achievement, but a deeper understanding of family members’ challenges and needs—demonstrating how design thinking principles can strengthen relationships while creating useful solutions. Through the process of identifying problems and developing prototypes together, participants gained valuable insights into each other’s perspectives, fostering a level of empathy that extended beyond the workshop environment and into their daily interactions.

The collaborative nature of the activities fostered meaningful parent-child bonds as they tackled challenges together. They worked side by side, engaged in discussions, and shared unique viewpoints. This cooperative problem-solving approach created opportunities for mutual learning, with children often surprising their parents with creative solutions while parents contributed their practical life experience to refine the designs.

Comments from Mentors

Failing is part of the journey, keep trying.

Spike Mak

The kids really showed their affections for solving problems their families encountered daily.

Corey Leung

They picked up the skills so fast and their prototyping results were better than expected. I hope they continue their work even after the programme.

Wynne Wong

Children’s imagination can be nurtured from a young age—no matter how out-of-the-box their ideas may seem, they can still be realised step by step.

Ivan Chiu

Conclusion

We witnessed our participants start their projects from scratch to finish with innovative prototypes. The skills developed during this programme helped them gain valuable competencies in problem identification, project ideation, and digital fabrication. Enabling them to experience the possibilities driven by co-creation and empathetic design. Let’s embrace design thinking in our daily problem-solving and witness the transforming potential of empathy-based solutions!

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Transforming Education Through Innovation – MTR ‘Train’ for life’s journey

Transforming Education Through Innovation – MTR ‘Train’ for life’s journey MTR ‘Train’ for Life’s Journey Programme ( ‘Train’出光輝每一程 2.0 )

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