It was a morning full of amazement and curiosity for scores of children in Sharjah.
International Book Fair (SIBF), where they learned to turn everyday materials into animated
machines. The “Autonomous Hands” workshop guided participants through building robotic hands using
simple daily materials like cardboard, double-sided tape, straws, strings and stickers,
transforming static paper cutouts into motion-filled, expressive “characters.”

“The idea is to show children that robotics isn’t just about wires and code,” explained the workshop facilitators. “With simple tools and creativity, they can animate something of their own making. These little paper hands may look simple, but they illustrate the same basic principles used in prosthetics and robotic design.”

Mansoor, a 9-year-old Grade 3 student, said, “It was amazing to see my hand move when I
pulled the strings. It felt like I made my own robot! For 13-year-old Abdul Hadi, it was a day of ‘picking up the basics of robotics’. “I want to make a bigger one now, maybe one that can pick up small things – like a real robot arm.”
For someone as young as the five-year-old Rahma, it was pure delight. “My robot hand
waves! I want to make it say hello next time.” The interactive workshop introduced children to the art of blending science and creativity, allowing them to make “living” hands that carried shields, made sounds, and reflected each
child’s imagination.

The session is part of 750 workshops lined up as part of this year’s SIBF, being organised by the
Sharjah Book Authority (SBA) until November 16 under the theme ‘Between you and a Book’.

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