Toy Factory

Toy Factory is at the Science Oxford Centre on Saturday 12 December, one of the centre's monthly Science Club sessions for children aged 5 to 9. It's part of their wider Saturday STEM Clubs for young people aged 5 to 14, which run throughout the year and cover everything from coding and crafting to investigating and inventing.

In this particular session, children use science and engineering skills to build their own versions of classic curiosities, spectacular sights and spinning tops. The list of things they'll be making includes balancing acts, crazy climbing creations and pecking woodpeckers, all of which they get to take home. Expert club leaders run each session, and the theme changes every week, so if your child has been to one before, this will be a different one. The sessions are set up so children learn from one another and work together, rather than just following instructions in isolation.

It's worth keeping in mind that this is just one of the things Science Oxford does for families. They also run Family Days, Sensory-friendly Family Days and a range of STEM Clubs, and their woodland Water Lab is open to club attendees from April to October. Emira's Kitchen serves hot and cold drinks, snacks and rolls on-site, and families are welcome to bring their own picnics. The centre also works with schools and community groups to provide funded places and remove cost barriers.

Toy Factory runs in three sessions on the day: 10.00-11.30am, 12.30-2.00pm and 3.00-4.30pm, so you can pick the one that fits your Saturday. Tickets are £15 per club ticket, which covers one child and one accompanying adult, with an additional adult ticket costing £5. You'll find the centre at Quarry Road, Headington, Oxford OX3 8SB.