• Our Specialist Day Camps

    Our camps are structured by Mrs Vanessa McSween and Mrs Aimee Butler-Cox. Design, Technology and Engineering specialists, with too many years to mention of experience teaching children of all ages in a wide range of subjects. We are supported by Mrs Pushpa Ambupe, teaching assistant and DT&E technician who has daily experience in the classroom supporting lessons in the Prep School. We believe strongly in hands on, engaging learning and we are passionate about the importance of STEM in preparing our young people for life in a modern and developing world.

    We have a friendly team of other teachers and assistants who know that to get the best out of the children, they have to be happy, safe and confident to have a go, even if things do not go according to plan the first or tenth time. Pastoral care is important to us and parents choose to come to us because of this.

    In addition to our dedicated teaching staff, we have a huge number of young people who are passionate about STEM Den. They have loved coming to classes when they were younger and now want to share their expertise by supporting our classes as volunteers. Some are working towards their GCSEs, some their A Levels and some in Further and Higher Education. We are hugely grateful for the time, inspiration and confidence they give as they support us. All our staff and helpers have a love for STEM and teaching and want the children to have a happy, fulfilling experience with us.

    We are Ofsted registered and were last inspected in December 2023. All our staff are DBS checked. We comply fully to standards for First Aid Training. All our staff are safeguarding trained.

    TO PLACE A BOOKING CLICK HERE

    To place a booking CLICK HERE

    St John's School, Potter Street Hill, Pinner, HA5 3ZF

    See a map

    Please note: Two week's notice is required for a refund for cancellation.

    If you are a STEM Den 'regular' and have completed the activity already on offer on the day you would like to attend, then please do email us, as quite often we can tailor the program to accomodate your specific needs. If you are building a portfolio for a STEM or DT&E scholarship at a Senior School this could be you!

    To place a booking CLICK HERE

    Summer 2026

    Week 1: 20th to 24th July

    • Monday 20th July: The 'Beautiful Game' – World Cup STEM Special Celebrate the conclusion of the World Cup with a full day of football-inspired engineering. The children will explore sports science, the physics of trajectory, and stadium architecture as they design and build their own miniature stadium or functional table football game.
    • Tuesday 21st July: Lego Inspired Smart Home Learn about the Lego Inspired Smart Home and spend time designing and making a model of innovative new home ideas using Crumble kits.
    • Wednesday 22nd July: Landscape Gardening – Inspired by the Chelsea Flower Show * Inspired by the Chelsea Flower Show, learn the art of Landscape Gardening as you build your own mini garden to take home. Find out the importance of plants in our world and how they grow and reproduce.
    • Thursday 23rd July: Wobble Bots! * Build a circuit with a motor and explore how an off-centre cam can make a wobble, just like in the vibration of a mobile phone. More advanced work includes exploring effects of radius and mass.
    • Friday 24th July: Shadow Theatres * Learn about light and how shadows are created. Work as a team to build your own shadow theatre and puppets. Add your own music using iPads and put on your show to the rest of your group.

    Week 2: 27th to 31st July

    • Monday 27th July: Empire Builders – What Have the Romans Ever Done for Us? * Step back in time to discover how Roman engineers shaped the ancient world. The children will explore structural arches to build a grand viaduct, delve into the physics of potential energy by constructing and testing a model trebuchet, and compete in high-energy chariot races by programming Sphero Bolts.
    • Tuesday 28th July: Cricket-Themed Day A cricket-themed day with the opportunity to solve STEM challenges including building your own board game. Develop your digital design skills using iPads and sublimation print your own cap to take home. HOWZAT!!!
    • Wednesday 29th July: In Admiration of Sea Life * Make a sea life inspired sublimation printed t-shirt to take home. Learn about Project AWARE and the mission of SCUBA divers to protect critical issues such as Sharks in Peril and Marine Debris. Design and make your own model craft to travel on water for the mission of observing and monitoring sea life.
    • Thursday 30th July: Think Bubbles! Bath Bombs * A day combining chemistry and practical engineering, where the children investigate chemical reactions, measurement, and scent creation to fabricate your own bespoke bath bombs. Use CAD/CAM technology to make your very own Bubble Wand. Enjoy bubble-related games and craft.
    • Friday 31st July: Sphero Bolt Bridge Challenge * Structural engineering meets robotics as teams design and construct sturdy bridges, then program Sphero Bolts to navigate the weight tolerances of their structures.

    Week 3: 3rd to 7th August

    • Monday 3rd August: Beach-Themed STEM Team Challenge * A collaborative day of problem-solving where the children work in teams to engineer creative solutions for coastal challenges and seaside structures.
    • Tuesday 4th August: Keeping Cool Using VEX Robotics * Introduce mechanical engineering concepts using VEX Robotics kits and Crumble kits to design and program automated cooling systems. Learn about biomimicry, how does the natural world combat the heat? Students look at and problem solve using examples such as the Saharan Silver Ant and Termites for inspiration.
    • Wednesday 5th August: Sphero Bolt Crazy Golf The children will combine geometry, angles, and coding to design an intricate mini-golf course, programming their Sphero Bolts to successfully navigate the obstacles.
    • Thursday 6th August: 'All About Me' Self-Portrait Bags and Science Body Parts * A creative blend of anatomy and artistic design, featuring an immersive science investigation to find out more about the fascinating human body and its systems while creating personal self-portrait textile bags.
    • Friday 7th August: Practical Action – Beat the Flood * An action-packed, high-energy global citizenship challenge where children use environmental science and structural engineering to design, build, and test flood-proof housing models against real water surges to see if their creations can withstand the elements!

    Week 4: 10th to 14th August

    • Monday 10th August: Six Dots * A look at communicating in different ways including Braille and Morse Code. The children will explore the secret world of coding at Bletchley Park, discover who Alan Turing was, and test how information can be decoded.
    • Tuesday 11th August: Travel to Mars * Aerospace engineering takes centre stage as the children plan a mission to the red planet. We will conduct exciting chocolate investigations as if we are exploring the Martian surface, program VEX kits as Mars explorer robots, and complete a fascinating scientific investigation into what constitutes 'life on Mars'.
    • Wednesday 12th August: Perfect Pulp and Paper Production * An exciting, hands-on materials challenge where we will recycle our own paper from scratch! The children will transform raw pulp from old used paper to make new paper of their own, explore the science of material recycling, and learn the structural geometry behind intricate origami and quilling paper craft.
    • Thursday 13th August: Animatronics Delve into the intersection of electronics and mechanical movement by discovering the fascinating animatronics work of Rick Lazzarini, the special effects pioneer behind iconic creatures in films like Aliens and Jurassic Park. The children will create simple linkages and circuits to bring their own animatronic models to life, and these completed models will be filmed.
    • Friday 14th August: Defence of Castle Crumble * A historical engineering challenge and fun team competition where the children work together to investigate defense architecture, design fortress walls, and test their structural integrity against siege machinery.

    Week 5: 17th to 21st August

    • Monday 17th August: Mr Ferris and His Wheel * Explore the history of mechanical structures, circular motion, and structural load-bearing. The children will put their engineering skills to the test by designing and building an operational miniature Ferris wheel model to take home.
    • Tuesday 18th August: What Floats Your Boat? Key Stage 2 and 3 Ocean Clean-Up * An environmental engineering day focused on protecting marine life. The children will learn about the inspirational work of Boyan Slat and his ocean clean-up mission, using his technology as a springboard to design functional water filtration systems and debris-collection vessels.
    • Wednesday 19th August: Hydraulics and Pneumatics * Investigate fluid mechanics and air pressure, using syringes and tubing to build mechanical arms that lift and move objects. These creations will be entirely child led.
    • Thursday 20th August: Ultraviolet Exploration * A vital space science experiment where the children test different materials and clothing to protect astronauts when they go into space and are exposed to intense UV light. Using light-reactive UV paints, they will design and colour a custom garment that changes colour to 'tell you' precisely when it is time to use suncream.
    • Friday 21st August: STEM Challenge Day – Big Hero 6 * The hit movie Big Hero 6 is our inspiration for this thrilling day where we consider the real-world impact and development of robots. the children will collaborate in engineering teams to design prototypes, solve complex problems, and work together to get Baymax a brand-new suit.

    Week 6: 24th to 27th August

    • Monday 24th August: Stop-Motion Animation Combine technology and storytelling as the children work in groups to script, design detailed backgrounds, and capture digital frames to create their own stop-motion animated films. We will find out how iconic movies such as Nightmare Before Christmas and Wallace and Gromit are created.
    • Tuesday 25th August: Practical Action – Wind Challenge * An engaging renewable energy challenge where the children explore the power of wind power. Working as environmental engineers, they will design, build, and test working wind turbine prototypes to see how efficiently they can capture energy to lift weights or generate power.
    • Wednesday 26th August: Crankshaft Toys Study mechanical movement by exploring cams, axles, and followers to build a whimsical toy that moves via a hand-turned crank.Thursday 27th August: Brilliance of Bees! * To wrap up our summer program, we will be joined by expert Bee Keeper Jo Telfer. The children will discover the biological importance of pollinators, learn how bees help us with vital pollination, and explore their architectural hexagon hives. Alongside bee-related craft activities, the children will make their own beautiful wax candles to take home.

    🌳 Plus: Outdoor Woodland Adventures! Alongside the fantastic indoor STEM activities, every day children will have the opportunity for outdoor play in the beautiful woodland area at St John's School. This includes time for nature exploration and relaxation by the lit fire pit in the teepee.


    CLASS AGE RESTRICTIONS - Please do not be offended if your child can not attend a class because they are not old enough... yet! We want the children to be safe, sometimes the activities are only suitable for older children. We are not insured for children under the age of 5 years. We want the children to be successful as well as independent. There are classes aimed for 5 & 6 year olds every day. These classes have teachers with experience of KS1, more helpers, the right height of furniture, shorter activities which change more frequently and break out activities such as Lego, painting and train tracks. We hope you understand.

    WAITING LISTS - In the case that we are fully booked you can ask to be placed on a waiting list.

    Please email: stemdennorthwood@gmail.com

    In the subject heading put your child's surname and the week number you are looking for. In the body of the email please specify the dates you are looking for, as well as your child's full name. You will be emailed from this address if a place becomes available, make sure our mail does not end up in the junk.

    SAFETY and USING TOOLS - One of the reasons STEM Den is so special is that we teach children to use tools to help them build, innovate and problem solve. The tools we use can cause injury if used incorrectly. All of our children are taught to use the equpiment safely and they are supervised when using the tools. Children are expected to behave appropriately when using tools. Parents/guardians who take up a place at STEM Den understand and agree to their children using the tools and equipment for each activity. There are risks involved, which are outweighed by the many benefits. If you have any concerns, please talk to us.

    (During the winter time, we will have a fire in the teepee in the woods to help us warm up when it gets cold. We expect children to follow our safety instructions around the fire.)

    For further information please read our terms and conditions.

    What are the Science Crest Awards all about?

    Every activty marked with a * is a eligble for a CREST award stamp.

    Plan, carry out and evaluate your own STEM based investigations to achieve a Nationally Recognized Award. Children aged between 5 and 10 will need 8 investigations all stamped off in their book, Children aged 10 and above take an all day challenge. Click here to find out more.

    VEX robotics kits will be available every day on request, depending on availability. There are two different levels of kit depending on age and experience. We have VEX GO and VEX IQ. For our younger students from Rec to Year 3 we have VEX 123 or Educational Lego kits are ideal to start the journey of programming. For our youngest students aged 5 to 7 we suggest this is taught in small bitesize chunks around half an hour long.

    Click the link to find out more.

    Our LEGO, SPHERO BOLT, CRUMBLE and VEX kits are to be used within the camp only and cannot be taken home. You might like to buy a CRUMBLE kit. They are available from Redfern electronics to purchase for around £35 and can be used for hundreds of other project ideas. Software for this is a free download. For more details click here.)

    Email if you have a topic you'd like to explore: stemdennorthwood@gmail.com

    We may make changes to our program from time to time without notice but do our best to stick to the plan as much as possible. Adaptive teaching allows us to tailor the sessions to accomodate the children being taught.

    Please do not be surprised if our advertised plan of action changes its course.

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