Are your programs geared for kids with a science background?
At SciTech Kids, our goal is to spark every child’s natural curiosity about science and the world around them. While some children have a strong interest in science, all children benefit from a hands-on experience that provides knowledge, skills, and meaningful connections between science and everyday life.
Does my child realize it’s science he’s learning?
While kids know they’re learning science at SciTech Kids, they often say it’s nothing like the science they’ve learned before. They love that our classes are project based, hands-on, interactive, and most of all fun.
What type of technology projects will my child do at SciTech Kids?
We incorporate a number of technology-related projects into our program. All kids participate in a robotics class that is appropriate for their skill set. For toddlers, we use magnetic blocks that can be snapped together to make an endless variety of robots with no programming and wires. Our older students build cool robots that dance, walk and move with the press of a button. Kids also do amazing DIY projects that include building clocks, circuits, telescopes, solar-powered cars, wind turbines, and much more.
Will my daughter be with all boys? Do girls like SciTech Camp?
Both girls and boys love SciTech Kids. Interestingly, SciTech Kids had an equal number girls boys in our programs. Our hands-on approach engages all kids as they recognize that STEM is used in everyday life.
What do children tell their parents after coming home from camp?
Most parents comment how excited their child is about sharing his or her experience at SciTech Kids. Children enjoy showing the take-home project and journal entries to their parents. One parent mentioned that her child has never been so chatty about an after-school program or camp before.
Will my child try any of these experiments at home? Will my home blow up?
We often get feedback that children want to try some of the activities at home. Suddenly, a SciTech Explorer will show interest in kitchen items, such as vinegar and baking soda, and want to replicate an experiment at home. While we’ve never heard of a child blowing up the kitchen we do remind kids that they need permission to do these activities at home. To satisfy this desire to do experiments at home, we are developing materials for parents who wish to follow-up with a science activity at home.
My child is interested in space, will you cover that?
Yes, Earth & Space is one the themes in our curriculum. Since we welcome questions and ideas from our students, our teachers are trained to address questions and interest that may arise in the classroom. In some cases, we will modify the lesson, (or a future lesson) to address the interests of students in the class. If a child has a science interest that is not covered in our program, we also refer him or her to websites, books, or other resources to support that interest.
Will your programs contradict anything my child has or has not learned in school yet?
Not at all. SciTech Kids’ curriculum provides a solid foundation in science and technology and often surpasses what they are learning in school. We enrich, not contradict, the topics they learn in school by making them relevant, engaging and informative.
Do you only stay in Central Park for the camp? What about rainy days?
Many of our activities during summer camp occur in Central Park so that children can experience science outdoors. However, we also have field trips to museums, the Science Barge, the BioBus, the Cooper Hewitt Museum, Met. and much more. On rainy days, we either remain at SciTech Kids or take kids to an indoor activity or event.