Easter Holiday Clubs

Digital Movers + Shakers is BACK. This Easter break we are bringing you a second edition of the club looking further into how technology can be used to improve the game of football and the various applications of STEM within a football club. This club is a supportive and stress-free environment to help young people in P4-P7 to get involved in technology and football – it is designed to cater to participants of various skill levels and interests, so no tech or football experience is required.

Participants will get hand-on experience with the various technologies of such as micro:bits, to recreate cutting-edge innovations that provides new outlooks on how to engage in and play sports. 

As they explore the expanding role of data in football, whilst exploring the inner workings of what it takes to build a successful club, our young members will be empowered to challenge the traditional norms of football, with aspirations to one day aim to change the game. 

Please note:

  • Two meals will be provided, with breakfast being served from 9:00am and lunch from 12:00pm. 
  • Parts of the sessions will require light movement/exercise outdoors so please have your child bring along a water bottle and wear suitable footwear and clothing dependant on the weather.
  • Due to high demand and limited tickets, only those with a confirmed space will be allowed to attend the club – this does not include being on the waiting list.
  • Even though this is a second iteration of our Digital Movers + Shakers, it is not essential for young people to have attended the previous iterations. 
  • We ran this club 5 times in the summer holidays, so if your young person has already attended, please do not sign them up again to leave spaces for others to experience our clubs

Scottish Bird Camp 2025 – applications now open!

The Scottish Ornithologists’ Club and British Trust for Ornithology have just opened applications for young nature enthusiasts, ages 10 – 16 years, to apply to take part in the Scottish Bird Camp 2025 – a fully-funded weekend at the end of May, in East Lothian – learning about Scotland’s birds among like-minded others. There will be a varied programme of activities across the weekend which, depending on the weather, may include a seabird boat trip, ringing demo, nature reserve visit, nest finding and learning to identify bird songs and calls. The deadline for applications is Sunday 30 March 2025 at 5pm. 

You can find out all about this year’s opportunity on our website:  https://www.the-soc.org.uk/pages/event/scottish-bird-camp-2025

This is a link to last year’s Camp to learn more about what the children got up to: https://www.the-soc.org.uk/blogs/blog/bird-camp-2024

Book Club Masterclass

The main focus of the bookclub is to promote relaxation through reading. By modelling to the children, I show them how they can enjoy relaxing while reading and help them to learn how they can create the same cosy and calm space at home and recognise how beneficial it is for their wellbeing.

When the session starts, we do a 5 min seated breathing exercise to promote calmness and then the children help themselves to a hot chocolate and a few biscuits to enjoy while they read. The children can bring a blanket from home as well as their own book(s), but they can also choose one from the library just for that session. I put on relaxing sounds and encourage them to make themselves comfy and immerse themselves in their book for the remaining session. If they find it a struggle to stay reading, they can bring a journal or diary to write or draw in but they understand the purpose is to read first for as long as they can. For each session I create book club membership badges/bookmarks for the children to use and keep.

Feedback:

What did you like best about Bookclub?

  • “Hot chocolate”!
  • “Getting to catch up on my reading and being able to chill”.
  • “It was a good club”.
  • “I liked that we had snacks and got to share facts about the books we are reading”.

How did you feel after Bookclub?

  • “I felt really relaxed”.
  • “I felt good”.
  • “I felt good and relaxed after bookclub”.
  • “So relaxed”.

Would you recommend Bookclub to your friends?

  • “Yes of course xoxo”!
  • “Yes I will recommend bookclub to all my friends”!
  • “Yes it was good”.
  • “YES”!