By Science Fun and the Rocky Adkins Public Library

Celebration of Mind is based on the work of Martin Gardner and is a chance to share some of the puzzles and mental challenges he popularized. 

Something for all ages. 
We ran two sessions the first only had about a dozen folks come to see what it was all about.
That was probably because I had inadvertently scheduled it the same time as a regular monthly get together that attracts many in the area.
It was scheduled to last two hours but folks weren't ready to leave so it continued for about three.
So I consider it a success.

The second session had the same activities and was scheduled right after school so kids, parents, teachers, and principals showed up.
Pictures from it are at the bottom of this page.

Some of the books he wrote or that are by authors he introduced in his Scientific American column.


The Geometric Vanish with Martin Gardner was new for this year.
You can make your own with these instructions.


Can you connect box A to A, B to B, and C to C without crossing any lines, going outside the box or through another box?


We had Tangrams again this year.


And Mobius strips.
You can find this variant here


Binary numbers make this trick work.


These puzzles yield to thought and persistence.


We also made the Dragon Illusion but I only accidentally included it in a photo.
You can see how to make it here.


Napier's Bones caught the interest of this boy who was just learning how to multiply big numbers in school.


I am sure Martin would have enjoyed George Hart's metamathematical sculptures.
Here we are assembling playing cards into a 12 card star puzzle.
Detailed instructions here
 

I wish I would have pointed out the quilt in the background of this picture as a demonstration of several tilings of the plane.


Scott Kim and M. C. Escher found some new admirers.


We even had a tiling that our youngest participant could try.
Though she wasn't up for it when I took this picture.


Here are some of what we did in the second session.

Some enjoyed stumping others with the binary number trick

They got to know a little of Escher's art.

Some of the mechanical puzzles were perplexing, but fun.

Tangrams, Mobius strips, and the binary number trick.

And a couple more random shots.


Click HERE to see what we did at the Science Fun Celebration of Mind in 2012.

We will be doing another Celebration of Mind after school later this month.

More information about this world wide celebration is available HERE.