Rainbow

Hello Lovelies,

Here's a story about the day rainbow got her very own play paradise!

Rainbow is my puppy, and I love her more than sprinkle cake. She is shaped just like a rainbow, with a fluffy arched body in stripes of pink, yellow, and blue, with cute floppy ears.

But Rainbow had a big problem.

She had SO much energy that she zoomed through our Makerville apartment, knocked over Grandpa Underroot's telescope, and chewed Sillijoi's favorite purple eraser.

"RAINBOW!" I cried. "We need a plan!"

Sillijoi suggested we tie balloons to Rainbow so she floated away slowly. "That is the silliest thing I ever heard," said Grandpa Underroot, scratching his beard.

His second idea was to build a spinning wheel powered by Rainbow's zooming. Also very silly.

Then Grandpa had a real idea: a soft, bouncy obstacle course built from coiled wire springs, cloud-foam cushions, and color-sensor tunnels that lit up as Rainbow ran through them.

We prototyped it in the courtyard using foam rolls and blinking fairy lights.

During the first test, Rainbow zoomed SO fast she launched Sillijoi straight into a bush.

"I AM A PENCIL, NOT A ROCKET!" Sillijoi yelled.

We added side bumpers, adjusted the tunnels, and suddenly everything worked perfectly. Rainbow raced, leaped, and bounced until her little cloud paws finally slowed down, and she curled up right in my lap, snoring the tiniest rainbow snore.

Love,

Oki Pie

Reflection Prompt

Rainbow felt wild and buzzy with energy. That is the Energy Loop!

Step 1 - Move: Zoom around your room THREE times as fast as Rainbow. Shake your hands like her cloud paws going pitter-patter!

Step 2 - Mark-making: Grab a crayon and make fast zigzag lines all over your paper. Go wild! There are no mistakes in Makerville!

Step 3 - Write: Look at your zigzag marks. Write or tell a grown-up three words describing how those lines FEEL. Are they tickly? Loud? Bouncy?

Analog Design Challenge

Rainbow needs a safe obstacle course to burn her energy. Can YOU build one?

Grab these found objects: toilet paper rolls, a shoebox, rubber bands, crumpled paper balls, and some tape.

Build a tiny obstacle course on the floor or a table. Make a tunnel from a toilet paper roll. Make a jumping hill from a crumpled paper ball. Make a zigzag path using rubber bands stretched flat.

Can your finger run through the whole course without falling off the path? If it wobbles, fix it and try again. Makers always test and improve!

Digital Design Challenge

Ready to go big? Head to Tinkercad and design a 3D-printable version of one piece of Rainbow's obstacle course, maybe her favorite color-sensor tunnel!

Label your parts like a real Makerville engineer: Entry Opening, Color Light Strip, Exit Bumper.

Since Rainbow came from the Rainbow Skyriver, try making your tunnel shaped like an arch, just like her!

Safety Check: Ask a Grown-up Maker before using a 3D printer. Even Grandpa Underroot always double-checks his machines!