01Imagine02Design03Print04Play
Big ideas in. Real things out.
Hands-on enrichment classes and camps for kids living in Orange County. Forgeheads in 3rd grade and up sketch an idea, design it in 3D, and watch it come to life on a real 3D printer. Then they take it home, or open their own little shop.
Every project follows the same four steps a real product designer uses. Kids learn the tools by making something they actually care about.
Sketch it on paper. A creature, a gadget, a gift for grandma. If they can dream it, we start there.
Pencil, paper & big ideasTurn the sketch into a 3D model with pro 3D design tools, or describe it to an AI-assisted design tool and refine the result.
Pro 3D design + AI-assisted designPrep the model in slicing software, pick colors, and watch it rise layer by layer on a fully enclosed Bambu Lab printer like the P1S.
Slicing software + fully enclosed Bambu Lab printersPlay with it, gift it, or learn to photograph, price, and list it in their own little online shop.
Play, gift, or start a shopEvery session ends with something new in their hands. Here are the kinds of projects young forgeheads can design and print.
Dragons, monsters, and pets from their own imagination, sized to fit in a pocket.
Personalized keychains and bag tags. A perfect first lesson in text and shapes.
Multi-part figures with moving joints that snap together after printing.
Phone stands, pencil cups, and desk organizers. Design that solves a real problem.
Board game pieces, marble runs, and dice towers to share with the whole family.
Planters, ornaments, and gifts designed, priced, and photographed for their own little store.
Small hands-on groups of up to 5 students, so every forgehead gets lots of personal help. Kids print on fully enclosed Bambu Lab printers like the P1S, and filament and printer time are included. Kids bring their own laptop.
A playful first step into 3D design. Kids build confidence with simple shapes, AI-assisted modeling, and their first prints.
Deeper 3D modeling skills with pro design tools, multi-part models, and real design challenges for kids ready to level up.
For forgeheads who want to sell. Learn pricing, product photos, and how to set up a simple online shop with a parent.
Multi-day camps over school breaks where forgeheads take one big themed project from idea to finished print, then show it off to their families on the last day.
Holiday and summer camps where forgeheads dive into a themed project over several days and finish with a mini showcase.
A birthday party where every guest goes home with something they designed themselves. Book a small-group Forge Party and the birthday forgehead and their friends imagine, design, and 3D print their own creations together.
Kids turn an idea into a real 3D print, and every guest takes their creation home as a party favor they made themselves.
The print is the fun part. The skills are the part that lasts.
Physical objects they designed, to play with, gift, or display.
Pro 3D design tools, AI-assisted design, and slicing software, the same kinds of tools pros use.
Sketch, test, fail, fix, repeat. The heart of how engineers work.
Kids keep their 3D files so they can reprint or keep improving at home.
Costs, pricing, and customers, for forgeheads in Forge Founders.
The proud "I made that" feeling, again and again.
Forgeheads is an enrichment class provider for kids who homeschool and kids who go to public and charter schools. We offer a morning session for homeschoolers and an afternoon session for kids coming from school. Classes are secular, hands-on, and designed to complement whatever learning path your family has chosen.
We are working toward approval as a Cabrillo Point Academy enrichment vendor so eligible families can use instructional funds for our classes. Vendor status is not yet approved. Join the interest list and we will let you know as soon as it is.
Pacific Coast Academy parents, we’re working on getting you set up with enrichment funds too.
Suncoast Prep parents, we’re working on getting you set up with enrichment funds too.
Sage Oak parents, we’re working on getting you set up with enrichment funds too.
Mission Vista Academy parents, we’re working on getting you set up with enrichment funds too.
Watching a kid's idea turn into something they can hold never gets old.
I first felt it 20 years ago as a media production student, printing action figures to bring my 3D animations to life. The printers were giant, and a single print could take days.
Today I'm a three-time dad, and the tools have finally caught up to the imagination. I bought a printer to explore with my kids, and before long it was running day and night, turning their ideas into real things.
I started Forgeheads so more kids and families can feel that magic too.
Classes are designed for kids in 3rd grade and up (about age 8 and older). Young Forgers covers ages 8 to 10 and Forge Studio covers ages 11 to 14. If your child is close to the range, reach out and we can talk about fit.
Small on purpose. Each group has up to 5 students, so every forgehead gets lots of personal help and plenty of time at the printer.
Yes, with the right setup. Classes meet in a well-ventilated studio, we use fully enclosed Bambu Lab 3D printers (like the P1S) and PLA filament, and with small groups, an adult supervises all printer use up close. Kids design and send prints but do not reach inside a running printer. Instructors complete background checks in accordance with California law, in line with Cabrillo Point Academy's vendor requirements. (Our Cabrillo Point Academy vendor approval is still pending.)
Yes. Kids bring their own laptop and charger. A Windows or Mac laptop is recommended, since Chromebooks and tablets may not run full 3D design software. We help install everything at the first class, and no prior 3D design experience is needed.
Their own laptop (Windows or Mac recommended) and charger, a water bottle, a snack, and their imagination. A sketchbook is a nice bonus. Filament and printer time are included, and we help install everything they need at the first class.
Absolutely. Every finished print goes home with the kid who forged it, along with their design files so they can keep tinkering.
Yes, as a creative helper. Kids learn to describe an idea to an AI-assisted design tool, then refine and fix the result themselves with pro 3D design tools. They learn when AI helps and when their own hands do it better.
Young Forgers and Forge Studio run Tuesday through Thursday, with two 90-minute sessions each day: 10 to 11:30am for homeschoolers and 3:45 to 5:15pm for kids from public and charter schools. Each session costs $65. Camps are $575 per camp. Forge Founders pricing will be announced soon.
Classes are held in Mission Viejo, CA. Forgeheads is for kids and families living in Orange County, including Mission Viejo, Laguna Niguel, Rancho Santa Margarita, Lake Forest, Ladera Ranch, San Juan Capistrano, and nearby communities.
Not yet. We are working toward vendor approval and will notify families on our interest list as soon as it is in place.
First classes are forming now. Tell us a little about your future Forgehead and we will reach out with dates and pricing.
