There are many ways to get your children involved in STEM-related activities.
June (various dates): Learn to code with CodeCampKidz and write HTML, CSS & Javascript code at Microsoft Stores in the Burlington Mall and Natick Mall. Intro classes free. (Grades 6, 7, 8)
June (various dates): Attend YouthSpark technology camps at Microsoft Stores in the Burlington Mall and Natick Mall. Free
June 1: Join a LEGO Mindstorms drop-in and experiment with robotics at the HATCH in Watertown. (Ages 10+)
June 1: Come hear Kevin Knobloch, the former Chief of Staff of the Department of Energy to Secretary Ernest Moniz under the Obama administration discuss how science plays a role in the creation of government policy at the Cary Memorial Library in Lexington.
June 2: Free admission to The Discovery Museums: Science in Acton.
June 3: Take part in the Duck Tape Maker Challenge and create a unique invention for a household item at the Worcester Center for Crafts. Free (Ages 12-18)
June 3: Build, program, and if time allows, modify a simple robot using the LEGO WeDo system at the Cary Memorial Library in Lexington. (Grades 3-6)
June 3: Explore ways in which web technology can be used to solve real problems and learn to code using HTML and CSS, from Resilient Coders at the Central Library in Copley Square. (Ages 12-18)
June 3, 4, 10, 11, 17, 18, 24, 25: Hands-on engineering and design at the MIT Museum in Cambridge. Free with Museum admission. (Ages 12+)
June 8: Learn to build and modify Minecraft using Javascript programming language at the Grove Hall Branch of the Boston Public Library. (Ages 6-18)
June 10: Attend TouchTomorrow, a family-friendly festival featuring hands-on experiments, research lab activities, and interactive exhibits for all ages at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Free and open to the public.
June 10: Stop by and test your engineering skills by building with blocks and other construction materials at the Thomas Crane Public Library in Quincy. (For children)
June 10: Join for a Girls Who Code open house event and learn about the popular coding club at the Grove Hall Branch of the Boston Public Library.
June 14: Join for a presentation about 3D printed prosthetics and see a 3D printer in action at the Morse Institute Library in Natick.
June 15: Celebrate the beginning of summer with a Makerspace party and learn about 3D printing at the Charlestown Branch of the Boston Public Library. (ages 6+)
June 15: Explore and work with Scratch to create games, animation, and stories at the Newton Free Library. (Grades 3-4)
June 17: Attend the 11th annual EurekaFest, a full-day engineering event at the Museum of Science. Free with Exhibit Halls admission. (All ages)
June 28: Discover how easy it is to make 3D models in the Lab and then print your design with a Makerbot 3D printer at the Central Library in Copley Square. (Ages 13-18)
June 29: Design, build and test balloon rockets and re-entry parachutes at the Connolly Branch of the Boston Public Library.
June 29: Learn how dropping an object’s temperature leads to amazing effects at the Roslindale Branch of the Boston Public Library.
June 30: Learn about how to make a bridge in this hands-on activity at the Frances Perkins Branch of the Worcester Public Library. (Ages 6-12)
June 30: Learn how dropping an object’s temperature leads to amazing effects at the Brighton Branch and Central Library in Copley Square.
June 30: Design, build and test balloon rockets and re-entry parachutes at the Egleston Square Branch of the Boston Public Library.
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 here. New clubs are always being formed, so check here to see the most current list and search in your area. If you are interested in information, contact the Club site directly.
- Acton Boxborough Regional High School: Acton, MA
- Andover High School: 80 Shawsheen Rd., Andover, MA
- Arlington Catholic High School: 16 Medford St., Arlington, 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
- Bentley Academy Charter School: 25 Memorial Dr., Salem, MA
- Boston Latin School: 78 Avenue Louis Pasteur, Boston, MA
- Boston Public Library- Teen Central: 700 Boylston St., Boston, MA
- Boston Teachers Union Pilot School: 25 Walk Hill St., Jamaica Plain
- Boys & Girls Club of Fitchburg & Leominster: 365 Lindell Ave., Leominster, MA
- Bristol Plymouth RVTS: 207 Hart St., Taunton, MA
- Brookview House: 2 Brookview St., Dorchester, MA
- Cambridge Public Library: 449 Broadway, Cambridge, MA
- Cary Memorial Library: 1874 Massachusetts Ave, Lexington, MA
- Coakley Middle School: 1315 Washington St., Norwood, MA
- Concord Middle School: 835 Old Marlboro Road, Concord, MA
- Concord Free Public Library: 129 Main St., Concord, MA
- Dudley-Charlton Regional School: 70 Dudley-Oxford Rd., Dudley
- Endicott College: 376 Hale St., Beverly, MA
- Everett High School: 100 Elm St., Everett, MA
- Fuller Middle School: 31 Flagg Dr., Framingham, MA
- Girls Incorporated of Lynn: 50 High St., Lynn, MA
- Goodnow Library: 21 Concord Road, Sudbury, MA
- Grove Hall Branch of Boston Public Library: 41 Geneva Ave., Boston, Ma
- Irving Middle School: Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston: 15 Basiel St., Roslindale, MA
- J.G. Pyne Arts School: 145 Bolyston St., Lowell, MA
- Joseph A Browne Middle School: 180 Walnut St., Chelsea, MA
- KTByte Computer Science Academy: 4 Militia Dr., Lexington, Ma
- LEAP for Education, Inc.: 209 Essex St., Salem, MA
- Lexington Christian Academy: 48 Bartlett Ave., Lexington, MA
- Lowell High School: 50 Fr. Morissette Blvd., Lowell, Ma
- Mario Umana Academy: 312 Border St., East Boston, MA
- Match High School: 1001 Commonwealth Ave, Boston, MA
- Medfield High School: 88R South St., Medfield, MA
- Medway High School: 88 Summer St., Medway, MA
- Memorial Hall Library: 2 North Main St., Andover, MA
- McKay K-8 School: 122 Cottage St., Boston, MA
- Mildred Ave. K-8 School: 5 Mildred Ave., Boston, MA
- Milton Academy: 170 Central St., Milton, 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
- Needham Free Public Library: 1139 Highland Ave., Needham, MA
- Newton Free Library: 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
- Phillips Academy: 180 Main St., Andover, MA
- Pierce Middle School: 451 Central Ave., Milton, MA
- Public Library of Brookline: 361 Washington St., Brookline, MA
- Reuben Hoar Library: 41 Shattuck St., Littleton, MA
- Robbins Library: 700 Massachusetts Ave., Arlington, MA
- Seekonk Public Library: 410 Newman Ave., Seekonk, Ma
- Solomon Schechter Day School of Greater Boston: 125 Wells Ave., Newton, MA
- 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
- Watertown High School: 50 Columbia St., Watertown, MA
- Wayland Free Public Library: 5 Concord Road, Wayland, MA
- Wellesley Free Library: 530 Washington St., Wellesley, MA
- Winthrop Middle School: 60 Payson St., Winthrop, MA
- Worcester Polytechnic Institute: 100 Institute Rd., Worcester, MA
Image Source: Tim Pierce
