As you’re mapping out your family’s school year calendar(s) and marking all those upcoming holiday breaks and half-days, you’re probably already thinking ahead about how to fill those gaps with something meaningful for the kids. If you’re looking for options that are both educational and engaging, this fall we have a game-changer in our backyard.

Brooklyn Robot Foundry Philadelphia has launched Foundry Fundays—full and half-day robotics programs specifically designed for those tricky school-off days. And after their successful summer camp at Villanova University earlier this year, I knew this was something our community needed to know about.

What Makes Foundry Fundays Special?

Unlike other day-off camp programs, Foundry Fundays are packed with hands-on STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) learning that kids actually want to do. Each child builds and takes home their own robot while developing problem-solving skills, making new friendships, and exploring creativity in ways that traditional classroom learning simply can’t match.

“We encourage creativity and independent thinking from all of our builders,” explains the Brooklyn Robot Foundry team. “We provide the guidelines for each day’s robots, but the final design is up to the student.”

This approach isn’t just educational—it’s confidence-building. Watching a 6-year-old light up when their robot actually moves for the first time? That’s the kind of magic every parent wants to see.

Perfect for Busy Families

Foundry Fundays are designed with working parents in mind:

• Full Day Option: 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. ($125)
• Half Day Options: 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. OR 12:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. ($62.50 each)
• Ages 4-12 welcome (younger children build alongside adults)
• Available during school holidays and half-days

A Success Story Rooted in Our Community

Brooklyn Robot Foundry Philly brings a proven educational model to our area through co-owner Richard Snow, an Archbishop John Carroll High School and Eastern University graduate who chose to bring this program to the Main Line. After their successful summer camp at Villanova University this summer, it’s clear they understand that local families are looking for high-quality STEAM programs for their kids.

“We’re not just building robots—we’re nurturing the next generation of leaders, thinkers, and innovators,” Snow shared when they launched their Villanova University summer camp earlier this year. “This is more than a camp—it’s an opportunity to plant seeds of curiosity and confidence in every child we serve.”

That summer camp was such a hit that parents have been asking when they’d offer more programming. Foundry Fundays is their answer. So far they have locations in Glenside and in Philadelphia, but they are coming soon to Center City, University City, and Devon. If you are interested in having Brooklyn Robot Foundry Philadelphia coordinate a full day STEAM Robotics program at your site, you can email philly@brooklynrobotfoundry.com.

Why Parents Are Choosing STEAM Education

In an era where screen time dominates childhood and standardized testing has reduced hands-on learning in schools, programs like Foundry Fundays fill a crucial gap. Founder Jenny Young started Brooklyn Robot Foundry in 2011 after recognizing that “students were no longer getting an immersive engineering education” due to budget cuts and testing pressures.

The result is a program where kids aged 4-12 can:

• Build working robots they actually take home
• Develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills
• Make new friends through collaborative projects
• Explore STEAM concepts through play and experimentation
• Gain confidence through independent building

Ready to turn your child’s next day off into an adventure? Registration is ongoing for school holidays and half-days.

Because sometimes the best days off school are the ones where kids are too excited about learning to realize they’re not in a classroom. For more information about Foundry Fundays and Brooklyn Robot Foundry Philadelphia, visit their website or follow @brooklynrobotfoundryphilly on Instagram.

Brooklyn Robot Foundry supports the Main Line Parent Community. Collaborate with us.