Lots of cool activities this August!
More information

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Due to social distancing measures for the prevention of the spread of COVID-19, Parts and Crafts on-site makerspace is currently closed.  We are offering a lot of great online classes and workshops. Learn more here.

Parts and Crafts is a member-supported, 501(c)(3) family makerspace and community workshop based in Somerville, MA.  

In our programs we encourage kids to play, think, make, and learn through the exploration of the arts, science, computer programming, and engineering –  a cluster of disciplines we refer to as “the creative application of technical skills.”  

We run school-vacation camps, a full-time school-alternative program, and afterschool and weekend classes and workshops, open-shop hours and other community and family events.

Lately we’ve been doing a lot of cool stuff on zoom!

What's New

Homeschooling in 2020 Online Discussion

Lots of parents have been giving some thought about whether they want to homeschool this year – not just do school-at-home, but offer their kids alternative educational opportunities. We’re hosting an online discussion for parents who want to talk through some of these topics with us and with other parents, both veteran homeschoolers and folks who are considering it for the first time.

Wednesday August 12, 2020 7pm

Fill out this brief registration form to get the zoom link.  We’ll also email you a reminder.

 

Online Spy Academy

We love mysteries, secret codes, special secret spy equipment and puzzles!  We’re going to spend a week celebrating our love of all things espionage!  Spy Academy is a virtual camp that will run the week of August 24 – each day we’ll meet, announce the days activities and then kids can choose which option they want to do – design a computer program to encode secret messages? Play a spy themed game?  Draw a treasure map?  We’ll do many of our regular activities – making, gaming, coding and cooking – with a spy-themed spin, as well as some special things we’re planning just for this week!

 

Monday through Friday, 10am to 3pm, $120/week or $30 per day.

REGISTER HERE.

 

 

August Plans – online camp, Art in Plein Air, Intro to OOP, Spy Academy & Minecraft

En Plein Air Drawing at the Garden Center with Mike

This is an in person activity and health guidelines are in place!

Description: Spend a summer morning in a lovely urban garden setting where we will use nature’s inspiration to sharpen our skills of observation and drawing outside.

REGISTER HERE.

Where: Somerville Community Growing Center

22 Vinal Ave, Somerville, MA 02143

When: 10am to 12pm, Monday 8/10

10am to 12pm, Monday 8/17

*Please note, this class will run rain or shine.

Group Size/Age: Up to 8 kids (ages 7 -10)

Cost: $40.00 (paper provided. Participants must bring a pencil, crayons and/or colored pencils.)

“Art en plein air” Art Outdoors 3 day series (ages 11 – 15)

Description: Spend three summer mornings in a lovely urban garden setting where we will use nature’s inspiration to sharpen our skills of observation, drawing, and watercolor painting. The  materials fee includes art supplies we will use for the week, and your child will bring everything home to continue making art indoors and outdoors all summer long!

REGISTER HERE.

Where: Somerville Community Growing Center

22 Vinal Ave, Somerville, MA 02143

When: 3 Thursdays 8/13, 8/20, 8/27 10am to 12pm

*Please note, this class will run rain or shine.

Group Size/Age: Up to 8 kids (ages 11 -15)

Cost: $140.00 for the series.  $20 materials fee included . All materials will be provided at our first meeting.

Health & Safety Plan: We will be outdoors for the full 2 hr period in an area lush with pollinating plants and flowers where bees and other insects are going about their day so kids should bring bug spray, sunblock and water for drinking. Please inform me prior to the start if your child has any allergies or conditions to anything they might be exposed to while in the garden. I can be reached at mike@partsandcrafts.org. *COVID measures: All participants will wear a mask and disinfectant hand spray is available on site for visitors to use upon entering the garden. Note that as of June 20th, the City has relaxed guidelines for face coverings: when you are outside and able to social distance at least six feet from others, you may temporarily remove your face covering but must put it back on when others are nearby.  Finally, there is an outdoor sink for washing hands.

*Health and Safety Plan for the Somerville Community Growing Center- June 2020

 

Introduction to Object Oriented Programming with Java Processing for Kids with Dina

This is an online class.

Object-oriented programming is a programming paradigm that is widely used across almost all programming languages.  Most substantial computer programs are written using this approach.  This four week course uses Java Processing to introduce Object Oriented Programming concepts to kids because an understanding of these concepts will enable them to design and create much more ambitious projects.  Although OOP concepts are language-independent, this course will use Java Processing on openprocessing.org.  Kids interested in this course should have familiarity with basic Processing syntax and be able to use functions, variables, loops and conditional statements in that language.  The aim of this course is primarily to provide a “level up” opportunity for kids that have already taken a lot of Java Processing with Dina this spring and summer, though certain kids with experience in related languages may be able to jump in.  Please email dina@partsandcrafts.org with questions about whether or not this course is the right match.

 

Attendance at all four classes is required to keep up with the material.

 

Wednesdays 1-3 pm $120 for the session.

 

Online Camp!

 

We’ve been offering online programs all summer – a wide ranging mixture of art, technology, games and other cool stuff.  Each day starts with a morning meeting where kids can meet, chat and learn about the day.  Then kids decide what they want to do and we split off to do Scratch, make movies, play Minecraft, draw animals, design board games, bake, make comics, and lots more.  Camp costs $125 per week or $30 a day.  Folks that are already registered for in person camp for a given week who haven’t requested a refund are, of course, free to attend.  Just let us know your preference!

 

The schedule shifts around a bit week to week but here’s a fairly representative sample calendar.

 

We’re committed to continuing to offer this programming until school starts back up (virtual or otherwise) and you can register for either by the day or the week HERE.  If school start dates get pushed back, we will add more weeks of camp!

 

The Sunday before the week begins you’ll be sent a link & password to an online calendar with zoom links.  Folks that register after that should email us at contact@partsandcrafts.org to let us know to send along the calendar.

 

Additionally, we’ve been offering a free Try Out Day for new kids – a chance for families to drop in and see if they like what we’re offering.  If you haven’t tried out our online camp or have friends or family members you’d like to encourage to do so, please check out how to register for a free day.

 

We’re also collaborating with SomerCamp2020 – Somerville’s free online camp.  It’s been a great experience and we love collaborating with so many amazing local organizations.  You can register for this program for free – check it out HERE.

 

Spy Academy 

 

One of our most successful weeks of online camp this summer was LORP camp – a sprawling, multi-activity Role playing extravaganza.  We’re designating the last week of August (8/24/8-28) as Spy Academy – a week of code-breaking, secret messages, scavenger hunts and mystery solving. We’ll also offer a lot of our usual activities, with a secret agent twist!  Sign up for this exciting and mysterious week HERE.

 

Minecraft Only Day Passes

 

Normally we wouldn’t let kids chill out over Minecraft during a camp day (even though Minecraft is arguably something more than a video game.)  But we’ve learned through quarantine that cooped up kids can use our kid-friendly, adult-moderated Minecraft server to interact, play and create and get at least some of that interpersonal interaction and socialization most of them currently crave.

 

We offer Minecraft daily on our custom Minecraft server, in an environment designed to allow kids to get out of their Minecraft experience what they want – collaborative building, group games or solo creation.  It’s become the virtual playground of online Parts and Crafts!

 

We’re now offering Mineraft-only day passes – for $15 dollars your kid can drop in on the Minecraft server and see if they like it, fool around, make some new friends or show off their awesome Minecraft building skills.  Using the server requires a Minecraft account and the Java Edition of Minecraft (this costs $26.95) on a computer – tablet or console versions will not work.  All players join both the world and a zoom call and are given clear instructions about limits and guidelines.  You can register here.

Introduction to Object Oriented Programming with Java Processing for Kids

 

Introduction to Object Oriented Programming with Java Processing for Kids with Dina

This is an online class.

 

Object-oriented programming is a programming paradigm that is widely used across almost all programming languages.  Most substantial computer programs are written using this approach.  This four week course uses Java Processing to introduce Object Oriented Programming concepts to kids because an understanding of these concepts will enable them to design and create much more ambitious projects.  Although OOP concepts are language-independent, this course will use Java Processing on openprocessing.org.  Kids interested in this course should have familiarity with basic Processing syntax and be able to use functions, variables, loops and conditional statements in that language.  The aim of this course is primarily to provide a “level up” opportunity for kids that have already taken a lot of Java Processing with Dina this spring and summer, though certain kids with experience in related languages may be able to jump in.  Please email dina@partsandcrafts.org with questions about whether or not this course is the right match.

REGISTER HERE.

Attendance at all four classes is required to keep up with the material.

Wednesdays 1-3 pm

$120 for the session.

Art in Plein Air – Open Air Art Workshops at the Growing Center!

Join us for some outdoor drawing workshops at the Growing Center!

“Art en plein air” (Art Outdoors) 1 day workshop (ages 7 -10)

Description: Spend a summer morning in a lovely urban garden setting where we will use nature’s inspiration to sharpen our skills of observation and drawing outside.

REGISTER HERE.

Where: Somerville Community Growing Center

22 Vinal Ave, Somerville, MA 02143

When: 10am to 12pm, Monday 8/10

10am to 12pm, Monday 8/17

*Please note, this class will run rain or shine.

Group Size/Age: Up to 8 kids (ages 7 -10)

Cost: $40.00 (paper provided. Participants must bring a pencil, crayons and/or colored pencils.)

Instructor: Mike

Health & Safety Plan: We will be outdoors for the full 2 hr period in an area lush with pollinating plants and flowers where bees and other insects are going about their day so kids should bring bug spray, sunblock and water for drinking. Please inform me prior to the start if your child has any allergies or conditions to anything they might be exposed to while in the garden. I can be reached at mike@partsandcrafts.org. *COVID measures: All participants will wear a mask and disinfectant hand spray is available on site for visitors to use upon entering the garden. Note that as of June 20th, the City has relaxed guidelines for face coverings: when you are outside and able to social distance at least six feet from others, you may temporarily remove your face covering but must put it back on when others are nearby.  Finally, there is an outdoor sink for washing hands.

 

*Health and Safety Plan for the Somerville Community Growing Center- June 2020

“Art en plein air” Art Outdoors 3 day series (ages 11 – 15)

Description: Spend three summer mornings in a lovely urban garden setting where we will use nature’s inspiration to sharpen our skills of observation, drawing, and watercolor painting. The  materials fee includes art supplies we will use for the week, and your child will bring everything home to continue making art indoors and outdoors all summer long!

REGISTER HERE.

Where: Somerville Community Growing Center

22 Vinal Ave, Somerville, MA 02143

When: 3 Thursdays 8/13, 8/20, 8/27 10am to 12pm

*Please note, this class will run rain or shine.

Group Size/Age: Up to 8 kids (ages 11 -15)

Cost: $140.00 for the series.  $20 materials fee included . All materials will be provided at our first meeting.

 

Instructor: Mike Gasper from Parts and Crafts

Health & Safety Plan: We will be outdoors for the full 2 hr period in an area lush with pollinating plants and flowers where bees and other insects are going about their day so kids should bring bug spray, sunblock and water for drinking. Please inform me prior to the start if your child has any allergies or conditions to anything they might be exposed to while in the garden. I can be reached at mike@partsandcrafts.org. *COVID measures: All participants will wear a mask and disinfectant hand spray is available on site for visitors to use upon entering the garden. Note that as of June 20th, the City has relaxed guidelines for face coverings: when you are outside and able to social distance at least six feet from others, you may temporarily remove your face covering but must put it back on when others are nearby.  Finally, there is an outdoor sink for washing hands.

 

*Health and Safety Plan for the Somerville Community Growing Center- June 2020

Try out Parts and Crafts Online for free!

Enjoy a FREE Day of Parts & Crafts Online!*

Whether you know all about Parts & Crafts, or have never experienced any of our programming, we’d like to invite anyone aged 7-13 who has yet to participate in any of our online programs to check out a whole day free of charge M-F from July 20-31! Some restrictions apply.* If you are ready to register, jump to Registration Details below!
“Our 9 year old LOVES this camp.  As parents, we’ve been so encouraged by what they’ve managed to put together online.  She is learning, socializing, engaged, imagining…it’s honestly been hard to remember it’s all online.  And it does really give us a break to do our jobs, which hasn’t always been the case with online content.  Thank you! – Erin H.”
 
“My son, age 8, has had a wonderful time at Parts & Crafts’ online programs. He gained a lot of independence learning to bake by himself once a week and he found a place he loved to go to talk about his feelings and practice mindfulness and meditation. All the teachers were great at including and engaging him in a way that seemed respectful of him as himself, capable in so many mature ways and yet still just a kid. – D”

 

 

ABOUT OUR ONLINE PROGRAMMING

Since the closure of our physical space in March, we’ve been running all kinds of fun and educational programming online, giving kids an opportunity to play, learn, build, and perhaps most importantly, connect with other kids. For those of you unfamiliar with us or our programming, here are some FAQs

What is Parts & Crafts all about? 

To learn more about us, and our approach to working with young people, check out our website. We are a non-profit family makerspace located in Somerville, MA, and have been in operation for 11+ years. We run camp programs, an after-school program, open shop, the Center for Semi-Conducted Learning (CSCL, a full-time school replacement program/resource center for homeschoolers), offsite programming at other schools and events, and more. Our offerings are academic, recreational, and everything in between. Since the closure, we’ve taken our same philosophy to develop a wide-variety of online programs. We prioritize community and have found that especially now, the connections kids make online are priceless.

What kind of programming does Parts & Crafts offer online?

While it may seem unusual to take a makerspace model online, we’ve been successfully running daily online programming since mid-March. Initially for CSCL and afterschool kids and then 6-week “deep dive” classes open to kids from anywhere. Our inaugural online camp week in April was a resounding success, and we’ve been running summer camp programs since mid-June. In our years of experience, we’ve developed 100s of projects, and over the last months online, we’ve learned which activities work best remotely. We offer a wide variety of projects such as art, coding, movie making, podcast recording, minecraft, role playing & other games, nature and science projects, cooking, and more. We are constantly innovating and developing new online projects to keep kids engaged.

What does a camp day look like?

Each week you’ll receive the calendar of workshops. Then, much like an in-person camp day, we start each day with a morning meeting at 10AM (EST) where kids learn details about each offering that day. They can then choose between at least 4 activities in each of the 2 daily sessions from 10:30-12pm and 1pm-3pm. We aim to always have an activity in each of the following categories: technology & science, arts & crafts, games, and a wildcard option which could be, say, an outdoor scavenger hunt, baking, or even a dance party. We additionally run a supervised Minecraft server each afternoon.

Who participates in these programs? 

One of the advantages of being online is that anyone aged 7-13 is welcome (schedule is in EST). While many kids are local to the Greater Boston area, we’ve had kids join us from as far as California and the UK. This creates great opportunities for social engagement for everyone.

Who leads workshops? 

Each program includes at least one P&C counselor. We are artists, art teachers, coders, librarians, lawyers, and more, with experience running classes in person and online.

Are the classes pre-recorded?

No! Every one of our programs is live, interactive, and kept to a manageable size that allows for more supervision, interaction, and individualized instruction.

What supplies are required? 

Kids need to have a device that can run Zoom. Most activities can be completed with supplies you have around the house. Recipes for cooking and science experiments that may require additional supplies are emailed in advance, and Minecraft requires a computer and download of the desktop Java edition. 

What specific programs will you have on a certain date?

With the exception of Minecraft, which we currently offer each afternoon, the specifics are different day to day and weekly. We try to have the following week’s schedule out towards the end of each week.

What is the cost of your programming?

We currently have two registration options, $30 for a day or $125 for a full week, see registration links for more options.

Is it really a free day? Why?

It is absolutely free, no strings attached. There are capacity and other limitations as noted under “registration.” We are really excited about our programming, and we think you will be too. We’ve received lots of lovely positive feedback from families and kids alike about the recreational, educational, and social opportunities our program is providing during this time. Like many summer camps, we’ve had to make plans very incrementally as the World has changed around us. Now that we know we’ll be offering some form of online programming for the remainder of the summer (through August 28th), we are able to expand registration slots. We’d love for you to see what we’ve been up to!

Are you running any in-person camps this summer?

We aren’t sure, yet. We are still assessing whether we can safely open and in what capacity and we will keep the community posted on developments.

I’m not interested in the free day and/or camp, but I think Parts & Crafts is great! Is there something else I can do?

Yes! First, please share this widely by talking to folks, sharing this email, or sharing on social media. If you are interested in personally supporting our non-profit during this unprecedented time, you can also make a tax-deductible donation here.
 

REGISTRATION DETAILS

*If you are the parent or guardian of a child and you’d like to take advantage of this deal, here are the details and restrictions:
  • Offer valid for any child aged 7-13 who hasn’t yet participated in our online programming.
  • The code entitles you to one (1) day of camp, limited to the first 75 registrations over the two available weeks.
  • Parts & Crafts reserves the right to end this promotion at any time, and to cancel any duplicate registrations
  • Follow the link to one of these two weeks, and select a day July 20-24, or July 27-31
  • If you don’t have an account already, you’ll need to make one in Amilia, you will need to make one to complete the registration
  • Enter the code FREEDAY2020
  • If you register LATER THAN 3PM FRIDAY prior to a camp week, please email contact@partsandcrafts.org so we can send you anything you might need.