Are you looking for some fun things to keep the kids busy these school holidays?

Are you looking for some fun things to keep the kids busy these school holidays? 

This week, the DIF Team showcases programs to get your family creating tech not just using it! Many programs are sold out so we've scoured the web to bring you the last-minute list.

Join ANSTO to make your own version of Space Invaders. STEM programs for girls and mothers' with Girl Geek Academy.

Top it all off with a live Frog Show for the whole family! Yes, you read that correctly. Boroondara Council presents live frogs to entertain you. They also invite you to take part in next month's Aussie Backyard Bird Count.

There are always programs at your local public libraries all year round, check them out here. 

STEM School Holiday Workshops

Tues & Thurs 23 Sep - 7 Oct

Whether your daughter wants to be a Games Designer, Climate Scientist, CEO, Geologist or just navigate the world of the future – increasing STEM skills is incredibly important to their overall success – and Girl Geek Academy is committed to helping wherever we can.

STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. These workshops are free to girls and their mums/role models from Australia and New Zealand. We warmly welcome anyone who identifies as women or non-binary. Girls of various ages (you will be grouped according to your age) FREE  

ACMI school holiday animation challenge

Entries close Wed 29 Sep, 5pm

Attention young animators! We are challenging you to create a short animation (30-120 seconds) in any style you wish. In creating your animation, you need to refer, in any way you like, to 'spring'.

You have until Wed 29 September to submit your entry. ACMI CEO Katrina Sedgwick will be the judge, and the winning entries will receive an ACMI prize pack and be screened on the ACMI Education YouTube channel. To get you started, we're sharing some 'tips and tricks' and resources to support you on your creative journey. For young creators 12 years and under - FREE

Scratch coder

Scratch is a browser-based open-source game engine free for anyone to use.

Scratch uses block coding, meaning you can learn how to code using pre-programmed blocks, rather than typing out long lines of code to create a playable game.

Follow our instructional videos to code your own game using Scratch. Your game will include backdrops, characters and objects of your own creation, as well as music. All this can be made within Scratch. Recommended Year levels: 3-6 FREE

Online Micro:Bit Robotics School Holiday Program

Mon 27 Sep - 1 Oct, 6:30 PM - 7:30 PM

This 5-day robotics program will teach the kids about the basics of robotics and computer coding. Children will have the opportunity to learn, explore, create and build their own robots and gain the necessary knowledge to program them.

Kids will learn about various technology concepts along with simple maths, basic robotics concepts, and programming robots. They will also learn about building robots as well as block programming a remote controller to direct the robot. Suitable for 8 - 18 years old, $175 for program

Make Your Own Arcade Game

Wed 29th Sep, 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM

Ever heard of Pac Man and Space Invaders? These are the arcade games your parents played when they were young. Now it's your turn to make your own arcade game!

Learn the basics of game design in this introductory workshop using MakeCode arcade. You must be familiar with coding in Scratch in order to participate in this workshop. Suitable for Age: 10-14 years Cost: $25

See more workshops and Discover ANSTO

Boroondara Council presents

Fantastic Frogs of Boroondara - Frog Census event

Running for one week from Monday 18 to Sunday 24 October, the Aussie Backyard Bird Count is a great way to connect with and document the birds in your local area.

In this family-friendly online event, you will meet some of our local feathered friends up close, learn more about our local bird species from an expert, and find out how you can participate in the 2021 Aussie Backyard Birdcount.