Makerspaces in the Early Years - A Literature Review

Aug 25, 2026

Literature review examining how makerspaces support early childhood digital literacy and creativity within the MakEY project framework. It surveys the maker movement and educational practice, mapping makerspaces across informal and formal learning settings such as community spaces, schools, libraries, museums, after-school clubs, and open laboratories. The review also considers subject-linked learning through STEM, creative arts, design thinking, digital skills and maker literacies, then addresses cross-cutting themes including teacher education, family making, assessment, gender, social class, and ethnic or linguistic diversity.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages139

Reading Time5 h 50 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Section One: The Maker Movement and Educational Practice

Makerspaces - Why They are Important for Digital Literacy Education

The History of the Maker Movement

Innovation and Entrepreneurial Education (IEE) and Makerspaces

Early Childhood Educational Philosophies/Principles and Their Relation to Makerspaces

Section Summary

Section Two: Makerspaces in Informal and Formal Learning Spaces

Community Makerspaces and Maker Faires

Makerspaces in Formal Education

Makerspaces in Libraries

Makerspaces in Museums

Makerspaces in After-school Clubs

Makerspaces as Open Laboratories

Section Summary

Section Three: Makerspaces and Subject Learning

Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM)

Creative Arts and Makerspaces: Art as Enquiry

Digital Skills

Design Thinking and Makerspaces

Maker Literacies

Section Summary

Section Four: Cross-cutting Themes and Issues

Makerspaces in Teacher Education

Families and Making

Assessment

Gender Issues

Makerspaces and Social Class

Ethnic and Linguistic Diversity in Makerspaces

Section Summary

Section 5 Conclusion

Future Research Needs in the Area

The Proposed Contribution of MakEY to Knowledge

Final Words

References

Makerspaces in the EarlyYears A Literature Review Authors: Jackie Marsh, Kristiina Kumpulainen, Bobby Nisha, Anca Velicu, Alicia Blum-Ross, David Hyatt, Svanborg R. Jónsdóttir, Rachael Levy, Sabine Little, George Marusteru, Margrét Elísabet Ólafsdóttir, Kjetil Sandvik, Fiona Scott, Klaus Thestrup, Hans Christian Arnseth, Kristín Dýrfjörð, Alfredo Jornet, Skúlína Hlíf Kjartansdóttir, Kate Pahl, Svava Pétursdóttir and GísliThorsteinsson | Cite as:
Marsh, J., Kumpulainen, K., Nisha, B.,Velicu,A., Blum-Ross, A., Hyatt, D., Jónsdóttir, S.R., Levy, R., Little, S., Marusteru, G., Ólafsdóttir, M. E., Sandvik, K., Scott, F., Thestrup, K., Arnseth, H.C., Dýrfjörð, K., Jornet,A., Kjartansdóttir, S.H., Pahl, K., Pétursdóttir, S. and Thorsteinsson, G. (2017) Makerspaces in the Early Years:A Literature Review. University
of Sheffield: MakEY Project. | | --- | | This literature review has been produced as part of the following project: Makerspaces in the Early Years: Enhancing Digital Literacy and Creativity (MakEY)
[http://makeyproject.eu](http://makeyproject.eu)
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme under grant agreement No. 734720 | Photographs by Deborah Rodrigues Moreira and Dylan Yamada-Rice CONTENTS Page INTRODUCTION Jackie Marsh SECTION ONE:THE MAKER MOVEMENT AND EDUCATIONAL PRACTICE 1.1 Makerspaces –Why They are Important for Digital Literacy Education Kristiina Kumpulainen 1.2 The History of the Maker Movement George Marusteru 1.3 Innovation and Entrepreneurial Education (IEE) and Makerspaces Svanborg R.Jónsdóttir 1.4 Early Childhood Educational Philosophies/ Principles and Their Relation to Makerspaces Jackie Marsh 1.5 Section Summary Jackie Marsh SECTION TWO: MAKERSPACES IN INFORMAL AND FORMAL LEARNING SPACES 2.1 Community Makerspaces and Maker Faires Jackie Marsh 2.2 Makerspaces in Formal Education Skúlína HlífKjartansdóttir, Svava Pétursdóttir, Gísli Thorsteinsson and Kristín Dýrfjörð 2.3 Makerspaces in Libraries Margrét Elísabet Ólafsdóttir 2.4 Makerspaces in Museums Jackie Marsh 2.5 Makerspaces in After-school Clubs Kjetil Sandvik 6 12 17 21 26 33 35 38 47 50 53 2.6 Makerspaces as Open Laboratories Klaus Thestrup 2.7 Section Summary Jackie Marsh SECTION THREE: MAKERSPACESAND SUBJECT LEARNING 3.1 Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) Hans Christian Arnseth andAnca Velicu 3.2 Creative Arts and Makerspaces:Art as Enquiry Alfredo Jornet and Kate Pahl 3.3 Digital Skills Anca Velicu 3.4 Design Thinking and Makerspaces Bobby Nisha 3.5 Maker Literacies Jackie Marsh 3.6 Section Summary Jackie Marsh SECTION FOUR: CROSS-CUTTING THEMESAND ISSUES 4.1 Makerspaces in Teacher Education Bobby Nisha and Jackie Marsh 4.2 Families and Making Alicia Blum-Ross 4.3 Assessment David Hyatt 4.3 Gender Issues Rachael Levy 4.4 Makerspaces and Social Class Fiona Scott 4.5 Ethnic and Linguistic Diversity in Makerspaces Sabine Little 58 60 63 66 70 72 75 80 81 84 86 88 92 96 4.6 Section Summary 99 Jackie Marsh SECTION 5 CONCLUSION 5.1 Future Research Needs in the Area 100 Jackie Marsh 5.2 The Proposed Contribution of MakEY to Knowledge 101 Jackie Marsh and Kristiina Kumpulainen 5.3 Final Words 105 Jackie Marsh REFERENCES 106 INTRODUCTION Jackie Marsh There is little doubt that the digital age is impacting on the lives of society’s youngest children. Across Europe, many children have access to digital technologies in homes and communities from birth (Chaudron et al. , 2015) . There is as yet, however, limited research on the digital literacy practices of children aged from birth to age eight (Burnett and Daniels, 2016; Holloway, Green and Livingstone, 2013) . This is problematic, as there is an urgent need for populations to develop the skills and knowledge required to navigate a complex technological world.

FAQs

What is the focus of the MakEY literature review on makerspaces?

The review focuses on how makerspaces in early years help children develop digital literacy and creativity, drawing on experiences in purpose-designed making spaces.

Which learning settings does the review cover?

It covers makerspaces in community contexts and informal learning, as well as formal education, libraries, museums, after-school clubs, and makerspaces functioning as open laboratories.

How does the review connect makerspaces to subject learning and skills?

It links makerspaces to areas such as STEM, creative arts, digital skills, design thinking, and maker literacies, showing how different subject approaches support learning outcomes.

Aug 25, 2026

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