Events

Registration opens 3/1 @8pm

Solar Power & Ice Cream Field Trip
Aimed at ages 8–11 (All ages welcome)
Come explore how sunshine helps make ice cream possible! Families are invited to a fun and educational field trip to a local ice cream parlor powered by solar energy.
This event will be presented by Dana from NEC Solar, who is generously donating her time to talk to our families about how solar panels work and how sunlight becomes electricity. The presentation is designed especially for families in mind with engaging, kid-friendly explanations and real-world examples.
We’re grateful to NEC Solar for supporting on-site learning and helping inspire the next generation of energy innovators. You can learn more about their work at callnec.com.
After the learning portion, it’s time for a sweet reward— head indoors where ice cream will be available for purchase!

This event will be largely outdoors. Dress appropriately and feel free to bring blankets or chairs to sit on.

Location:
Ice Cream Barn, Swansea MA
https://www.theicecreambarn.com/

Mondays for 6 weeks starting April 13, 2026 - 4/20, 4/27, 5/4, 5/11, 5/18
1pm-2pm

This class is for 9-12 year olds only. Please ensure they can handle a classroom setting.

This interactive workshop combines fun, hands‑on projects with core science concepts. Children will design miniature roller‑coaster tracks, build and test simple bridges, explore how energy can be stored and released without batteries, compare solutions and suspensions through quick experiments, try silk‑tie dyeing on eggs, and examine owl pellets to learn about predator‑prey relationships.

1. Roller Coasters: This fun and exciting program will venture into the world of physics as kids construct their own amazing “rides”
2. Bridge Building: Using simple materials, kids will look at how suspension bridges work and see who can make the strongest one.
3. Storing Energy, it’s not just for Batteries!: Students will explore the different types of energy in physics and create a structure that can store it…or “explode” (NOTE: pyrotechnic explosions are NOT part of this program)
4. Solutions VS Suspensions: what is the difference between the two? Students will experiment with both and even make a special solution to take home
5. Silk Tie Dye Eggs: There are many ways to dye an egg - kids will learn the science behind this ancient technique and make dyed eggs to take home
6. Owl Pellets: Students will learn about the predator-prey relationships of owls by examining owl pellets

Mondays for 6 weeks starting April 13, 2026 - 4/20, 4/27, 5/4, 5/11, 5/18
2pm-3pm

This class is for 7-8 year olds only. Please ensure they can handle a classroom setting.

A hands‑on environmental‑science workshop where kids explore how water, ecosystems, simple machines, and chemistry shape the world around us. Through building river models, designing natural filters, creating miniature ecosystems, experimenting with tie‑dye chemistry, and a dash of molecular gastronomy, participants gain a practical understanding of natural processes and engineering concepts while making take‑home projects.

Topics Covered

1. River Models – Build classroom river systems to see how water flows across landscapes.
2. Water Filtration – Design and test a natural‑material water filter to learn how contaminants are removed.
3. Forest in a Bottle – Construct a sealed mini‑ecosystem in a jar spaghetti‑sauce‑size) and observe its growth over time.
4. Simple Machines – Explore the basic levers, pulleys, wheels‑and‑axles, and inclined planes that powered early human inventions.
5. Silk Tie‑Dye Eggs – Discover the chemistry behind silk‑tie dyeing and create colorful eggs to take home.
6. Simple Molecular Gastronomy – Perform a tasty, science‑focused cooking experiment that illustrates the principles behind flavor and texture.