Greater KidsLinked Columbus STEM & Arts Expo Registration (11.8.26)

*CLICK "READ MORE" BELOW* Join us for a FREE family event with STEM & Arts fun—robotics, art, chess & more! Pre-register - Spots fill fast! KidsLinked Greater Columbus STEM & Arts Expo Presented by Meijer & Horizon Science Academy 📅 Sunday November 8th , 2026 Noon - 5PM 📍 1560 Polaris Pkwy, Columbus, OH 43240 (Behind Barnes & Noble) Event Activity Locations - Polaris Map CLICK HERE: (All Behind Barnes & Nobles – Inside & Outside of the Lower Level Former Forever 21 location) ________________________ Event Registration & Details: We are excited to invite your family and friends to the 12th Annual KidsLinked Greater Columbus STEM & Arts Expo presented by Meijer & Horizon Science Academy on 11.8.26. This is your family's resource fair to find neat things to help grow your children's education and find STEM & Arts resources. This FREE family event can help your child connect and explore hands-on activities, competitions, resources, and exhibitors focused on boosting your child’s learning in STEM & the Arts—from robotics and math to art, chess, spelling, and more! Admission is FREE. Many activities require pre-registration — spots fill fast! -- First 200 receive: a special treat from Tim Hortons! -- First 200 receive: a Free Kidsmeal Certificate to Raising Canes! -- First 150 receive: a special VIP Bag with goodies! (1 per family) -- First 500 receive special character visits: Meet & Greet with Teenage Mutant Ninja, SpongeBob, Pokemon! ________________________ FEATURED ACTIVITIES: • Maker Space: LEGO Creation Challenge | Marble Maze | Recycled Art Contest | Origami Challenge | Nerf Gun Target Tourney • Coder Corner: Code Ninjas Gamer Showdown • OSU Activity Area: Wind Turbine Care Competition – Blade Design Challenge • Aviator Space: Paper Airplane Distance & Accuracy • Stage Events: Spelling Bee | Math Challenge | STEM Trivia Challenge • Card & board game tournaments: Chess | Checkers | Candyland | Uno Speed game • FIRST 150 families: VIP Bag packed with goodies (1 per family) • FIRST 200 attendees: special treat from Tim Hortons • FIRST 500 Meet & Greet with Sponge Bob & Stitch Character Visits! • Balloon Artist | Face Painting | Prize Wheel | Plinko Game | More Games • STEM & Arts resources, find schools, family financial & college planning, tons of hands on activities, holiday shopping & find classes & programs for kids! ________________________ Interested Being a Vendor or Sponsor? Contact us at [email protected] ________________________ REGISTRATION FOR ADMISSION & ACTIVITIES: Event Admission is FREE. Pre-register for activities below. Click “Get Tickets” to add entries. Most activities are limited capacity. REGISTER – EVENT ADMISSION (1) GOLD Entry - Event Admission: FREE (LIMIT 1,000) • Admits entire family: Noon-5PM • Check-in is Behind Barnes & Noble (in front of the former Forever 21 Location Outside) • FUN PASS: Play Prize Wheel | Duck Matching Game | Lollipop Game & More! • Scavenger Hunt • or $2/person at the door (2) GOLD PLUS Entry – EVENT ADMISSION: $8 (Limit 75) • Includes all items above • 1 Voucher to Disney on Ice Show (Feb 19th -22nd 2026 – Nationwide Arena) • Holiday Light Up Knitted Hat, Holiday Socks or Holiday Gloves: Pick 1 of 24 Styles! (Subject to Availability) CLICK HERE ________________________ REGISTER - COMPETITIONS & FUN ACTIVITIES >> MAKER SPACE ACTIVITIES << (1) LEGO Creation Challenge – Cartoon or General: $12 Per Entry | 1:00-1:30PM | Maker Space (LIMIT 50) • Ages: 11 & Under or 12-18 years old | You have 15 minutes to pick 70 LEGO blocks (provided by us). You then have 15 minutes to build something creative using ALL 70 of your blocks. • 2 Categories – Pick 1 at the event – CATEGORY 1: Create a Cartoon Character Scene (you will be given cartoon LEGO characters to build a scene). OR CATEGORY 2: Create any LEGO item, be creative • Awards are determined based on creativity. • 1st-3rd overall prizes for each age group/category. LEGO prizes for 1st place in each age group. Try to have the "most creative" LEGO build. You keep what you build! (2) Nerf Gun Target Tourney Tournament— Physics & Fun: $5 | 1:30-2:00PM | Maker Space (Limit 80) • Ages 17 & Under | Pick ONE game below, Single Elimination - Tournament style (if you win, you advance to the next round). • 1st -3rd prizes by age group. ALL PARTICIPANTS WIN A PRIZE = Advance Rounds for Even Bigger Prizes! • Nerf Gun Target Tourney: 1:30–2:00 PM (3) Marble Run Maze Tournament: $12 Per Entry | 2:00-2:30PM | Maker Space (LIMIT 50) • Ages: 11 & Under or 12-18 years old | You have 20 minutes to build the maze from the maze kit provided by us. Once your maze is built, you must then race your marble and the fastest successful build wins! You must use ALL pieces. • 1st-5th overall prizes for each age group. You keep what you build! • See Marble Maze Kit Examples Click Here (4) Recycled Art Competition: FREE | 2:45–3:15 PM | Maker Space (Limit 60) • Ages: 11 & Under or 12-18 years old | You have 10 minutes to pick 10-25 art items that we provide and then 15 minutes to build an art piece with all items selected. • Awards are determined based on creativity. • 1st-3rd overall prizes for each age group. You keep what you build! (5) Origami Art Challenge: FREE | 3:30–4:00 PM | Maker Space (Limit 60) • Any Age: Beginner or Advanced categories | We will have paper provided (or you can use your own if preferred)! • Beginner Category: You have 10 minutes to create ONE Origami (includes fold lines) • Advanced Category: You have to create TWO or more Origami items. • You will be judge on creativity & total items. • 1st–3rd prizes per age group will receive art prizes. You keep what you build! >> OSU ACTIVITITY AREA << (6) Wind Turbine Care Competition – Blade Design Challenge | 1-3PM | OSU Science Space (FREE - Limit 40 per Grade Level) • Students test wind turbine blades and use real data to crown a winner. 30 minutes, about three test runs each. • Elementary: Test simple designs, spot patterns in the data, and defend your best blade. Which design works best? • Middle School: Test, analyze, change one thing, retest. How can I use what I learned to make my design better? • High School: Add real-world energy economics — project output, revenue, costs, and profit, then pitch your design as an investment. Which design is the strongest investment? __________________________ >> CODER CORNER ACTIVITIES << (7) Code Ninja’s Gamer Showdown: FREE | Noon–5:00 PM | Coder Corner-Inside (Limit 250) • ALL AGES | Stop by anytime to participate. Play a game made by Code Ninja to earn a high score. The game will be connected to a TV or projector. • 1st-10th place will receive prizes. __________________________ >> AVIATOR SPACE << (7) Paper Airplane Tournament: FREE |1:00–3:00 PM | Aviator Space (Limit 400) • Ages: 6 & Under, 7-11 years old or 12-17 years old, Adult | Make up to 3 planes (bring your own design or use ours). Score points by landing planes through hoops at various distances • 1st -3rd prizes by age group. ________________________ >> MAIN STAGE ACTIVITIES << (8) STEM & Arts Trivia Game Show: FREE | Main Stage 1:00PM (LIMIT 200) • Ages 17 & Under • 8 play per round - fastest buzzer answers first! • Special Challenge Rounds • Win Prizes Game Show Style! (9) Math Challenge Tournament: FREE | 1:30-2:45PM | Main Stage (LIMIT 200) • Grades: 1st-2nd grade, 3rd-4th grade, 5th-6th grade, 7th-8th grade • Top 5 each round advance. • Solve various math problems on math fact sheets. Each student will compete in rounds to solve math problems in a certain time limit. Single elimination, time limit, time penalties for incorrect answers. • 1st-3rd prizes by age group. (10) Spelling Bee: FREE | 3:00-5:00 PM | Main Stage (LIMIT 200) • Grades: 1st-2nd grade, 3rd-4th grade, 5th-6th grade, 7th-8th grade • Spelling Bee's are back! This is a single elimination spelling bee. Each round, participant's will be given a word to spell.