Rolling enrollment open. Courses prorated.
Explore now.Curious about how things are made, from toys and tools to entire houses? This course introduces students to the exciting world of 3D printing and additive manufacturing. Designed for curious minds, this course blends creativity, problem-solving, and real-world applications to spark a love for engineering and design. Students will experiment with accessible software, explore how 3D printing is used across industries, and think through the ethics and future of this technology. Whether your learner is already tech-savvy or just curious about how things are made, this course will get them thinking, and maybe even printing, like an engineer.
Curious about how things are made, from toys and tools to entire houses? In this 3D Printing course, your child takes an object straight from their imagination and brings it into the physical world.
Students dive into 3D modeling tools to learn how to create digital objects, then prepare them properly for printing. Along the way they keep the physical constraints in mind and learn to plan ahead so their prints come out successfully.
Course topics include creating and exporting models from Blender, configuring Cura to optimize printing, the different types of 3D printing (plastic filament vs. resin), 3D printer maintenance and best practices, and practical real-life applications.
By the end of the course, your child can take an idea, model it, and turn it into something they can hold, thinking and building like an engineer.
For 3D printing class, it's ideal to have a 3D Printer already! If you would like to purchase one for class, there are entry level hobbyist printers for around $200-300 USD. I will provide links to before the course begins. Materials are categorized into groups A or B below, depending on level of investment, there are alternatives to buying your own printer that we can work with!
3D printing sits at the intersection of creativity and engineering. Your child learns to think in three dimensions, iterate on designs, and solve real constraints. These are the same skills that show up in architecture, product design, and engineering programs. Parents tell us their kids start looking at everyday objects and asking, 'How would I build that?'
Your child will not just learn about 3D printing in the abstract. They will model, test, and refine their own creations using tools professionals actually use. That kind of hands-on confidence with real technology gives them a running start in any STEM-related path they choose later.
YSA is a UC-registered online publisher and WASC-accredited Supplementary Education Center, which means our courses can count toward official college credit requirements. State schools can recognize the courses your student takes here, adding real legitimacy to your homeschooling journey or building on top of your student's existing transcript. That unlocks two ways to enroll: For Credit -- Your student earns official, accredited credit toward their transcript. For-credit students complete weekly assignments that build toward their transcript grade. Outside-of-class work ranges from 1-2 hours per week. Perfect for families who want documentation that reflects what their child is actually capable of -- to show the world how brilliant they are. For Enrichment -- Your student takes the very same course purely for the love of learning. No grades, no outside-of-class work, no credit attached. Just the content, the community, and the growth. Same course. Same mentor. Same experience in class. You choose what fits your family.
If you homeschool, this works seamlessly. If your student attends another school full time, we create a report card and transcript that we share with you, and you share with the school. It is up to your primary school to accept it and add it to your student's official transcript.
Learn how 3D printers work and explore real-world uses from cosplay props to architectural models 
Build spatial reasoning and engineering thinking by designing objects in beginner-friendly 3D modeling software 
Collaborate on design challenges with peers who share their curiosity about how things are made and how to make them better 
Gain the confidence to take an idea from concept to digital prototype, whether or not they have a printer at home 
Hey there! I'm Alex! I've been a game developer for 10 years, and I've worked for Meta and Target. I've also developed a few games, including Totally Reliable Delivery Service (A multiplayer physics game about delivery packages poorly) and Ollie-Oop, a 3D platformer about a skateboarding dog named Ollie who goes on the adventure of his dreams! I was also a home school kid all through elementary school up until college. I love all kinds of video games, puzzles, escape rooms, mystery/detective movies, retro gaming, mechanical keyboards, cooking, and I love dogs!
WHAT PARENTS ARE SAYING
Parents don't just see happier kids. They see sharper thinking, stronger friendships, and a child who actually wants to log on.
★★★★★
"My son has always taken things apart to see how they work. In Alex's course he finally got to build something and hold it in his hands. Watching him design a model, print it, and light up when it came out right has been worth everything."
Stephanie J.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"Alex talks to the kids like they are capable, curious people. My daughter walked in intimidated by the software and walked out teaching me how 3D printing works. Her confidence has completely changed."
Andre B.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"My son has always taken things apart to see how they work. In Alex's course he finally got to build something and hold it in his hands. Watching him design a model, print it, and light up when it came out right has been worth everything."
Stephanie J.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"Alex talks to the kids like they are capable, curious people. My daughter walked in intimidated by the software and walked out teaching me how 3D printing works. Her confidence has completely changed."
Andre B.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"What sold me is how real-world Alex makes it. My kid is not just playing, he is learning to think like an engineer: plan ahead, solve the problem, try again when a print fails. He does not even realize he is learning life skills."
Renata F.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"My 2e son struggles in a typical classroom but he comes alive with Alex. The small group and the hands-on projects are exactly what his brain needs. He counts the hours until class."
Harold P.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"What sold me is how real-world Alex makes it. My kid is not just playing, he is learning to think like an engineer: plan ahead, solve the problem, try again when a print fails. He does not even realize he is learning life skills."
Renata F.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"My 2e son struggles in a typical classroom but he comes alive with Alex. The small group and the hands-on projects are exactly what his brain needs. He counts the hours until class."
Harold P.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"Alex has a calm, encouraging way about him that puts my anxious kid at ease. She used to give up the second something got hard. Now she troubleshoots her own designs and is proud of what she makes."
Delia M.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"This is the first course where my son found other kids who geek out about the same things he does. Between Alex and the group, he has found his people and a real skill. We are already signed up for next semester."
Kevin R.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"Alex has a calm, encouraging way about him that puts my anxious kid at ease. She used to give up the second something got hard. Now she troubleshoots her own designs and is proud of what she makes."
Delia M.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"This is the first course where my son found other kids who geek out about the same things he does. Between Alex and the group, he has found his people and a real skill. We are already signed up for next semester."
Kevin R.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"My son has always taken things apart to see how they work. In Alex's course he finally got to build something and hold it in his hands. Watching him design a model, print it, and light up when it came out right has been worth everything."
Stephanie J.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"Alex talks to the kids like they are capable, curious people. My daughter walked in intimidated by the software and walked out teaching me how 3D printing works. Her confidence has completely changed."
Andre B.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"What sold me is how real-world Alex makes it. My kid is not just playing, he is learning to think like an engineer: plan ahead, solve the problem, try again when a print fails. He does not even realize he is learning life skills."
Renata F.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"My 2e son struggles in a typical classroom but he comes alive with Alex. The small group and the hands-on projects are exactly what his brain needs. He counts the hours until class."
Harold P.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"Alex has a calm, encouraging way about him that puts my anxious kid at ease. She used to give up the second something got hard. Now she troubleshoots her own designs and is proud of what she makes."
Delia M.
YSA parent
★★★★★
"This is the first course where my son found other kids who geek out about the same things he does. Between Alex and the group, he has found his people and a real skill. We are already signed up for next semester."
Kevin R.
YSA parent
If you’re not 100% in love with the course, you have options depending on how you enrolled:
You can switch to another course of equal or lesser value that’s a better fit or get a credit to use toward a future course.
You can either get credit toward a future course, switch to another course of equal or lesser value that’s a better fit, or stop all future payments after a 30-day processing period.
No risk. No stress. Just the learning and belonging you have been looking for.
We can offer this because we know what we do works for thousands of other families. Kids become more self-confident. They find their people. And families tell us this is the place where their student finally feels welcome. We know it will work for your family, too.
All-Access Passes have separate terms and conditions. Please see the All-Access Pass pages.
It goes without saying, but we’ll say it anyway... to qualify for the satisfaction guarantee policy, you have to actually attend the classes. This is not a cancellation policy. It’s a satisfaction guarantee. You can’t be satisfied or dissatisfied if you don’t attend.
Young Scholars Academy is a virtual village that offers one-of-a-kind, engaging enrichment courses and community for 5-18-year-old bright, quirky kids to empower them to develop their strengths, make like-minded friends, cultivate life skills, build confidence, and feel great about themselves under the loving care of expert mentors. description2: >- Picture a place where your child fits in, is celebrated, mentored, and loves learning the unique content their beautiful brain craves. That happens every day at YSA for over 1,200+ families, and it can happen for your family, too.
WASC Accredited · 1,200+ Families · 93% Re-Enroll · 47+ States, 17 Countries, 6 Continents
Learn more about YSAQUESTIONS ABOUT THIS COURSE
Everything you need to know before enrolling your child.
Most online classes put 20-30 kids in a room with a teacher who reads slides. At YSA, your child joins a group of 8 or fewer students who think like they do, led by a mentor who was often once just like them. Cameras are optional. The content is chosen by passion, not grade level. And 93% of families re-enroll - because kids who have never liked school before fight to log on to YSA.
Yes. YSA families join from 47+ states and 17 countries across 6 continents. All you need is an internet connection. We schedule sections across multiple time zones so families worldwide can find a time that works.
3D Printing meets once per week for 50 minutes, every week from August through December. Your child joins the same tight-knit group of up to 8 students and the same mentor all semester long. Same friends, same mentor, a new challenge every week.
Our gifted and 2e students experience such asynchronous development that hard age limits rarely tell the full story. If your student should be aged up or aged down, contact us at support@youngscholarsacademy.org or click the chat in the bottom right corner of the screen. We do this all the time.
Please don't confuse reactive distance learning with what happens at YSA. When a kid is engaged in a course they chose, with a mentor who gets them and peers who share their interests, the screen disappears. They're not on a screen. They're with their people. Parents tell us their children fight to log on to YSA.
If your child isn't loving a course by the end of the first week, swap into a different course. Same semester. No questions. Not the right fit within the first month? We'll stop payments, switch courses, or issue credit toward any future course. The credit never expires. And you keep every bonus you've received. Over 93% of YSA families don't just stay. They add more courses.
No. Cameras are always optional. Always. Many of our students start with cameras off and turn them on when they're comfortable. Our mentors engage every student equally, cameras on or off.
No. If you're here, you're in the right place. We don't require paperwork, evaluations, or labels. Whether your child has been formally identified as gifted or twice-exceptional, whether you suspect it but haven't pursued testing, or whether you just know your kid's brain works differently and nothing else has fit, they're welcome here.
Yes. YSA is an approved vendor with 10+ state ESA programs including Arizona ESA, Utah Fits All, ClassWallet, My Tech High, Florida Step Up, and others. Enroll directly to secure your child's spot, submit the invoice to your ESA, and your payment method is refunded when funds transfer. Many families pay zero out of pocket.
Click "See Available Times" on this page, pick the section that fits your schedule, and your child's spot is secured immediately. No phone call. No placement test. No prerequisite.
Right now, a kid who thinks like your kid is in a course they chose, with a mentor who was once just like them, surrounded by friends who don't think they're weird... they think they're interesting.
Your child is one click from finding out what that feels like.
Windows computer with access to install programs (Cura, Blender, Sketchup)