By Prodigy Labs on Dec 5, 2018 10:31:46 AM
Have you been trying to find new ways to introduce your kids to the more “technical” side of tech without seeing a glazed expression wash over their faces?
As a software developer yourself, you know all-too-well how invaluable learning the many wonders of tech is, in the interest of both tapping into personal curiosity and cultivating future professional direction. Your desire to guide your kids toward the meatier side of tech is particularly important right now, considering the shortage of software developers in Canada over the next decade.
With the winter holidays right around the corner, ‘tis the perfect season to blend the practical aspects of tech with its more wondrous properties and possibilities by finding an activity or event that offers both.
The best part is that there are plenty of activities and events featuring a tech twist that will set your kids’ imaginations into action this winter holiday season.
Let’s take a look at five holiday season events and activities in the Ontario area your whole family will love.
1. Quantum: The Exhibition
A trip to the Ontario Science Centre is in order for your blossoming tech squad, especially if there are any budding physicists in your midst. The field of quantum mechanics is getting a lot of popular culture attention these days, thanks to Hollywood Marvel Comics' “Ant-Man” character film series.
Whether your kids are fascinated by life at the quantum level via the works of Stan Lee, Max Planck, Albert Einstein, or your enthusiasm, Quantum: The Exhibition provides a basic framework, revealing how “quantum mechanics and today’s information technology are merging to create technologies and applications that will revolutionize how we live, work and play—from bits to qubits.”
2. Hatch Camp Coding Sessions
There is no time like holiday break to immerse your kids in an on-site coding camp. The exciting Hatch Half Day Camp is open to kids from ages 7-17 at three different Ontario locations this winter session. During this brief but intense session, kids will get to meet other tech-oriented young people like themselves, which tends to make things more fun.
The course consists of the following:
-
Learning how to code
-
Creating your own programs
-
Gaining access to a digital account to continue building skills long after the session ends
3. Coder Dojo TO
If you want to keep things closer to home this year, Coder Dojo TO is the perfect solution to introducing your kids to coding while staying cozy. Based out of Toronto, Coder Dojo believes in nurturing young minds to fill the widening skills gap in a booming tech industry.
The team offers a combination of paper, book and digitally based resources to give kids a boost in coding. Additionally, the Coder Dojo TO team offers a list of physical resources, like coding bootcamps, maker festivals and more.
4. STEM Camps via Camps.ca
A good STEM program gives your kids a global perspectives of all the possibilities available to them through tech, and in the interest of eventually working in the technology field. STEM Camps via Camps.ca is featuring the upcoming Winter Break STEAMers Camp entitled STEM Lab Robotics in Waterloo, ON, between December 27, 2018 through January 4, 2019 for ages 5-12. During this action-packed holiday session, your kids will get to work on projects focused on robotics, virtual reality, coding and game development, so there’s something for everyone.
5. A Trip to Artifact Alley in the Centre Hall of the Canada Science and Technology Museum
A trip to the Canada Science and Technology Museum in Ottawa is a treat for your highly visually minded kids, especially when you take a detour through Artifact Alley. Featuring 700 artifacts on display—on their own or amid similar pieces—like cameras, vehicles and telescopes, they all serve as launchpads for young thinkers.
Visitors can interact with objects to get a hands-on feel of how science and technology increasingly blend with our own daily lives.
Start Planning Holiday Tech Adventures for Your Kids Now!
We hope these ideas give you the spark you need to find some holiday tech activities for and with your kids. Since our team is always on the lookout for talented mobile app developers, software developers, software engineers and other IT professionals, we definitely want to encourage bright young minds to pursue a path in tech.
