A student makes a fidget spinner in the Hatchery Makerspace on campus. Photos by Tim Correira.
Whether or not therapists find common ground with young clients is a powerful predictor of effective care, said Carolyn Romano, assistant professor of practice at the Boston College School of Social Work. And, she added, therapists connect best with children when they engage in activities like play.
That’s one reason Romano recently hosted a workshop that taught students how to make a fun tool they can use in clinical practice: fidget spinners.
“Children and adolescents learn by playing and experiencing the world,” said Romano, who led the event in collaboration with Jessica Black, associate professor and chair of the Children, Youth, and Families field of practice. “When we work with youth, we need to engage in play to connect authentically.”
A student uses the 3-D printer in the Hatchery.
Romano’s students got a hands-on lesson in the power of play on a Saturday in December, using online design files, computer software, and 3-D printers in the Hatchery Makerspace on campus to create handheld, spinning toys designed to meet children where they are.
One participant, Kendall Madison, MSW’26, said the workshop encouraged her to find creative ways to connect with her clients.
“It was inspiring to be able to create our own tools and collaborate around a unique experience,” said Madison, a clinical student in the CYF field of practice. “As a future social worker, I will carry this inspiration to create and think outside the box in my work.”
Students and faculty pose with the fidget spinners they made at the Hatchery.
The setting itself reinforced this message. The Hatchery is located on the second floor of 245 Beacon St., a big, bright, open space encouraging collaboration and reinforcing the idea that learning doesn’t need to be confined to classrooms and desks.
Hosting the workshop there was intentional. Romano said people learn best when they play and are allowed to learn from mistakes, stimulating a growth mindset. As she put it: “The Hatchery is a purpose-built place for creation and active hands-on learning.”
Experiential learning and simulation are central elements of her courses, including Group Therapy for Children and Adolescents and Advanced Clinical Interventions with Children, Youth, and Families, reflecting the fact that the social work profession itself is rooted in learning through both classroom and field experiences.
Madison said the workshop bridged the gap between theory and practice, helping her apply what she learns in class to her practice with children.
“Building something tactical supported my understanding of course material,” she said. “Within the CYF tract we spend a lot of time talking about practical integration and application. Creating our own fidgets allowed us to consider ethical design, the concept of individualized care through creation, and the power of play during the stress of finals.”
Want to design your own fidget spinner? Sign up through the Hatchery website or email Romano directly.