The Canada Aviation and Space Museum invites you to take part in its 23rd annual LEGO Contest.
Contests will be held on Friday, March 7 at 10:30 a.m., and Friday, March 14 at 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m.
This year's theme is "All about Helicopters", as the Museum explores the whirling world of these amazing flying machines. The children will create Lego designs based on these rotary-wing aircraft, with final products varying from true-to-life helicopter replicas to fantasy VTOL (vertical take-off and landing) machines. Helicopters have many different uses, from Search and Rescue operations to sightseeing tours. The children will have an opportunity to tell the story behind their Lego design and explain to the judges all of the ups and downs of building their unique aircraft.
Please note that Museum admission does apply for family and friends of the Lego Contest participant.
When you see the small yellow Fleet 16B Finch II trainer aircraft in the Museum, you'll know where we got our inspiration for this class. Designed for those in Preschool and Junior Kindergarten, this non-competitive class invites children to fire up their imaginations — without risk of disappointment, since everyone who takes part is a winner!
The de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver is a sturdy little airplane that does a lot. If Thomas the Tank Engine is a "really useful engine", then the Beaver is the airplane version! Children in Senior Kindergarten and Grade 1 are invited to participate in this competitive class.
We're certain that children in Grades 2 and 3 will put as much care and attention into their entries as the Museum devoted to restoring its Curtiss Seagull flying boat.
The Boeing Vertol CH-113 Labrador proved itself "up to the challenge" on thousands of rescue missions. We're confident that participants in Grades 4, 5 and 6 will prove equally capable when competing as part of this age class.
The North American P-51D Mustang IV was one of the finest fighters of its day. We think it's the perfect inspiration for entrants in our new "Open" category. We welcome individual entrants in Grade 7 or higher to enter this fun category.
Sometimes a contest may seem like a good idea, but as the day draws nearer, your child may start to get a little nervous. Maybe it is their first time entering a contest; maybe they are a little shy talking to unfamiliar grownups. Here is an idea of how the contest unfolds, along with some suggestions for preparing younger contestants.
When you arrive at the Museum, you will be directed to the contest area. Museum staff and volunteers will be on hand to sign you in and direct you to the appropriate tables (we seat the children from each age group at their own set of tables).
Children should choose a seat at the appropriate table and arrange their project they way they wish it to be displayed. There will also be a place card and name tag at each seat. The place card should be filled out with the child's name and placed alongside the project. The name tag is worn by the contestant to help our judges match projects to people.
When the contest is about to begin, you will be asked to come and sit together in a central area for a brief welcoming message and instructions. We try to keep this part short and sweet, so that we can get to the real fun as quickly as possible!
Once we get started, the judges (all Museum staff and volunteers) will come around and ask the participants questions about their projects. Judges typically spend 3–5 minutes with each child, but this can vary, depending on the judge, the child, etc. All judges complete a standard criteria sheet after each conversation. When the judge is finished, he or she will sign the back of the participant's place card. Each participant will be judged by two judges. The second judge will lay the place card flat in order to help other judges recognize who still needs to be judged. Participants should remain with their project until they have been judged by two judges! Once a participant has been judged twice, they may wander around the Museum and take a look at the other projects, until we are ready to announce the winners.
For all competitive categories, judges will make their assessments using a standardized form, with expectations adjusted to make them appropriate to each age category. The four main categories the judges consider are: "General Appearance and Design", "Use of Colour", "Degree of Difficulty" and "Neatness and Care in Construction".
Once we are ready to announce the winners, everyone will be asked to come back to the central area one more time. Although this is a contest, and there are winners, we are very insistent that there are no losers! Everyone who took the time to participate deserves a moment to shine! All participants will get to come to the front and receive a certificate and participation prize. And, of course, we'll announce our lucky winners. There will be lots of applause for everyone, so come ready to make lots of happy noise!
We try really, really hard to make sure everyone's name is spelled correctly on his or her certificate. If, by some chance, we accidentally spell your name wrong, please forgive us! Come and see us after the awards ceremony, and we will make you a fresh, correctly-spelled certificate on the spot!
During the contest, our judges may ask a few questions to help the conversation along. To help prepare your young competitor for the day, you might wish to act out "Lego Contest Day". Clear off a coffee table and cover it with an old sheet or tablecloth. Make a place card and name tag, and let your child practice writing his or her name. Put on some dress-up clothes (old hats, necklaces, etc.) to help you act out the parts of different judges or contestants. Be sure to take turns, and let your child pretend to be a judge, too!
Here are some questions you might like to try:
Good Luck!
Regular schedule: Wednesday to Monday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Closed Tuesdays except statutory and school holidays.
Closed Christmas Day. Open New Year’s Day.
Aviation and Rockcliffe Parkways.