Children’s Think Tank

Overview: The Children’s Think Tank is research initiative for and run with children ages 5-10. Developed by Heidi Gustafson as a workshop to explore integral research practices with children, the Children’s Think Tank is a place of experimentation for future methods of researching critical and speculative questions in collaboration with children.

The Children’s Think Tank works with children on researching obscure topics of their own interest and assists them in acquiring the proper research and venues to publish their ideas. The children choose their own depth research topics which should be something that they have questions or curiosities about, usually topics which are not covered in the course of regular education (ie. those of psychological, philosophical or metaphysical nature). At the end of each research session each child in the think tank produces a resulting project in a medium of their choosing.




To view the work of the first experimental session, which took place at the Maryland Institute College of Art, see the guide below!

Guide for getting to know the Children’s Think Tank:

1. Read the Research Summaries .pdf. This was the small catalogue put out in tandem with the final show.
2. Watch these two clips on questions and research methods: Abigail’s Question on the Universe // Lilah’s Research Method. Then read about the children’s questions here: Meeting 2 : Aliens and Questions
3. Read and watch Meeting 3 : Researching
4. Watch more rad video clips here: Ellie on Astral Projection and “Don’t Be Afraid of God” // Annika and Ellie on Soul and Sound Method // “Mythology and the Fates” from Lia’s Notebook // Spencer comparing Milky Way + Mom’s stomach // Final Presentation Excerpts
5. View the collected works of Warner: Read Warner’s Notebook (pdf) // Warner’s Life, Death and Reincarnation Essay //View his ‘Life, Death and Reincarnation’ Presentation // Watch Warner talk through the life of the Spirit //
6. If you want to learn more about a particular child’s work, feel free to email me.

Final Show Images