The IF Oxford Science & Ideas Festival is back - and this year (like many other things) it is online from 1-31 October - and anyone around the world can join in. There are over 100 events to participate in, aimed at families and adults alike. 

You can join in from home and book using the Pay What You Decide (PWYD) ticketing option so you can choose to pay whatever you want, or can afford. You can make your donation during booking or after the event and the amount you pay is up to you.

Here is a sample of the activities on offer for children and families:

Explorazone Digital

17 October 8:00 am - 9:00pm (BST): Under 7, 7 - 12 yrs, Teenage, Adult - Explorazone will be open from 8am to 9pm and you can drop in whenever you want throughout the day. All activities are then available on-demand for 30 days. To plan your visit, view the full list of demonstrations and activities (PDF).

Make an origami flapping bird

3 October 5:00 pm (BST) : Under 7, 7 - 12 yrs, Teenage, Adult - Discover the astonishing possibilities of paper-folding through the art and engineering of Origami - and learn to make your own flapping bird.

The digital playground

Saturday 10 – Sunday 18 October: Under 7, 7 - 12 yrs - Dancin’ Oxford’s Family Dance Week brings you a whole heap of exciting and entertaining digital workshops and activities. 

Around the world in stories (5 sessions)

26 October - 30 October 10:00am (BST) : Under 7, 7 - 12 yrs - Join storyteller Sarah Law every weekday during half term as she takes you on a story-filled virtual trip around the world. This event is open to all but the stories are best suited to children of 5 – 9 years.

Make your own pinhole camera

30 October 2:00 pm (BST): 7 - 12 yrs - In this online session with the History of Science Museum (HSM), you will be shown how to build your own pin-hole camera and how to adapt it into a camera obscura, and find out how the camera obscura led to the invention of photography.

Glow your own: coding workshop (series of 6)

13, 20, 27 October & 3, 10, 17 November 5:00pm (BST): Teenage, Adult - In this series of workshops, you’ll make a circuit with multi-coloured lights and learn how to control those lights using computer code. Create a wearable design, a paper lantern or illuminate your bike or home to bring together art and engineering. (Note: you’ll need a laptop and an Arduino starter kit to participate in this series of events.)

The festival is not just for children - there are many events aimed at adults including a foodie selection: The art and science of coffee, The surprising science of chocolate and The science of gin tasting.