There are many ways to get your children involved in STEM-related activities this August.
August 1: Experience the science of power and energy through exciting, hands-on experiments at the Watertown Free Public Library. (Ages 5-10)
August 1,8,15,22: Put on a lab coat and enter the Maker Lab at the Worcester Public Library. (Ages 9-12)
August 1,2,6: Take introduction to computer programming at the Shrewsbury Public Library. (Grades 5-8)
August 2,9,16: Explore STEAM with free play, activity centers and circle time with songs and movement activities at the Belmont Public Library. (Ages 5+)
August 3: Assemble a “car” and learn about both potential and kinetic energy, all while racing your friends and having fun at the Grove Hall branch of the Boston Public Library.
August 3,5: Participate in the STEM Olympics by completing a series of fun Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math activities at the Cambridge Public Library. (Ages 4-14)
August 3,10,17: Learn how to use computer programming to code finch robots at the Newton Free Library. (Grades 6-12)
August 4: Build your own robot with KIBO, program it to do what you want, and decorate it at the Newton Free Library. (Ages 7-9)
August 4,11,18: Use Scratch for creating games, music, animation and more at the Boston Public Library (Central). (Ages 13-18)
August 4,11,18,25: Inspires children to ask questions and investigate through hands-on science experiments at the South Boston branch of the Boston Public Library. (Grades K-2)
August 5: Free admission to The Discovery Museums: Science in Acton.
August 5: Print your own copy of Dr. Who’s Tardis on the 3D printer at the Morse Institute Library. (Ages 11-18)
August 6,13,20,27: Drop in and get help with your 3D printing designs at the Morse Institute Library. (Teens)
August (many dates): Create rich and exciting games with Kodu Game Lab at Microsoft Stores in Boston, Burlington and Natick. Free (Ages 8-11)
August (many dates): Take an entrepreneurial class and learn how to start your own business at Microsoft Stores in Boston, Burlington and Natick. Free (Ages 12+)
August (many dates): Use TouchDevelop, an interactive programming environment website, to create and publish a video game called Flatverse at Microsoft Stores in Boston, Burlington and Natick. Free (Ages 12+)
August 8,22: Come design and print on the 3D printer at the Newton Free Library. (Teens)
August 11: Do some of the favorite science activities from the past year of Preschool Discovery at the Thomas Crane Public Library in Quincy. (Ages 2-5)
August 11: Join the littleBits DIY club and use electronic building blocks to create things at the Newton Free Library. (Ages 9-12).
August 12: Learn how rockets work and then make and fly your very own rocket at the Cambridge Public Library. (Ages 5+)
August 15: The Museum of Science will show everybody what happens when things get super cold at the Watertown Free Public Library. (Ages 5-10)
August 15: Create habitats with Hexbugs, little robotic creatures that react to their environment at the Newton Free Library. (Ages 5+)
August 15, 16,17: Learn how to build your own website using HTML & CSS at the Morse Institute Library in Natick. (Girls, Ages 11-14)
August 18: Join the Teen Tinker Club and use littleBits and hexbugs to invent new things at the Newton Free Library. (Grades 6-12)
August 20, 21: FIRST LEGO League practices kick off at Empow Studios. Join a team today. (Boys/Girls teams, All-Girls team, ages 9-14)
Girls Who Code Clubs
The Girls Who Code Clubs Program teaches computer science to 6th-12th grade girls. Girls who participate in the clubs will receive 40 hours of instruction from volunteer instructors in computer science including project based activities to reinforce concepts like conditionals, lists, and loops as well as skills like mobile app development.
Girls Who Code clubs are free and many are held at libraries and schools around Massachusetts. With the growth of the clubs, I am now including a list of the public clubs here. If you are interested in information about a club, please contact the Club site directly.
- Belmont Public Library: 336 Concord Ave, Belmont, MA
- Cambridge Public Library (2 sessions): 449 Broadway, Cambridge, MA
- East Boston Branch of the Boston Public Library: 365 Bremen Street, Boston, MA
- Harvard University: 93 Dunster Mail Center, Cambridge, MA
- LEAP for Education, Inc.: 209 Essex St., Salem, MA
- Light of the World Empowerment: 275 Washington St., Dorchester, MA
- Medway High School: 88 Summer St., Medway, MA
- Memorial Hall Library: 2 North Main St., Andover, MA
- Needham High School: 609 Webster St., Needham, MA
- Newton Free Library (2 sessions): 330 Homer St., Newton, MA
- Paulo Freire Social Justice Charter School: 161 Lower Westfield Rd., Holyoke, MA
- Public Library of Brookline (2 sessions): 361 Washington St., Brookline, MA
- Reuben Hoar Library: 41 Shattuck St., Littleton, MA
- Smith College: 1 Chapin Way, Northampton, MA
- Watertown Free Public Library: 123 Main St., Watertown, MA
- Wellesley Free Library: 530 Washington St., Wellesley, MA
Image: Silicon Valley Code Camp by Stephen Chin
