Mill Creek Elementary - Video Game Animation after school program starting Thursday, Sept 10

Video Game Animation 
Dive into the world of video game animation by creating characters that dance, sing and interact with one another. Working in teams of 2, you’ll add sound effects and music clips to create a dynamic video animation game by using software created just for kids. Creativity rules in this fun version of video game design! Students will receive a copy of the software and their game after class is complete. 

Location: Classes will take place at Mill Creek Elementary School
Grades: 3rd, 4th and 5th grade
Dates: Thurs, Sept 10, 17, 24, Oct 1, 8, 15 (6 sessions)
Time: 2:20 – 3:20 pm
Price per student: $82
Min / Max: (6/12)

The class is now closed.  We can no longer take additional registrations.  Please email computerexplorers@gmail.com if you are interested in future classes.  Thank you.

Robotics Fun at the Elmhurst Park District

There's still a few days left to sign up for INTRO TO ROBOTICS 1 at the Elmhurst Park District!

Intro to Robotics 1

Be an inventor! Light and sound sensors, pulleys, wheels, levers and gears are all at your command! Design your machine, program it using Pico Cricket®, and start it moving. Classes include a whirlwind of merry-go-rounds, speeding cars, and snapping dragons! Students will work in teams of 2.

Age: 8 - 12 years
Dates: Tues, May 3, 10, 17, 24
Times: 4:00 – 5:30

Register here!

Calling all Star Wars fans!! Do you want to make your own Star Wars movie?

There's still a few days left to sign up for Lights, Camera, Action - Making Your Own Star Wars movie at the Westchester Park District!

Lights, Camera, Action – Making Your Own Star Wars™ movie

Do you want to be the next George Lucas? We will create our very own Star Wars™ movie using special digital movie making cameras and software. As directors and producers we will work in teams to create our own story and script, build various Star Wars™ Lego® scenes and film our own movie. We will use graphic editing techniques and stop motion animation, add background noise and music, and show our movie at a private screening on the last day of class. All students will get a copy of their movie after class is complete.

Age: 8 - 12 years
Dates: Mon, May 2, 9, 16, 23
Times: 4:30 – 5:45 pm

Register here!

Does your child love Legos? Sign up for Fun-gineering at the Darien Park District!

There's still a few days left to sign up for Fun-gineering at the Darien Park District!

Fun-Gineering with Simple Machines

Using Lego™ Educational kits, budding engineers will learn about simple machines by building models of real-life devices such as a motorized car, a drawbridge, a motorized crane and a conveyor belt. They will learn about the concepts of pulleys, levers, wheels and axles, and gears and bring their projects to life using battery-operated motors. Through the building of realistic motorized models, students will develop an understanding of mechanical principles. They will explore, investigate, and solve problems in a fun group environment. 2 children per LEGO® kit.

Age: 8 - 12 years
Dates: Mon, May 2, 9, 16, 23
Times: 4:00 – 5:30

Register here!

Throw a Lego Themed Birthday Party!

We've had several parents ask us if we do Birthday Parties! Please call or email for available dates and locations! Click to enlarge the flyer below!

We now have a fanpage on facebook!

If you're on facebook, please become a fan of COMPUTER EXPLORERS of Chicagoland! Get updates on classes that are running throughout the Chicago suburbs! Please click on the "find us on facebook" link to the right!

Here's one of our movies from our COMPUTER EXPLORERS Moviemaking class.

Here's one of the movies our students created in our "Moviemaking 101 - Making Your Own Sponge Bob movie" class. This was created at the Wheaton Park District in Feb, 2010.

Sign up for our new technology classes this fall!

Here are three exciting new classes that are being offered at some Park Districts this fall. Please check with your local Park District or schoool for availability.

Robotics Adventures
Yes, We CAN learn about Robotics! With the LEGO™ WeDo Robotics System, young children can build and program their own robotic creations. Designed by the experts at MIT, this unique system teaches children about simple machines, engineering, programming and so much more. Young imaginations soar! Students will work together in teams of 2.
Age: 6 - 8 years



Green Screen Adventures Climb Mount Everest, swim the depths of the ocean, or battle dinosaurs! Using a green screen and special photo-editing techniques, you will venture into real or imaginary locations and film the trip to share with friends. Experiment with photos and unique drawing software to set the scene for fantastic adventures. Don’t stay at home – jump into a green screen and find yourself some fun!
Age: 8 - 12 years

Inventions With Art and Technology
Jumping Jiminy Crickets! The newest in robotics and programming fun is the Pico Cricket®. Design and create your own creatures, sculptures or 3-D art, and then program them for action! Make a cat and program it to purr when someone pets it. Make a bobble-head with multiple heads that jiggle and jump on command. Make a birthday cake play a song when someone blows out the candles. Your imagination is the main ingredient! Students will work together in teams of 2.

Age: 8 - 12 years

What a great summer!

COMPUTER EXPLORERS students had a great summer! They created their own video games, wrote, filmed and edited their own Indiana Jones, Harry Potter or Batman movies, built and programmed Lego Robots and in the process learned some new technology and made new friends in our classes! This summer, we had the privilege of teaching 437 students at 18 different locations throughout the western suburbs during 8 weeks of our Technology Camps! Thank you to all the who participated in our classes! We hope you'll join us for some new classes this fall. Class listings and descriptions will be posted soon!

Here's a great Harry Potter movie created in one of our Moviemaking classes!

Some talented students from the Oswegoland Park District created this great Harry Potter movie in our COMPUTER EXPLORERS moviemaking class!

Make Your Own Harry Potter Movie!

The new Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince movie starts at theaters today! However, Harry Potter fans can make their own Harry Potter movie this summer in one of our COMPUTER EXPLORERS' moviemaking classes:

Lights, Camera, Action – Making Your Own Harry Potter™ movie
What’s the next adventure for Harry Potter, Ron and Hermione? You decide! We will create our own Harry Potter™ movie using special movie making cameras and software. As directors and producers, we will work in teams to create our own story and script, build various Harry Potter™ Lego® scenes and film our own movie. We will use graphic editing techniques and stop motion animation, add background noise and music, and show our movie at a private screening on the last day of class. All students will get a copy of their movie on a CD-ROM after class ends.

There's still time to sign up! Classes are available at the following locations:

Batavia Park District

Naperville Park District

Oswegoland Park District

Yorkville Parks and Recreation

New Technology Camps starting up July 6!

We had a break this week due to the July 4th holiday but new classes are starting up next week! There is still space in some classes so it's not too late to sign up!

Batavia Park DistrictEastside Community Center 14 N. Van Buren St Batavia, IL

Fun-gineering 10:15 am – 12:15 pm - Class is full

Fox Valley Park District
Eola Community Center 555 S. Eola Road Aurora, IL 60504

Alien Invasion Robotics – 1:30 pm – 3:30 pm - Class is full

Hinsdale Parks and Recreation
Memorial Bldg 19 E. Chicago Ave. Hinsdale, IL (2nd floor board room)
Moviemaking 101 - Making Your Own Batman™ movie 10:15 am – 12:15 pm - Class is full

Lombard Park District
Sunset Knoll Recreation Center 820 S. Finley Road Lombard, IL 60148

COMPUTERTOTS: Summer Series Times: 1:30 – 2:00 - Still have openings
Fun-Gineering With Simple Machines Times: 2:15 – Still have openings

Riverside Parks and Recreation
10 Pine Avenue Riverside, IL 60546

Video Game Animation Times: 10:15 – 12:15 - Still have openings

Woodridge Park District
Community Center 2600 Center Drive Woodridge, IL

Video Game Animation 1:45 pm – 3:45 pm - Still have openings

Yorkville Parks and Recreation
201 W. Hydraulic Yorkville IL 60560

Video Game Animation – 10:00 am – 12:00 pm - Still have openings