It’s a big week at the Utica Children’s Museum! The museum is excited to announce the launch of their new six-week learning series – Spooky STEM Explorers. This special program will start this Wednesday, October 15th, which also marks the first day of their NEW after school hours from 4:00-7:00pm on Wednesdays.
About Spooky STEM Explorers:
For curious minds, creative hands, and exciting experiments, the Spooky STEM Explorers program will dive into six weeks of hands-on projects that bring science, technology, engineering, and math to life in fun and interactive ways. From coding with bananas to building a robot hand, each week features a new challenge designed to spark curiosity and problem-solving skills. Pre-registration is recommended-this program is expected to sell out!
The series is presented by Andro and Project Fibonacci Foundation, Inc.
Dates: October 15 – November 23, 2025, Wednesdays at 4:30pm or Sundays at 2:00pm
Where: 106 Memorial Parkway, Utica, second floor Multi-Purpose Room
Recommended Ages: 7–11
Capacity: 15 kids per week – Adults are required to attend the class with children.
Pricing: $3 per session or $15 for all 6 weeks for member children | $5 per session for non-member children with admission
Weekly Schedule:
Week 1 – October 15 & 19: Monster Hand
Create a movable hand using straws, string and cardboard. As it comes to life, explore how engineers mimic bones and tendons to design moving parts.
Week 2 – October 22 & 26: Light Up Haunted House Circuits
Wire simple circuits to make windows glow, ghosts flash or pumpkins light up. Learn open/closed circuits while adding eerie effects.
Week 3 – October 29 and November 2: Ghost Ships That Float
Experiment with balance and buoyancy while designing and testing “ghost ships” or “pumpkin boats” made from recycled and natural materials.
Week 4 – November 5 & 9: Egg Drop Engineering
A classic! Focus on shock absorption and creative problem-solving and design protective carriers to keep an egg safe from a drop.
Week 5 – November 12 & 16: Camera Obscura
Travel back in time with one of the earliest inventions leading to photography. Learn how light travels and how images are formed.
Week 6 – November 19 & 23: Coding with a Makey Makey
Learn the basics of coding and circuits by connecting ordinary objects like bananas and Play-Doh to create music and games.
Utica Children’s Museum Executive Director Meghan Fraser McGrogan shares, “With the success of our Garden Club for Kids! this summer, we see how multi-week series can bring great, consistent programming to our space, introduce young visitors to new friends, and deepen their learning experience on important and unique topics. Expect to see similar series quarterly throughout the year from us!”
She adds, “We are also excited for the addition of after school hours on Wednesdays at the museum and hope that it will be accommodating for many families. We’re following models of other children’s museums across the country and looking forward to trying new things with input from our own visitors to offer hours that work best for our community.”
Hours of operation, starting October 15, 2025:
Wednesdays – 4:00-7:00pm
Thursday-Saturday – 10:00am-4:30pm
Sundays – 10:00am-3:00pm
For more information on Spooky STEM Explorers and all things Utica Children’s Museum, please visit uticachildrensmuseum.org
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