London: science holiday workshops for children from the Royal Institution in July and August

There are lots of in-person science-themed holiday workshops at the Royal Institution over the summer holidays, for different age groups. This is the full listing and below I’ve excerpted the ones that looked particularly relevant to computer science educators.

Paul Curzon is running 2x sessions each of ‘The Magic of Computer Science’ and ‘Searching To Speak’ at the end of August.

Interpreting games (ages 9-11)
Wednesday 30 July 2025
2.15-4.30pm
£40
What happens when winning isn’t everything—and sometimes working together is the smartest move? In this engaging workshop, kids will be introduced to the exciting world of game theory, where maths meets decision-making and strategy. Through fun, interactive activities, participants will explore simple concepts like zero-sum and non-zero-sum games, and what it means when a game has complete information. We’ll wrap it all up by playing a kid-friendly version of the classic Prisoner’s Dilemma, helping young thinkers discover how choices affect outcomes—not just for themselves, but for everyone involved!

Domino Computing (ages 12-14)
Thursday 31 July 2025
11am-1.15pm
£40
Step into the world of digital thinking! In this workshop, teens will decode the binary number system—the language of computers—and discover how simple on/off states power complex technology. Through hands-on challenges, participants will construct logic gates using dominos, exploring how basic principles like AND, OR, and XOR form the building blocks of computing. The final challenge? Team up to build a working half adder, combining logic and physics to simulate how computers add binary numbers. It’s maths, engineering, and a bit of chain-reaction fun all rolled into one!

Intro to the BBC Micro:bit (ages 7-8)
Friday 1 August 2025
11am-1.15pm
£40
The workshop will introduce students to the features of the BBC Micro-bit, a programmable device with powerful features, despite only being the size of a credit card. Students will programme the Micro-bits to perform a series of tasks exploring the light, sound, radio and movement features. No previous experience of the BBC Micro-bit is required.

Intro to the BBC Micro:bit (ages 9-11)
Friday 1 August 2025
2.15-4.30pm
£40
The workshop will introduce students to the features of the BBC Micro-bit, a programmable device with powerful features, despite only being the size of a credit card. Students will programme the Micro-bits to perform a series of tasks exploring the light, sound, radio and movement features. No previous experience of the BBC Micro-bit is required.

Making music and sound with BBC Micro:bit (ages 12-14)
Tuesday 5 August 2025
11am-3pm
£55
Learn the logic of computing in this fun magic-based session for 7–8 year-olds.
This workshop will introduce students to the BBC Mirco:bit and how it can be used it to create music. They will be introduced to how, with the addition of input and output devices, the micro:bit can be programmed as a simple instrument, using both the Block Editor and the Python programming language. No previous experience of the BBC Micro-bit is required.

Digital Designs to Physical Products AM (ages 9-11)
Wednesday 20 August 2025
£40
11-1.15pm
Explore the exciting connection between math, coding, and manufacturing to create embroidered patterns.

How do computers turn digital designs into real-world products? In this hands-on workshop, you’ll explore the exciting connection between math, coding, and manufacturing to create your own embroidered patterns!

Using TurtleStitch, a free programming language, you’ll design geometric patterns with simple programming commands. Then, watch as a digital embroidery machine stitches your creations onto fabric, bringing your design from a digital design to a physical product.

By coding patterns and bringing them to life with technology, you’ll learn how engineers use software to design, measure, and manufacture products. Whether it’s a simple stitched shape or a complex pattern, you’ll see firsthand how digital designs can become physical objects—just like in industry and business!

Digital Designs to Physical Products PM (ages 12-14)
Wednesday 20 August 2025
£40
2.15-4.30pm
Explore the exciting connection between math, coding, and manufacturing to create embroidered patterns.

Electronic and Electrical Control AM: Mission buggy transport (ages 9-11)
Thursday 21 August 2025
£40
11-1.15pm
Participants will be working as Electronic and Electrical Engineers with some Mechanical Engineering aspects. They will design and build an increasingly complex electrical and electronic control system. Working in pairs they start by making a pressure switch and use this to control a pre-made electrical buggy to perform four tasks. Using a slide switch there are then three more tasks of increasing complexity. After the last task the buggy should be traveling backwards and forwards between two fixed objects automatically.

Using an on-board computer there are a further four tasks where a programme is built up on the computer to control the buggy to start and stop at specific places. For the twelfth challenge three ‘stations’ are laid out, the buggy needs to be programmed to start at station A, stop at station B briefly, go on to C then return to B & A, all automatically. This activity is modelled on the driverless underground Tracked Transit at Heathrow that transports passengers from Terminal 5A, to 5B to 5C, stopping on its return.

Other switches and tasks are available to those who would like to solve additional challenges.

Electronic and electrical control: Next level engineering PM (ages 12-14)
Thursday 21 August 2025
£40
2.15-4.30pm
In this workshop for 12-14 year-olds students will build circuits to control a driverless train.

Two children participating the Electronic and Electric Control workshop

Participants will be working as Electronic and Electrical Engineers with some Mechanical Engineering aspects. They will design and build an increasingly complex electrical and electronic control system. Working in pairs they start by making a pressure switch and use this to control a pre-made electrical buggy to perform four tasks. Using a slide switch there are then three more tasks of increasing complexity. After the last task the buggy should be traveling backwards and forwards between two fixed objects automatically.

Other switches and tasks are available to those who would like to solve additional challenges.

The magic of computer science AM (ages 7-8)
Tuesday 26 August 2025
11am-1.15pm
£40
Learn the logic of computing in this fun magic-based session for 9-11 year-olds.
In this workshop, Paul Curzon will demonstrate real magic tricks, showing the group how they are done so they can do the tricks themselves. When you learn to be a magician, it turns out you are also learning the skills needed to be a great computer scientist: computational thinking. Students will then use the magic to learn the linked basics of computer science. They’ll see what computational thinking is all about and how both magicians and computer scientists rely on it.

The magic of computer science PM (ages 9-11)
Tuesday 26 August 2025
2.15-4.30pm
£40
In this workshop, Paul Curzon will demonstrate real magic tricks, showing the group how they are done so they can do the tricks themselves. When you learn to be a magician, it turns out you are also learning the skills needed to be a great computer scientist: computational thinking. Students will then use the magic to learn the linked basics of computer science. They’ll see what computational thinking is all about and how both magicians and computer scientists rely on it.

Searching to Speak AM (ages 7-8)
Wednesday 27 August 2025
11am-1.15pm
£40
How can coding help people communicate without using their voice?
In this hands-on workshop, students will use coding to build simple games, solve puzzles, and experiment with systems that mimic real-world communication aids. They will explore how sending messages, cracking codes, and making strategic choices in games all relate to the ways people with severe disabilities can communicate. Along the way, they will learn how coding isn’t just about technology, it’s about solving meaningful problems and improving lives.

Searching to Speak PM (ages 9-11)
Wednesday 27 August 2025
2.15-4.30pm
£40
How can coding help people communicate without using their voice?
In this hands-on workshop, students will use coding to build simple games, solve puzzles, and experiment with systems that mimic real-world communication aids. They will explore how sending messages, cracking codes, and making strategic choices in games all relate to the ways people with severe disabilities can communicate. Along the way, they will learn how coding isn’t just about technology, it’s about solving meaningful problems and improving lives.

Codes and ciphers (ages 7-8)
Thursday 28 August 2025
11-1.15pm
£40
There are many different types of codes and ciphers that exist to keep information secret.
We will learn about some ancient ciphers as well as more modern ones invented in the last 50 years. You will be able to learn the techniques of deciphering messages such as 14010901070822112008280903102110110223112612, VMGLTJGSFTQWKXQUGS and 011110010010101111001000110110010011110001011100110
This hands-on workshop will provide you with the skills to keep any message secret!

Codes and ciphers (aged 9-11)
Thursday 28 August 2025
2.15-4.30pm
£40
The best mathematicians make the best codebreakers. They have logical minds, can stick at a task, see patterns and follow algorithms. Jenny Sharp will explore codes and ciphers from the last 2000 years in this hands–on session. Students will learn how to create codes and ciphers to send secret messages and how they can be broken.

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