Today we’d like to introduce you to Roger Stockman, Meghan Stockman.
Roger and Meghan, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
We are parents of now 6 and 9-year-old kiddos and love taking them places to learn and play. Unfortunately, most of the places we visited were one or the other. Children have so much energy and our little ones could only last so long in a museum type environment before needing to let loose some of that energy! I have a background in atmospheric science and space weather and Roger is a bonafide space nerd with a background in Air Force Intelligence and so we thought why not create a space where kiddos could be introduced to some basic concepts of space science and physics while still having an incredibly active environment to run and play. Some of the best tools for learning the laws of motion are on a playground and can be demonstrated by physically using their bodies. Some children learn best when they can “feel” what gravity, friction, inertia or angular momentum are.
We named KidSpace in February of 2016 and opened in June 2018. We are continually adding science and activities as we grow and are bringing in an AeroSpace Club, after school and summer Space Camps as well as Virtual Reality this year! We partner currently with Northglenn’s STEM High School and were honored to receive the partner of the year with them for offering a test space for their Senior Capstone Physics projects. These young men and women created some incredible designs and got to test how they hold up in a public space. Children can be the best test subjects because they push everything to its limit! Our goal is to also partner with local space involved companies to show parents and children just how much is being done right here in Colorado towards the future of space travel. The next generation could genuinely be headed to other planets and we want to inspire them to be the creators of that world starting right now.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
We are a for-profit business model to give back to the community through working relationships and added value of science and educational play. Our biggest struggle is that we have to find an avenue for partnership with these large space and engineering companies that benefits all parties as well as the public. We are creating those avenues. The response from some of the major players in the industry has been very positive, especially when it comes to inspiring the next generation of people that might come to work for them someday! We believe that commercial aerospace companies can benefit from educating our customers on the future of the industry with simple scientific displays such as our “Six Simple Machines of Engineering” built by a local company, Euclid Machine, and Design.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
KidSpace is an indoor children’s playground that focuses on introducing the concepts of space science and laws of motion through active play. We have a science area with interactive magnetism displays, a Launch Lab with rockets and targets, and the ball machine that shows them the six simple machines of engineering. The Ballistics Zone has air cannons, a ball fountain and vacuum tubes to exhibit fluid dynamics. The main playground has obstacles and large slides and tackles the concepts of inertia, gravity, friction, and angular momentum while decorated with all the planets and their characteristics (how many moons, how far from the Sun, etc.) There is a mini version of the large playground meant for toddlers that gives them a little more room to work on dexterity and walking separate from the older crowd.
We also have a planetarium that shows a variety of movies on the hour, ranging from five minutes to about 30 minutes long. There is no extra cost for the shows as they are meant to be a place to explore and learn. Sometimes kiddos won’t make it through the whole movie until the third or fourth time they try but they come out talking about Saturn or the Sun and we know it is making a mark!
We run field trips for schools and have tied the learning concepts to the state standards so they can capture those children that don’t catch the concepts on the whiteboard. Our addition of after school drop off camps and clubs will reinforce what makes us special, and that is what we want to bring fun back to education! Science is weird and beautiful and should be exciting.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
We went to the Broomfield Small Business Development Center for assistance and Ron O’Herron has been an incredible mentor! He really helped us step by step to get our business loan and to lay out exactly what our goals were. He is still helping us as we look at expansion and further development.
Both Roger and I have amazing families and all of our investors came from within that circle. My parents and my sister and Roger’s mother absolutely believe in everything we are trying to accomplish and have been there from the beginning. We would never have been able to get KidSpace off the ground without them.
Northglenn STEM High School staff have also been integral in our success as they have taught us how to work in this world of STEM education and build relationships in this community. We feel so lucky to have them and love working with the students! They are crazy smart and innovative and I think the world is in good hands in the future.
Pricing:
- All Day Admission: $15 (3-12 yr olds), $8.50 (crawlers-2 yr old)
- $2 Sibling Discount for additional children
Contact Info:
- Address: 6805 W 88th Ave.
Westminster, CO 80021 - Website: www.kidspacefec.com
- Phone: 303-386-4287
- Email: roger@kidspacefec.com
- Instagram: kidspacefec_
- Facebook: @kidspacefec
- Twitter: @kidspacefec
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