The GIANT Room
Overview
Expert Summary
Detailed Insights
The GIANT Room offers a unique, highly engaging blend of cutting-edge STEAM education and hands-on creative activities, leveraging advanced tools like laser cutters, 3D printers, Cricut machines, and embroidery machines. It stands out for its meticulously planned lessons, which seamlessly combine science and humanities, delivered by exceptionally kind, informative, and entertaining educators. Children consistently get deeply engaged and express a strong desire to stay and return, making big ideas come true through design and creation.
Key Highlights
- ✓Children didn't want to leave, showing high engagement and enjoyment.
- ✓Excellent COVID protocols were in place and effective.
- ✓Staff members (e.g., Paul, Maru) are consistently described as kind, helpful, informative, and entertaining.
- ✓Features high-tech creative activities such as laser wood cutting/decoration, button making, and Cricut sticker making.
- ✓Provides access to advanced equipment like 3D printers, laser cutters, and embroidery machines, allowing children to design and create freely.
- ✓Offers highly engaging and meticulously planned virtual classes that blend science and humanities concepts.
- ✓Combines free play with guided activities, providing a balanced experience.
- ✓Received positive feedback for both its home space in Chelsea and open events at external locations (e.g., Little Island for AR exhibits).
Standout Features
- ⭐Access to advanced creative technology: 3D printers, laser cutters, Cricut machines, and embroidery machines.
- ⭐Highly engaging and skilled educators who are great at fostering creativity and learning.
- ⭐A wide variety of hands-on, STEAM-focused creative projects.
- ⭐Offers flexible program formats including virtual classes, drop-in camps, and in-person events.
- ⭐Strong emphasis on blending science and humanities concepts in lessons.
- ⭐Provides a balance of structured guided activities and opportunities for free play and self-directed creation.
- ⭐Effective COVID protocols for in-person activities.
Perfect For
Ideal For
💡Pro Tips from Reviews
- →Be prepared for your children to be highly engaged and potentially not wanting to leave.
- →Inquire about specific high-tech machines (like 3D printers or laser cutters) if your child has a particular interest.
- →Even virtual classes are highly engaging and educational, making them a great option if in-person isn't possible.
- →Look out for special open events at external venues like Little Island, as they offer unique experiences (e.g., AR exhibits).
Price & Value
Pricing details are not mentioned in the provided reviews. However, the consistent high praise for engagement, quality of instruction, access to advanced creative technology, and variety of activities suggests a high perceived value for the cost, whatever it may be. Parents feel their children are getting a rich, unique, and highly beneficial experience.
♿Accessibility & Special Needs
- •No specific accommodations mentioned in the reviews.
🍎Food & Drink Policy
- •No food and drink rules mentioned in the reviews.
🚗Parking Info
- •No parking information mentioned in the reviews.
👥Crowd Levels
- •No information about crowd levels is provided in the reviews.
🛡️Safety Features
- •Good COVID protocols were specifically mentioned and appreciated.
⏰When to Avoid
- • None indicated by the reviews; all experiences reported were overwhelmingly positive.
Pricing/Package/Events
Pricing & Packages
Personalized STEM Club (Live Online)
$75/session for the group (divided by participants, e.g., $15/session per participant for 5 friends)Duration: Variable (e.g., One hour every other day for two weeks, One hour a day for one week, Three hours a day for three weeks)
Custom-designed STEM + Arts workshop series for kids and friends. Topics can be broad or specific (Coding, game design, starting your own business, Minecraft, cooking, comics, doodling, engineering, improv, public speaking, LEGO, Roblox).
Includes:
- •Instruction by top instructors with degrees from NYU, Stanford, Parsons, and Columbia
- •Language immersion options: Spanish, Chinese, French, Korean, Persian, Turkish
Personalized STEM Club (In-person at GIANT Hub)
$50/child for two hour sessionDuration: Variable (e.g., One hour every other day for two weeks, One hour a day for one week, Three hours a day for three weeks)
Custom-designed STEM + Arts workshop series for kids and friends. Topics can be broad or specific (arts, doodling, animation, coding, design, science, math, fashion, LEGO, Roblox).
Includes:
- •Instruction by top instructors with degrees from NYU, Stanford, Parsons, and Columbia
- •Language immersion options: Spanish, Chinese, French, Korean, Persian, Turkish
Events & Schedule
Special Events(Last 2 months - Next 6 months)
Co-Design with Lirvana Labs Session #1
Monday, August 18, 2025, 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Free, participants receive $25 per session incentive.
Partnership with Lirvana Labs and Joan Ganz Cooney Center from Sesame Workshop to co-design a writing app. Focus on playfully brainstorming ideas, learning and practicing feedback, and prototyping. Held in-person at the School of Visual Arts in New York City.
Co-Design with Lirvana Labs Session #2
Tuesday, August 19, 2025, 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Free, participants receive $25 per session incentive.
Partnership with Lirvana Labs and Joan Ganz Cooney Center from Sesame Workshop to co-design a writing app. Continuation of Session #1. Held in-person at the School of Visual Arts in New York City.
Co-Design with Lirvana Labs Session #3
Wednesday, August 20, 2025, 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Free, participants receive $25 per session incentive.
Partnership with Lirvana Labs and Joan Ganz Cooney Center from Sesame Workshop to co-design a writing app. Final session of the series. Held in-person at the School of Visual Arts in New York City.
🍎Food Policy
- • For 'A Democracy Design Workshop - Camp for Middle Schoolers!': snacks provided and lunch provided.
📅Booking Policy
- • For workshops requiring multiple sessions, participants must join all sessions.
- • Spots are limited to 35 participants for 'A Democracy Design Workshop - Camp for Middle Schoolers!'.
- • Limited number of children accepted for several co-design programs.
- • For personalized STEM Clubs: Group size of 1-5 for online, up to 8 for in-person.
What People Say
What's Great
- Friendly and helpful staff (mentioned in 5 reviews)
- Fun and entertaining activities (mentioned in 2 reviews)
- Spacious play areas (mentioned in 8 reviews)
Recent Reviews
Megan Wada
3 years agoMy 5 yo daughter loved the Giant Room. She didn’t want to leave, and I promised her we would go back soon. COVID protocols were good, and Paul and Maru were so kind and provided information about the programs and the machines. The laser wood cutting / decoration, button making, and cricut sticker making were the big hits with my daughter. Highly recommended.
Elizabeth Berkowitz
4 years agoThe GIANT Room's virtual classes were absolutely fantastic--my daughter was engaged throughout, the skillful and meticulously planned lessons were perfect blends of science and humanities concepts, and the educators were informative and entertaining. The class variety made each day's choice a difficult one, and my daughter truly looked forward to attending! If the virtual offerings are this good, we can't wait to see what the experience is like in person on the other side of the pandemic.
Kate Deshmukh
4 years agoMy students loved their visit to the GIANT Room. They were thrilled to have so many different opportunities to design and create. One of the kids said to me incredulously, "I can use whatever I want?!" when he saw the 3D printer, laser cutter, embroidery machine, and more. We were all impressed with how kind and helpful the staff is. Highly recommended!
Tara Mahtafar
2 years agoAnother fabulous time @ Giant Room’s open event at Little Island, making Kusama-themed artwork added to their Augmented Reality exhibit. We also love their home space in Chelsea, where every visit gives my 3yo toddler new experiences that combine free play and guided activities. Giant leads at the cutting edge of STEAM — and the team are beyond wonderful.
Agatha Capacchione
2 years agoI can't write enough amazing things about the Giant Room. We did drop in camp this summer for our kids one week and every day they had the best time. The teachers on site are so engaging with the kids and they exposed the children to so many new ways to make big ideas come true.