I hope you had a relaxing summer break and are looking forward to the new school year!
As you are thinking about ways to get your children involved in STEM this year, check out FIRST for robotics, Â Girls Who Code for computer programming, and your school for after school enrichment programs.
This month, the Boston Children’s Museum is hosting the Boston Mini Maker Faire on Sunday, September 17. This is going to be a fun event for kids and adults who enjoy learning about technology and working on do-it-yourself projects.  Meet the innovators behind some of the areas robotics, 3D printing, and design companies. There will be many exhibitors demonstrating their hobbies, experiments, and projects. Get your tickets now!
Also, registration is open for LexHack, Lexington High School’s annual hackathon for high school students who enjoy programming and hacking hardware. This FREE event will be held on Saturday, September 30th at Lexington High School from 8am-11pm.
Here is the full list of free or low-cost STEM activities for your kids to consider this month. Enjoy!
September (various dates): Learn to code with CodeCampKidz and write HTML, CSS & Javascript code at Microsoft Store in the Burlington Mall and Natick Mall. Intro classes free. (Grades 6, 7, 8)
September (various dates): Attend YouthSpark Workshops and STEM Saturday events at Microsoft Store in the Prudential Center Boston, Burlington Mall and Natick Mall. Free
September 2, 3, 9, 10, 16, 17, 23, 24, 30: Hands-on engineering and design programs offered by the MIT Museum in Cambridge. Free with Museum admission. (Ages 12+)
September 6: Learn how to make a circuit in a STEM workshop at the Cary Memorial Library in Lexington. (Grades 5-8)
September 6, 13, 20, 27: Learn basic coding concepts and sequencing by playing different coding apps at the Roosevelt branch of the Worcester Public Library. (Ages 7-12)
September 7, 14, 21, 28: Learn basic coding concepts and sequencing by playing different coding apps at the Burncoat branch of the Worcester Public Library. (Ages 7-12)
September 7: Explore and work with Scratch to create games, animation, and stories at the Newton Free Library. (Grades 3-4)
September 9: Practice important science skills using school supplies to complete a series of math and science activities at the Thomas Crane Public Library in Quincy.
September 9: Come together for a Teen Tech Hackathon, a 4-hour event where you use data science, the Python Programming Language, and your clever wits and instincts to find creative solutions to a real-life problem at the Central Library in Copley Square.
September 13: Make your own LED greeting card using holiday lights and conductive materials to create pathways for energy to flow at the Cary Memorial Library in Lexington. (Grades 3-6)
September 14: Learn how to make your own magnets and understand what makes a material magnetic at the Cary Memorial Library in Lexington. (Grades 3-5)
September 17: The Boston Children’s Museum is sponsoring the Boston Mini Maker Faire for all ages, especially kids 5-18. Cost: $20/person
September 21: The Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics sponsors a program called “We Have No Idea: A Guide to the Unknown Universe” in Cambridge. Free event and open to the public.
September 21: Make your own mini robot using common household materials like toothbrushes and a pager motor at the Cary Memorial Library in Lexington. (Grades 3-5)
September 30: Lexington High School will be holding LexHack, an annual hackathon for high school students who enjoy programming and hacking hardware at the high school. This a free event.
Image Source: Matt Biddulph
