There are many ways to get your children involved in STEM-related activities this January.
January (various dates): Create digital art with Fresh Paint at the Microsoft Store in the Prudential Center, the Microsoft Store in the Burlington Mall and the Microsoft Store in the Natick Mall. Free. (Ages 8-12) and Ages 13+ at the Natick store.
January 3, 10, 17, 24, 31: Use your imagination to make your own creations with LEGOs, Lincoln Logs and more at the Goddard and Tatnuck branches of the Worcester Public Library.
January 3, 10, 17, 24, 31: 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+)
January 4, 11, 18, 25: Use your imagination to make your own creations with LEGOs, Lincoln Logs and more at the Roosevelt branch of the Worcester Public Library.
January 5, 12, 19: Use your imagination to make your own creations with LEGOs, Lincoln Logs and more at the Burncoat branch of the Worcester Public Library.
January 4, 11, 18, 25: Learn to code with CodeCampKidz and write HTML, CSS & Javascript code at the Microsoft Store in the Burlington Mall. Free. (Grades 6, 7, 8)
January 5, 12, 19, 26 : Take a “Learn To Code” workshop with CodeCampKidz hosted at the Microsoft Store in the Natick Mall. Free. (K-12)
January 5, 12, 19, 26: Play math and developmental games, solve logic puzzles, and explore geometry by building models at the Newton Free Library. (Ages 4-5)
January 6: Free admission to The Discovery Museums: Science in Acton. Come talk to real scientists and do the hands-on activities they have developed.
January 7: Join in STEAM activities: marshmallow engineering at the Grove Hall branch of the Boston Public Library. (Ages: under 6)
January 7, 8, 14, 15, 21, 22, 28, 29: Hands-on engineering and design at the MIT Museum in Cambridge. Free with Museum admission. (Ages 12+)
January 7, 14, 21, 28: 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)
January 7: Come join the Robotics Club and work together with friends to build and programs robots that interact with models on the FIRST LEGO League table at Empow Studios in Lexington. Cost: $80/month. (Grades 2-8).
January 7: Develop literacy and critical thinking skills through books and hands-on activities with Legos and construction pieces during free play at the Worcester Public Library. (Ages 12+)
January 8, 22: Attend a Teen Coding Meetup. If you know the basics of coding and are now looking to extend your skill set, come meet like-minded teens in an informal environment at the Newton Free Library. (Grades 6-12)
January 9, 23, 30: Learn beginner science concepts with the help of books and fun activities at the Worcester Public Library. (Ages 3-5)
January 10, 17: Learn how to create and develop your own video game at the Boston Public Library. (Ages 13-18)
January 11, 25: Participate in inquiry based, hands on science experiments for young learners at the Faneuil branch of the Boston Public Library. (Ages 4-10)
January 12: Get messy and have fun making Oobleck (cornstarch and water mixture) and learn more about the behavior of liquids and solids, in particular viscosity. This workshop will be led by Science Club for Girls at the Newton Free Library. (Age: Kindergarten)
January 13: Watch a screening of Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were Rabbit and then hear a talk about stop motion animation by the creative director of the movie at the Regent Theatre in Arlington. This event is part of Belmont World Film’s Family Festival (runs Jan 13-16). Cost: $9/ticket
January 13, 20, 27: Make your own video game from start to finish! Join Becker College game designers Rejon and Rachel for this 6 week long workshop series as they help teens create a complete game from the ground up using Game Maker at the Worcester Public Library. (Ages 13-17)
January 14: Explore engineering by building and testing paper airplanes at the Thomas Crane Public Library in Quincy. (Ages 3-12)
January 14: Attend a mini-workshop presented by Moms as Mentors that features an enjoyable, hands-on STEM activity at the Newton Free Library. For girls (grades 3-5) and their moms.
January 16: Design, build, and code projects in video game design, robotics, animation, 3d modeling, and more at Empow Studios NanoCamp during MLK Jr. Day in Lexington. Cost: $95 (Grades 2-8)
January 18, 25: Work individually and as a class to write a few fun applications in Python, a popular programming language at the Newton Free Library. (Grades 7-12)
January 19: Explore Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, & Math with an activity to encourage your curiosity at the Cary Memorial Library in Lexington. (Grades 4-6)
January 19: Explore and work with Scratch to create games, animation and stories at the Newton Free Library. (Grades 3-4)
January 21: Intro to 3D Modeling workshop at the HATCH Makerspace in Watertown. (Ages 8-13)
January 21: Attend a casual, math-themed storytime at the Cary Memorial Library in Lexington. (Ages 3-5)
January 24: Explore Lego WeDo robotics at the Belmont Public Library. (Grades 2-4)
January 26: Explore math, science, and the arts with children’s books and related activities at the Newton Free Public Library. (Ages 3-5)
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: Chemistry Day by Aberdeen Proving Ground
