There are many ways to get your children involved in STEM-related activities this December.
December (various dates): Take part in Hour of Code and learn how to code, program, and play in your own gaming world at the Microsoft Store at the Prudential Center, Microsoft Store in the Burlington Mall and Microsoft Store in Natick. Free. (Ages 8+)
December (various dates): Take a “Learn To Code” workshop with CodeCampKidz hosted at the Microsoft Store in the Natick Mall and the Microsoft Store in the Burlington Mall. Free. (K-12)
December 2: Free admission to The Discovery Museums: Science in Acton. Talk to real scientists and do the hands-on activities they have developed.
December 2: Get tips and tricks on how to use a telescope from the Astronomy After Hours team at the Museum of Science. Free. (All ages)
December 3: Learn about physics at Science on Saturday at MIT’s Kresge Auditorium in Cambridge. Free. (All ages)
December 3, 10, 17: Use the computer to design your own stories, create and share animations, and learn how technology is used in the film and media industry at the Fields Corner branch of the Boston Public Library. (Ages 9-13)
December 3, 4, 10, 11, 17, 18: Hands-on engineering and design at the MIT Museum in Cambridge. Free with Museum admission. (Ages 12+)
December 5, 12, 19: Learn beginner science concepts with the help of books and fun activities at the Worcester Public Library. (Ages 3-5)
December 5, 12, 19: Put on a lab coat and enter the Maker Lab and create new things and discover the world around you at the Worcester Public Library. (Ages 9-12)
December 5-11: Participate in the annual Hour of Code, an online one-hour introduction to computer science, designed to demystify “code”, to show that anybody can learn the basics, and to broaden participation in the field of computer science. Free. (All ages)
December 5, 7, 9: Celebrate Hour of Code with coding workshops at Einstein’s Workshop in Burlington. Free. (Grades K-5)
December 6: Design your own nametag with Tinkercad and have it printed on the 3D Printer at the Morse Institute Library in Natick. (Ages 11-18)
December 6, 13, 20, 27: Disassemble old computer towers, phones, remote controls, calculators, DVD players, and more and learn how things work by simply taking them apart and (maybe) putting them back together at the Worcester Public Library. (Ages 9+)
December 7, 8: Participate in Hour of Code at the Cary Library in Lexington. (Grades 4-8)
December 8: Explore and work with Scratch to create games, animation and stories at the Newton Free Library. (Grades 3-4)
December 10: Learn about robots at Science on Saturday at Lincoln Labs in Lexington. Free. (Ages 5-17)
December 10, 11: Celebrate Computer Science Education Week and participate in educational hands-on computer science activities at the Museum of Science. Free with Exhibit Halls admission. (All ages)
December 10: Participate in STEAM activities at the Grove Hall branch of the Boston Public Library. (Ages 6+)
December 10: Learn how to summon lightning bolts with a bow and arrow or build giant rainbows in the Minecraft world with code at the Thomas Crane Public Library. (Ages 8-12)
December 12, 19: Learn to code for fun at the Cary Library in Lexington. (Middle and High School)
December 13: Explore Lego WeDo robotics at the Belmont Public Library. (Grades 2-4)
December 14: Participate in inquiry based, hands on science experiments for young learners at the Faneuil Branch of the Boston Public Library. (Ages 4-10)
December 14: Create ‘Habitats’ for your Hexbug, little robotic creatures, to race in at the Newton Free Library. (Grades K-1)
December 14: Attend a presentation on what Python (programming language) is used for in the real world, led by MIT grad, Robyn Allen at the Newton Free Library. (All ages)
December 15: Come design and print on the 3D printer at the Newton Free Library. (Grades 7-12)
December 20: Program and decorate your own KIBO robot at the Newton Free Library. (Grades 2-4)
December 22: Explore math, science, and the arts with children’s books and related activities at the Newton Free Public Library. (Ages 3-5)
December 27, 28: Learn how to make your own movie with stop motion animation at the Watertown Free Public Library. (Ages 8+)
December 28: Experience the science of power and energy through several explosive, hands-on experiments that will have you laughing, learning and having fun at the Newton Free Library. (Grades K-5)
December 29: Learn about stop motion animation and plan, animate, edit, and add effects to your own short movie using the materials of your choice at the Cary Library in Lexington. (Grades 4-6)
December 29: Create a Tetris video game using Python programming software at the Cary Library in Lexington. (Grades 6-12)
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. With the growth of the clubs, I am now including a list of the clubs for Massachusetts and New Hampshire here. If you are interested in information, please contact the Club site directly.
- Acton Boxborough Regional High School: Acton, MA
- Bedford Free Public Library: 7 Mudge Way, Bedford, MA
- Bellesini Academy: 94 Bradford St., Lawrence, MA
- Belmont Public Library: 336 Concord Ave, Belmont, MA
- Boston Latin School: 78 Avenue Louis Pasteur, Boston, MA
- Boston Public Library- Teen Central: 700 Boylston St., Boston, MA
- Boys and Girls Club of Greater Nashua: 1 Positive Place, Nashua, NH
- Brookview House: 2 Brookview St., Dorchester, MA
- Cambridge Public Library (2 sessions): 449 Broadway, Cambridge, MA
- Carlisle Public School: 83 School St., Carlisle, MA
- Cary Memorial Library: 1874 Massachusetts Ave, Lexington, MA
- Dover Public Library: 73 Locust St., Dover, NH
- Dudley Middle School: 70 Dudley-Oxford Road, Dudley, MA
- Endicott College: 376 Hale St., Beverly, MA
- Everett High School: 100 Elm St., Everett, MA
- Goodnow Library: 21 Concord Road, Sudbury, MA
- Holderness School: 33 Chapel Lane, Plymouth, NH
- LEAP for Education, Inc.: 209 Essex St., Salem, MA
- Lexington Christian Academy: 48 Bartlett Ave., Lexington, MA
- Mario Umana Academy: 312 Border St., East Boston, MA
- Match High School: 1001 Commonwealth Ave, Boston, MA
- Memorial Hall Library: 2 North Main St., Andover, MA
- McKay K-8 School: 122 Cottage St., Boston, MA
- M.G. Parker Memorial Library: 28 Arlington St., Dracut, MA
- Nathaniel Bowditch School (K-8): 79 Wilson St., Salem, MA
- Needham High School: 609 Webster St., Needham, MA
- Newton Free Library (2 sessions): 330 Homer St., Newton, MA
- Northeastern University: 440 Huntington Ave., Boston, MA
- Paul Pratt Memorial Library: 35 Ripley Road, Cohasset, MA
- Peabody Institute Library: 82 Main St., Peabody, MA
- Pembroke Public Library: 142 Center St., Pembroke, MA
- Penn Brook Elementary School: 68 Elm St., Georgetown, MA
- Public Library of Brookline (2 sessions): 361 Washington St., Brookline, MA
- Robert Frost Public Charter School: 1675 White Mountain Highway, North Conway, NH
- Rodgers Memorial Library: 194 Derry Road, Hudson, NH
- Robbins Library: 700 Massachusetts Ave., Arlington, MA
- The Founders Academy Public Charter School: 5 Perimeter Road, Manchester, NH
- The Rivers School: 333 Winter St., Weston, MA
- Waltham Public Library: 735 Main St., Waltham, MA
- Watertown Free Public Library: 123 Main St., Watertown, MA
- Wayland Free Public Library: 5 Concord Road, Wayland, MA
- Wellesley Free Library: 530 Washington St., Wellesley, MA
- Wiggin Memorial Library: 10 Bunker Hill Ave, Stratham, MA
Image Source: Lego Weekend, Holt Hall by Dave Catchpole
