Open every weekend for timed-entry sessions!
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Family Science Night is celebrating its ninth year and remains the most popular and requested community outreach program. Whether in-school or virtual, the Family Science Night brings the school community together for family-learning that encourages children to continue pursuing STEM subjects through higher academic levels. This will continue during the 2021-22 school year while also maintaining a safe environment, following CDC guidelines and understanding schools' requirements. Due to the high demand for this program, schools are selected through a lottery.
Applications for 2021-22 school year will be released in Spring, 2021. If you have any questions, please email us.
Programs like Family Science Night are made possible with generous support of our Premier Sponsor:
And the help of our Program Partners:
100 Womens Strong, Aramco, Cox Charities, Micron Technology, Tegna
The Children’s Science Center’s Family Science Night Program offers interactive and engaging activities designed to excite students and their families about STEM. Family Science Night combines science learning and family bonding within the school community. Family Science Night is celebrating its eleventh year and remains the most popular and requested community outreach program today!
The Family Science Night program for the 2026–27 school year will be offered on Tuesdays and Thursdays from September through December only. Applications are open to Title I schools that are able to host a Family Science Night during that timeframe. Funding for the 2026–27 school year is restricted to supporting Title I schools, which is why eligibility is limited this year. The program will pause in the spring semester as our team focuses on planning and preparing for the opening of the new Northern Virginia Science Center in 2027.
If you are interested in applying or would like more information, please read through to the bottom of the page to learn more and email us. Once selected, the school must return a signed Family Science Night agreement confirming compliance with all school obligations.
The Children’s Science Center Lab has mastered the traditional in-person Family Science Night program which involves volunteer management, advertising, and transporting STEM activities to your school. This 90-minute event takes place in the school gym or cafeteria where we set up 12 hands-on activities for students and their families to move freely between at their leisure. Activities are most appropriate for families and children in grades K-6. Children’s Science Center Lab is making STEM tangible and exciting for our students, which will better prepare them for the workforce of the future.
Family Science Night accommodates up to 350 people although the room size will determine the largest attendance possible for any given school.
The application for the 2026-27 school year opens on February 19, 2026 and will close on March 27, 2026.
If you have any questions about the application or the Family Science Night program, please email us at FSN@childsci.org.
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Northern Virginia Science Center Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that operates the Children's Science Center Lab at Fair Oaks Mall and STEM programs traveling to schools and other community venues across the region. The Foundation is also developing the Northern Virginia Science Center in Dulles, VA, a world-class, interactive regional science center for families, students and learners of all ages made possible through a pivotal public-private partnership. Learn more about our mission today at childsci.org and our vision for the future at novasci.org.
