Weekend Tech Clubs
Weekly classes on different Tech Topics. Explore programming, electronics, forensics, puppetry, animation and more!
Do you like Technology, Science & making things? Can't wait for the next holidays for more Tech Camps? Join our expert tutors for weekly hands-on Tech workshops in your own home every Saturday or Sunday.
This 10-week programme is packed full of creative STEM projects. At least 3-4 lessons every term involve physical equipment which we ship to you at the start of the term. This term's practical projects involve building electric circuits by sewing with silver thread, creating a toothbrush robot, fingerprinting yourself (and your family!) and even learning animation with your own articulated puppet.
Not sure if it's for you? Try out Taster Session for under £20 or cancel after the first three sessions for a refund.
Ages
9-12
Suits
All Tech Enthusiasts
Dates
Saturday & Sunday options
Commence Jan 16/17
Last Session Mar 27/28
(No sessions Feb 20/21)
Commence Jan 16/17
Last Session Mar 27/28
(No sessions Feb 20/21)
Length
Weekly 90 minute sessions
Venues
Your Home
Price
£349 / term (includes 10 lessons, tuition, supplies & 2 x shipments)
You'll learn
- Animation with puppetry
- Creating sewable circuits and 'bristlebots'
- Binary and how computers store information
- Creating digital images, music
Need to Know
- Never more than 8 students
- Tuition by Engineering and Computer Science experts
What you'll need
- A PC, Mac, Ipad or Chrome Book
- Internal or External Webcam
- Headset or Speakers/Microphone
Forensics
Learn about crime scene science from fingerprinting to blood spatter analysis! Along the way you'll learn how to use your own fingerprinting kit!
Puppet Animation
Build your own articulated animation 'puppet' and learn stop-motion animation.
Bristlebots
Learn about electric circuits as you construct your own vibrating robot based on a toothbrush!
Textile Circuits
Create circuits using silver thread and sewing as you make your own light-up character
Image by Sparkfun CC SA
Algorithms
Learn coding as you create a 'Scratch Classifier' to identify items
Cybersecurity
Learn how hackers work and how to protect your confidential information and your online privacy
Game Designer
Learn coding as you create a platformer game in 90 minutes and share it with your friends!
Binary Bracelets
Learn the language of computers, how to count in binary, and code your name into hardware with a 'Binary Bracelet'!
Image Magic
Discover how computers store and process images and how your eye works as you create your own digital pictures and amazing optical images
Digital Music
Learn how digital audio works as you create your own backing track for a video game, complete with percussion, bass and melody!/p>
Keep connected
Stay stafe safe in your own home but connect & socialise with peers who share your interests
Tech Camp Tutors
Run by the best of our certified Tech Camp Tutors who are experts in their field
Our Best Projects
Learn game design, programming, electronics 3D design and more
In Detail ...
The Best of Topics
Each term we select ten STEM topics that are guaranteed to engage young people whatever their age or experience. These topics are hand selected out of Tech Camp's vast repertoire of projects and lessons we've designed over the years for our own camps, schools, and clients including The Science Museum and the Abu Dhabi Science Festival. There's also plenty of ones we've custom designed just for Tech Club. Together they form a programme of learning that professes within and between terms to teach the most important tech skills for young people growing up in the 21st century from coding through to 3D design, engineering and electronics.
The Best of Tutors
We've brought together the best of our tutors to instruct and help the students. They're typically recent graduates or undergraduates studying Engineering or Computer Science at leading Russell-group Universities. Of course they're chosen for their communication and technical skills and have Enhanced DBS checks for working with children.
The Best of Sessions
Engaging learning must be hands-on. Our 'At Home' programme offer a mix of video tutoring, collaborative learning and self-paced project work during and after the session to make sure that learning is deep, engaging and lasting.
First choose your course
We run all sorts of different courses in school holidays, but a single set programme for our 'Tech Clubs' with different, changing topics every week. Look for 'Tech Club' on our booking system calendar.
Next choose your time slot
Our Tech Club is run on Saturdays or Sundays during (UK) term time commencing Sept 19/20. Each session lasts one and a half hours. We run for five consecutive weeks, then there is a 2-week break (for half term), and then another 5 week block. Pick a regular time slot that you know works for you and your family and book yourself in. You'll be able to checkout and pay after you've booked.
We'll be in touch with more info
When you check-out you'll be sent an email with a bit more information about the course. Around one week before the course we'll send a package out with the supplies needed for the sessions that involve a 'physical' project. Also, at least 48 hours before the session, we'll send you a Zoom video meeting link which will be active when we run the session. This will be the same link you'll use every Tech Club.
On the first day
On the day, you'll just need to click on the meeting link to join the meeting. Make sure you have a working webcam and audio system (microphone and speakers or a headset). All modern laptops (whether PC or Mac) have these inbuilt.
Between sessions
If you need extra help between sessions, feel free to send us an email and we'll help when we can. We'll also set some optional 'homework' between lessons - fun, creative projects that use your newfound skills.
FAQs
What are the dates?
The dates for the first term in 2021 are:
Jan 16/17, Jan 23/24, Jan 30/31, Feb 6/7, Feb 13/14
(no session Feb 20/21)
Feb 27/28, Mar 6/7, Mar 13/14, Mar 20/21, Mar 27/28
The Tech Club Tasters are typically run a week or two before these dates.
Jan 16/17, Jan 23/24, Jan 30/31, Feb 6/7, Feb 13/14
(no session Feb 20/21)
Feb 27/28, Mar 6/7, Mar 13/14, Mar 20/21, Mar 27/28
The Tech Club Tasters are typically run a week or two before these dates.
I've missed the first/second/third session - can I still join?
Yes! We've designed some self-guided material for the introductory sessions to allow you to catch up if you miss any of the first few sessions and there's also a weekly extra 'drop-in' session to help you catch up. We also will still send you out the full package of supplies for the full term. Because of these things we do, you will still need to pay the full course price. We suggest if you miss more than the first three sessions, you wait until the following term to join the Tech Club.
It's not the cheapest experience - what if I don't like it?
This is not a child-minding group or a craft club. As valuable as those things are, this is an experience designed by professional engineers and educators to teach long-lasting and important Tech skills in the most engaging and hands-on way. It isn't cheap but it is definitely value for money and we'll stand behind that. If after the first three lessons your child doesn't want to continue, we'll offer a pro-rata refund of the rest of the term's lessons in full. Why three lessons? Everything in life that's worthwhile can appear tricky at first and you need to stick at it long enough to make a proper judgement. Besides that, three weeks gives you an opportunity to experience the wide range of what Tech Club is all about.
What do I need to participate?
A PC or Mac computer and webcam with microphone and speakers. Any recent laptop will have an inbuilt webcam, microphone and speakers. You'll also need a broadband internet connection.
What experience is needed?
Basic familiarity navigating around a computer is required but beyond that no prior experience is assumed. We have carefully chosen our topics to be accessible to beginners but also be exciting enough to engage much more experienced students.
Will they be with similar-aged children?
Yes - all participants for Tech Club are between 9 and 12, although there is a year of leeway. We may have the occasional 8 year old in the session, and those that have turned 13.
Should my child do anything to prepare for the course?
There is generally no need to do anything to prepare for our courses - no prior knowledge is assumed for beginner courses. We may ask you to install some (free) software before the session.
What if my internet connection isn't fast enough?
Most modern connections support video conferencing. In the unlikely event that you experience significant connectivity issues your session may drop down to an audio-only channel, but still with the ability for us to share instructions and screen shots and our tutors are prepared for this.
What do they need to do after the session finishes?
There's nothing that's compulsory to do, but most campers are keen to do the project-based learning activities we set as they are fun. We try to set a similar amount of self-guided work that they can do after the session than is in the session itself, although this will vary based on the student's ability and enthusiasm.
Just left my boys’ first Tech Camp. They’ve been at the Chelsea camp all week doing game design in Unity. They loved it and are thinking of doing the robot making one next year. Really professional and helpful staff. Very happy kids.
Ruth Luckett, August 2019