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Plenty of play is in a day’s work at Libertyville’s Robot Factory
Lidia Voelker with her children Christian and Austin.
Which of these toys did you like best as a child?
Updated: July 22, 2012 6:09AM
By listening to her young children, Lidia Voelker created a business to encourage the interests and curiosity of children. Her C&A Robot Factory in Libertyville is a hands-on Lego fan’s dream come true, and her space offers fun for children five to 14 years of age. Voelker, 43, of Libertyville attended C&A Robot Factory (www.carobotfactory.com) is not a franchise but her own idea based on what she saw and heard from her own children Christian, 11, and Austin, 5, who enjoyed Lego building blocks. They opened the doors in February 2011. Her children’s initials are in the name. “I wanted them to be part of the business,” she said. “They are my inspiration. They are the testers of most of our materials.”
How did you realize you had the skills to operate a business?
I learned a lot while being involved in previous business endeavors. It gave me the confidence to open a business completely on my own.
How is your work at Robot Factory different from what you anticipated?
The children who come here make new friendships with others having similar interests. Some of them may be shy, introverted and lacking self-esteem. Seeing their smiles, their sense of pride at accomplishing a difficult project or hearing their parent say “This is their child’s highlight of the week” gives me a sense of pride fulfillment.
I knew I would be helping children. I didn’t expect to be changing their lives.
What is the toughest obstacle you’ve overcome?
Making people aware of what we do. Lego, for most adults, is associated with some color bricks you played with as a young child. The educational part and robotics is a fairly new thing.
Is it helpful for your company to be located in
Libertyville?
Yes. This is a great area with wonderful people. I consider Libertyville my home town, and I like the small-town atmosphere for my children to grow up in.
What kind of an impact does playing and learning at your place have on a child?
The immediate impact is having fun, creating friendships, learning while doing something they enjoy, developing teamwork skills, stimulating imagination, feeling a sense of accomplishment and success, being able to work in a non-pressure environment at their own speed, and improving their fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination.
Children with ADHD, autism, or WHO are gifted, home schooled, introverted, or extroverted will all find common interest in playing and learning while having fun here.
This seems like a hands-on type of place for children and young adults.
I think we complement the technological progress. Machines and robots already play a great role in our daily lives. In our classes, children have a chance to build their models and program them on computers. From the beginning robotics program called WeDo Robotics, which we start at the age of 7, to Mindstorms, which beginners start at the age of 11, involvement can continue all the way to college levels.
Is this what you expected to be doing when you graduated from school and started a career?
No, definitely not. Even two years ago, I had no idea that I would be taking this on.
