There are many ways to get your children involved in STEM-related activities this October.
October 1, 2, 8, 9, 15, 16, 22, 23: Hands-on engineering and design at the MIT Museum in Cambridge. Free with Museum admission. (Ages 12+)
October 3, 17, 24: Learn some beginner science concepts with the help of books and fun activities at the Worcester Public Library. (Ages 3-5)
October 3, 24: Join Giselle from The Learning Hub for series of STEAM Maker classes at the Worcester Public Library. (Ages 9-12)
October 4: Build your own robot with KIBO, program it to do what you want, and decorate it at the Newton Free Library. (Grades 2-4)
October 5, 12, 19, 26: Explore various STEM topics taught by students from Olin College of Engineering at the Boston Public Library. (Ages 13-18)
October 5, 19: Participate in inquiry based, hands on science experiments for young learners at the Faneuil Branch of the Boston Public Library. (Ages 4-10)
October 5, 12, 19, 26: CodeCampKidz is sponsoring “an introduction to coding apps” class that will take kids with NO experience and and work toward building skills and self-confidence by enabling them to create their own basic app pages with text, graphics, videos, and more at the Newton Free Library. (Grades 6-7)
October 7: Free admission to The Discovery Museums: Science in Acton.
October 8, 15, 22, 29: Create rich and exciting games with Kodu Game Lab at the Microsoft Store in Natick. Free. (Ages 8-11)
October 8, 15, 22, 29: Apply for CodeIt!, a hands-on program for middle school girls with little or no programming experience. This MIT coding class runs Saturdays from October 8- December 3 in Cambridge. Free. (Ages 11-13)
October 10, 11, 12, 13: Learn how to use PicsArt, an interactive editing, drawing, and collage app and transform photos into works of art with just the tip of your finger at the Microsoft Store in Boston. Free. (13+)
October (various dates): Work in a real software development environment, gain experience with Touch Develop and develop a unique personal collage at the Microsoft stores in Boston and Natick. Free (Ages 8-12)
October 11, 18, 25: Participate in a four-part series designed to empower students with critical organizational and technology skills to do more in school and life with a focus on developing a fundraising campaign for a social good project of their choosing at the Microsoft Store in Burlington. Free. (Beginner- Ages 13-16)
October 15: Meet and hear from real female scientists studying how do brains grows, how to cure cancer, and other scientific topics at the Newton Free Library. (Ages 4-8)
October 15: Attend Mad Science at MIT’s Science on Saturday Kresge Auditorium in Cambridge. Free (K-12)
October 16: Intro to 3D Modeling workshop at the HATCH Makerspace in Watertown. Free. (Ages 8-13)
October 20: Experience groundbreaking science and explore amazing inventions and the latest research at Acera’s 2016 Fall Innovator Symposium in Winchester. Free and open to the public.
October 27: Explore math, science, and the arts with children’s books and related activities at the Newton Free Public Library. (Ages 3-5)
October 27: Design and print on the 3D printer at the Newton Free Library. (Grades 7-12)
October 29: Learn how animals make and hear sounds in one of the noisiest habitats on Earth at Science on Saturday at MIT’s Lincoln Laboratory in Lexington. Free. (Ages 5-17)
October 29: Attend a fun, casual, math-themed storytime at the Cary Memorial Library in Lexington. (Ages 3-5)
October 31: Create ‘Habitats’ for your Hexbug, little robotic creatures, to race in at the Newton Free Library. (K-1)
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: The Bakken Museum
