So you’ve dreamed of attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry?
Dream no more for reality is upon us.
Relish Hogwarts to your heart’s content right here in Chicago when The Laboratory transforms into a magnificent, magical world during a week long Harry Potter Science camp: Welcome to Hogwarts: Secundus Urbis. Kids ages 7-12 receive striped scarves and stuffed owls and are encouraged to escape into Hogwarts where they will be sorted into houses, craft magical wands and utilize science to make magic a reality. Students can earn House Points as they valiantly prep for the Tournament of Wizards held at the conclusion of the week.
Created by a husband and wife duo of Board Certified Teachers (him, Science and her, English), The Laboratory promotes a project-based learning environment where students ages 5-14 can explore ideas across a myriad of school subjects and within their everyday lives.
“When I was growing up I always wished my books could be brought to life, and now I’m realizing how we can create these worlds and use science to make it real. Harry Potter is a great fit because magic is basically science,” explains co-founder Amy Kang. “We might be having having potions classes, creating our own indoor Quidditch and ‘breeding’ Pygmy Puffs, but we’re really learning chemistry, physics and genetics.”
After July camps quickly sold out, additional Harry Potter camps were added for August, including a sequel titled Back to Hogwarts: Secundus Urbis Part II featuring a different plot and new experiments. Grown wizards take note: after overwhelming interest, an adult Harry Potter workshop is currently in development and planned for the future.
If wizardry doesn’t whet your whistle, don’t fret. Other fanciful camps offered by The Laboratory include Lego Robotics, On Training Your Dragon, Camp Half-Blood (based on Percy Jackson & The Olympians) and The Science of a Zombie Apocalypse.
If science better suits your little ones in shorter spurts, The Laboratory has flexibility in the form of day off camps, weekend workshops or party bookings for special occasion or birthdays (of which Harry Potter is a popular theme).
“Too often, science is taught through memorization of facts and kids are turned off,” explains Amy. “By connecting the sciences to things they are already interested in, students can have a deeper understanding, become more comfortable with the sciences and make it their own.”
To shed your Muggle-ness and move ahead with whimsy and wizardry, visit The Laboratory’s website for FAQs, bios and registration information.
