August 12, 2022

Early Start to capture children’s imaginations with Science Week, Book Week activities

Workshops, digital playgroups to explore themes of art, creativity and science

The magic of learning will come alive for the children of the Illawarra when the University of Wollongong’s (UOW) Early Start Discovery Space celebrates National Science Week and Book Week back-to-back this month.

From 15-21 August, Early Start will deliver a series of programs as part of National Science Week.

Joining forces with the School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life Sciences at UOW, Early Start will explore the themes of art, creativity and science inspired by the Antarctic Futures project in the Discovery Space over the week.

This year, the theme of National Science Week is ‘Glass – more than meets the eye.’

In collaboration with the Australian Research Council (ARC) Centre for the Digital Child, Digital Playgroups, at the Children’s Technology Play Space at Early Start, will also explore the theme of Through the Looking Glass.

• In Structured Playgroups on Friday 6 August (9.30am and 10.30am) children will listen to the book ‘Some Bugs’ by Angela Delitizi, play a game of Find and Seek, and investigate objects and textures with digital microscopes. Open Exploration Playgroups following similar experiences will be offered on Friday 13 August and Friday 20 August, from 9.30am to 11am.
  
• A special Science Week workshop ‘Light, Colour, Sound! What Can We Do With Glass?’ will be held at the Children’s Technology Play Space on Thursday 18 August at 10am. Children will play with light, sound and colour, and investigate how these interact with glass. They will explore xylophones that are made from glass and water, and then record the different sounds that can be made.
  

You can register for the ‘Light, Colour, Sound!’ workshop here.

Early Start will also celebrate the annual Children’s Book Council of Australia Book Week, which will be held from 20 – 26 August. The 2022 theme is ‘Dreaming with eyes open…’ Visit us at Story-time each day to hear wonderful stories.

Other Book Week events to be held in collaboration with the ARC Centre of Excellence for the Digital Child include:

• A live book reading will be held in the Children’s Technology Play Space at 11am on Friday, 26 August. The book ‘Amira’s Suitcase’, by Vikki Conley and Nicky Johnston will be shared, and children will have the opportunity to explore their own treasures and memories, just like Amira. Literacy experts from the School of Education at UOW will host the live story reading and connect via Zoom to Early Start Engagement Centres across NSW.
  
  

The UOW Children’s Technology Play Space, which was launched earlier this year as part of the ARC Centre of Excellence for the Digital Child, is an interactive research space, with digital experiences available for children from birth to eight years of age, as well as a place for educators and industry partners to come and work with the research team.

For more information on National Science Week and Book Week at UOW, or to register for a session, please visit the Early Start Discover Space website.