Play. Blow Your Mind. Repeat. #ThisIsSTEAM

High-tech games. Creation zones – where you can create to your heart’s content – aerialists, food (of course) and . . . a dunk booth with fire?! These are all things you’ll find at STEAM Carnival, November 6-8 in San Francisco at AT&T Park. You’ll also find Cisco there, as a key sponsor (along with Cartoon Network!) of all the fun.

Like any carnival, there’s fun for the whole family, but there’s a specific focus on getting kids excited about making, learning, arts, technology, science, invention and innovation. In other words, just having a grand time!

There are going to be so many cool Cisco happenings at the STEAM Carnival. Discover, Explore, Play and Create are the three areas you’ll find Cisco participating – with over 50 employee volunteers. There will also be 8 Cisco Net Academy students to help with the Cisco network at the event, but also to talk to their peers and younger students about where technology can take them.

In the Discover area, we’ll have TP tents to demonstrate the technology behind Cisco’s telepresence. (Maybe you’ll get to connect to other makers locally, or around the globe!) When you visit the Explore area, you’ll find “secret society” workbooks where there are puzzles to unlock, and ways to think about what the future could hold. In the Create area, you’ll find Cisco’s own Shubha Govil, senior manager of products for Webex and her son Omkar showing kids how they can become creators (more on them later this week on the blog. Stay tuned!)

What gets our employees excited about the event?

“It’s about unstructured learning and exploring things on their own,” Shubha says. “The insight gained by trying, failing, and re-trying to make things work brings a great level of confidence in kids to keep them innovating and creating.”

“We are thrilled to partner with 2BC and the Cartoon Network to ignite the interest and curiosity of young minds through play,” says Karen Morris, Head of Talent Acquisition Strategy and Innovation (with a focus on STEAM). “Our industry and partners are in need of talent that are problems solvers, creative, collaborative, and that have critical and design thinking skills.  STEAM Carnival is a place where children will exercise all these skills in a playful environment.   We can’t wait to meet and engage with our next generation of talent at STEAM Carnival, and to see them experience critical aha-ha moments.”

“STEAM fuels the innovations that we need to progress as a society, preparing the next generation of entrepreneurs, doctors, rocket scientists, developers and more,” Says Lauren Cooney, senior director, strategic programs for Cisco’s Chief Technology & Architecture Office.  “STEAM Carnival is a great way to jump-start the next generation’s interest in this movement.”

If you’re in San Francisco, meet us at AT&T Park for three days of family fun, employee fun and learning fun. If you’re not in San Francisco or can’t join us there for the fun, here’s a fun STEAM activity either you can try, or try with your family. It’s Art Bot! Learn how to create him.