Day of Design (K–12)

Day of Design offers free, open-source curriculum resources and hands-on design activities for all classrooms. It teaches pK-12 learners the skills they need to solve complex open-ended problems while also considering user, social, and environmental needs. Inspired by Day of AI and Day of Climate, it is a new collaborative effort by MAD and the WPS Institute, with support from the MIT pK-12 Initiative.

Day of Design: Connect, Sept 25

Request to attend our launch event

About

Designed collaboratively with feedback from teachers, these interdisciplinary resources, grounded in exciting themes across science, humanities, art, engineering, and other subject areas, serve educators regardless of their experience with design and making.

Activities are scaffolded and serve as “grammar lessons” for design education, including classroom-ready slides, handouts, tutorial videos, and facilitation tips supporting 21st century mindsets. All materials will be shared online, enabling educators to use the content as-is, or modify it as needed for their classrooms and other informal learning settings.

Day of Design also features signature events and a yearly, real-world challenge that brings all the design skills together.

Teachers participating in a workshop and showing cardboard prototypes.

What does Day of Design include?

  • Interdisciplinary classroom resources that guide students and teachers through 50-110 minute sessions focused on a specific design skill and a compelling theme inspired by MIT research — from outer space habitation to game design — chosen to spark students’ curiosity.
  • A fall 2025 Day of Design kick-off event called Day of Design: Connect, on September 25 at the MIT Museum, will bring the community together for hands-on workshops led by educators and design leaders and a panel of innovative practitioners discussing why design matters. Request to attend — we're curating a thoughtful group!
  • A culminating celebration in summer/fall 2026, designed to attract educators and design leaders worldwide, this event will serve as both a global convening and a showcase platform where learners and educators share transformative projects and insights.
  • Ongoing partnerships with community organizations, including makerspace networks like Fab Lab, to support in-person engagement.
  • Professional Development that introduces and supports teachers bringing Day of Design materials into their classrooms.
Two teenage girls giving each other a high five during a workshop session in a room with green chairs and tall glass windows.

Who is it for?

  • Educators looking for ready-to-use design and making activities that align with their subject area.
  • Students interested in problem-solving, creativity, and working with their hands.
  • Schools and districts seeking new ways to engage learners through interdisciplinary, project-based learning.
  • Community partners interested in supporting local youth with tools and space to create.