Fat Brain Toys, UNO, KANEKO Partner for STEM Education Event

ELKHORN - On Saturday, Oct. 18, 2014, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. a new collaboration between Fat Brain Toys, the UNO Office of STEM Education and KANEKO will team up to create an interactive collaboration of local experts in Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math to entertain and educate children and families.

Celebration of Mind Nebraska is a free family event, held at KANEKO, 1111 Jones St., for those interested in the joy of recreational math, critical thinking, playable art, problem solving, science, technology, and creativity. The event will feature over 15 hands-on activities to engage children in thinking and problem solving.

“Families will have lots of amazing opportunities to learn while having some fun. From experiencing math magic, building with the Society of Women Engineers, or playing with robots-this will be a great family event unlike anything in Omaha,” explained Matt Hansen, Fat Brain Toys Director of Marketing.

Celebration of Mind is a local edition of the international celebration of the life and work of famed mathematician Martin Gardner. This year’s event will mark the third edition of this annual event in the Omaha area. Over 1,000 children and adults participated in the inaugural event and last year the number topped 1,200. The goal of the event is to continue Gardner’s pursuit of a playful approach to mathematics, science, art, magic, and puzzles. Celebration of Mind Nebraska events are held in over 156 locations worldwide with the Nebraska event believed to be the largest.

"We are thrilled to partner with Fat Brain Toys and UNO to bring Celebration of Mind to KANEKO," said Michael Hollins, Program Coordinator for KANKEO. "The idea of a family event that celebrates critical thinking and creativity fits the mission of KANKEO perfectly. The combination of interactive booths and our new exhibits will make for a really great family day."

“Celebration of Mind was created to inspire a whole new generation of creative thinkers,” explained Mark Carson, co-founder of Fat Brain Toys. “The combination of interactive learning inside the beautiful KANEKO will do just that - inspire!”

The goal of the event is to create a free family event that exposes children and families to educational play and Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math. Combining the resources of three regional and national leaders in Fat Brain Toys, UNO, and KANEKO will create a unique atmosphere for fun, creativity and learning.

"The Office of STEM Education at UNO is excited to partner on the 2014 Celebration of Mind event. STEAM careers are very prevalent in our community and the more opportunities we provide to expose children to STEAM, the better we are serving our community as we are engaging the future scientists, doctors, engineers, mathematicians, and artists of Omaha," explained Amelia Squires, UNO STEM Outreach Coordinator.

Admission for the event is free and all families are encouraged to sign up early. For more information on Celebration of Mind Nebraska and to pre-register please visit: www.fatbraintoys.com/celebration.

About Celebration of Mind
The first Martin Gardner Global Celebration of Mind gathering took place in different locations around the world on Oct. 21, 2010, which would have been Martin's 96th Birthday. Celebration of Mind has served as a celebration of Gardner's life and work, and continues his pursuit of a playful approach to mathematics, science, art, magic, and puzzles.

About Fat Brain Toys
Fat Brain Toys is an Omaha based national retailer and developer of unique educational toys, games and gifts. With over 7,000 toys available for purchase online, Fat Brain Toys is one of the largest and most respected toy retailers in the world. For more information on Fat Brain Toys visit www.fatbraintoys.com.

About the University of Nebraska at Omaha
Located in one of America’s best cities to live, work and learn, the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) is Nebraska’s premier metropolitan university. With more than 15,000 students enrolled in 200-plus programs of study, UNO is recognized nationally for its online education, graduate education, military friendliness and community engagement efforts. Founded in 1908, UNO has served learners of all backgrounds for more than 100 years and is dedicated to another century of excellence both in the classroom and in the community.

Become a fan of UNO on Facebook: www.facebook.com/unomaha and follow UNO's Twitter updates at http://twitter.com/unomaha.

About KANEKO
KANEKO is a non-profit cultural organization dedicated to exploring and encouraging the creative process and how it impacts our lives. Established by internationally renowned sculptor Jun Kaneko and his wife, Ree, KANEKO was conceived of as “open space for your mind,” a place where thoughtful examination of others’ ideas through exhibitions and public programs leads us to new and exciting ideas of our own.