Tomaree kids turn play into science

WHAT do you get when you mix Lego, an iPad and a group of curious Port Stephens kids?

A lesson in science that doesn’t feel much like a lesson at all.

Children aged seven to 12 have been getting hands-on at Port Stephens Libraries as part of a special Science Week activity using Lego Education Spike.

The children build flowers and a pollinator from Lego before using coding on an iPad to make their creation move from flower to flower.

Tomaree Library Team Leader Leigh Morrisey said the activity was about more than simply putting Lego pieces together.

“They’re not only just building a little Lego world, but they’re also actually building a Lego world that shows their scientific principle,” Leigh said.

The pollination activity is one of a range of after-school programs offered through Port Stephens Libraries at both Tomaree and Raymond Terrace.

The programs change depending on the time of year, with children able to try everything from science experiments, robotics and coding to craft and even Mario Kart.

Leigh said the idea was to give children somewhere they could continue exploring the things they enjoy after the school bell had rung.

“The learning doesn’t stop,” Leigh said. “You can come to the library and actually focus on something that is your passion and you can expand on that.”

For local families, there is another benefit. Leigh said the monthly Thursday afternoon sessions gave children an opportunity to meet others from different schools and backgrounds, while parents got a little time to themselves.

“It’s a good chance to get the kids to end the week well,” Leigh said.

Parents have also been enthusiastic about the programs, with feedback often asking for more activities.

“They love it because the most important thing is it keeps their child engaged for that Thursday afternoon,” Leigh said.

And for children who already love technology, the activities offer a chance to use it differently.

Rather than simply sitting behind a screen, they are learning how to give instructions to a robot; work out why something isn’t moving, and try again.

For Leigh, that is exactly what a modern library can offer.

“Learning is just as important as fun,” Leigh said.

With more coding, robotics, craft and other activities planned across the year, Tomaree and Raymond Terrace libraries are proving there is a lot more to a library than books. Sometimes, you just need a box of Lego to discover it.

By Althea GUINSBERG