What’s Happening
What’s Happening
🖨️ UI/UX Layout & Information Design: Princeton ZineFest + iCode! 📖💻
Event: Special Event: Princeton ZineFest 2026 When: Saturday, June 20, 2026, 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM (Drop-in!) Where: Princeton Public Library – Community Room (65 Witherspoon St, Princeton, NJ) Event link: Princeton Library Events Who it’s for: All Ages Why we love it 💛 Self-publishing is the ultimate form of DIY maker culture! The Princeton Public Library is hosting the 3rd Annual "Princeton ZineFest," a massive celebration featuring over 40 local zine-makers, comic artists, and creatives. In addition to browsing the marketplace, there will be a dedicated space for attendees of all ages to drop in and create their own handmade publications. We absolutely love ZineFest because making a zine requires organizing information, text, and images onto a physical page in a way that is engaging and easy to read! How this event aligns with iCode Princeton 🌈⚙️ Designing a physical zine is the exact foundation of Front-End Web Development! Front-End Layout (HTML/CSS): When you fold a piece of paper and decide where the title goes and where the images sit, you are doing layout design! In our Web Development Tracks, we teach kids how to use HTML and CSS to build these exact same layouts digitally, organizing web pages…
🛠️ Sandbox Engineering & The Maker Mindset: Open Makerspace + iCode! 💡💻
Event: Thursday Open Makerspace When: Every Thursday at 3:30 PM (Drop-in!) Where: Plainsboro Public Library (9 Van Doren, Plainsboro, NJ) Event link: Plainsboro Library Makerspace Who it’s for: Makers of All Ages! Why we love it 💛 Unstructured time is where true innovation happens! Every Thursday afternoon, the Plainsboro Public Library opens the doors to its incredible Makerspace for a drop-in open lab. Each session features a different theme and a massive variety of hands-on supplies for building, crafting, and experimenting. We absolutely love open labs because giving kids the freedom to build and experiment without a strict instruction manual encourages self-guided problem-solving and highly organic creativity. How this event aligns with iCode Princeton 🌈⚙️ A makerspace is just the physical version of an open-world digital sandbox! Sandbox Environments: In video game design, a "Sandbox" is an open world where players are given tools to build anything they want without restrictions. In our Minecraft and Roblox Tracks, we teach students how to harness this exact open-ended logic! They learn how to use code to manipulate their environment, setting their own rules and building entirely custom digital worlds. The Maker Mindset & Hardware Prototyping: Tinkering with physical craft supplies is the…
📐 Structural Engineering & 3D Modeling: Origami Father’s Day Craft + iCode! 📄💻
Event: Kids Craft - Father's Day Card (Origami) When: Saturday, June 13, 2026, 10:30 AM – 11:30 AM (Registration opens May 23!) Where: Somerset County Library System – Montgomery Branch (Storytime Room) Event link: SCLSNJ Montgomery Events Who it’s for: Kids & Tweens (Entering Grades K–6) Why we love it 💛 Origami isn't just an art form, it is a study in geometry and structural engineering! The SCLSNJ Montgomery Branch is hosting a fantastic craft session just in time for Father's Day. Kids and tweens will learn how to take a flat piece of paper and use precise folding techniques to craft a dimensional, origami paper card. We absolutely love origami events because they teach young makers how to follow complex sequences and understand how mathematical folds can turn a 2D surface into a 3D structure! How this event aligns with iCode Princeton 🌈⚙️ Folding paper into a 3D shape uses the exact same logic as digital 3D rendering! 3D Geometry & Polygons: In video game design, 3D characters aren't solid blocks, they are actually hollow shapes made by "folding" thousands of flat digital triangles (polygons) together! In our Digital Arts and Unreal Engine Tracks, we teach older students how…
📐 Grid Systems & Wireframing: Art Academy + iCode! 🎨💻
Event: Art Academy - Ledger Art When: Monday, June 15, 2026, 5:15 PM – 6:00 PM (Check-in begins 15 mins prior!) Where: Somerset County Library System – Montgomery Branch (Storytime Room) Event link: SCLSNJ Montgomery Events Who it’s for: Kids entering Grades 1–6 Why we love it 💛 Art is one of the best ways to learn how to organize information visually! The SCLSNJ Montgomery Branch is hosting an incredible "Art Academy" session focused on Ledger Art—a historic narrative drawing style developed by Plains Indigenous peoples that was uniquely drawn across the lined, gridded pages of accounting ledger books. Elementary students will learn how to use visual symbols to tell a story on paper. We absolutely love this event because drawing over a strict background grid challenges kids to think about spatial organization and layout! How this event aligns with iCode Princeton 🌈⚙️ Drawing on gridded ledger paper is the analog version of digital wireframing! Grid Systems & Layouts: Ledger paper is filled with horizontal and vertical lines. In our Web Development Tracks, we teach kids how to use this exact same concept—called a "Grid System"—to structure their websites. They learn how to use invisible lines to align text, images,…
🧑🍳 Iterative Testing & Quality Assurance: Kids in the Kitchen + iCode! 🥞💻
Event: Kids in the Kitchen When: Monday, June 15, 2026, 4:30 PM – 5:15 PM (Registration opens May 25!) Where: Somerset County Library System – Warren Township Branch (Program Room) Event link: SCLSNJ Warren Township Events Who it’s for: Kids in Grades 1–5 Why we love it 💛 The best way to know if a recipe works is to taste it! The SCLSNJ Warren Township Branch is hosting a fantastic "Kids in the Kitchen" program for elementary students. Young makers will get hands-on experience measuring ingredients, following recipes, and putting a culinary creation together while socializing with their peers. We absolutely love cooking events because they allow kids to experiment, adjust their recipes on the fly, and literally taste the results of their hard work! How this event aligns with iCode Princeton 🌈⚙️ Adjusting a recipe based on how it tastes is exactly how software Quality Assurance (QA) works! Quality Assurance (QA) Testing: When a chef tastes a sauce and decides it needs more salt, they are doing QA Testing! In our Game Design and Python Tracks, we teach kids how to be their own QA testers. They learn how to run their code, look for bugs, and actively test…
👾 Early Logic & Visual Programming: Coding with Byte Budz + iCode! 🧩💻
Event: Kids: Coding with Byte Budz When: Thursday, May 21, 2026, 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM (Registration Required!) Where: Princeton Public Library – Myra & Van Williams Spark Lab (65 Witherspoon St, Princeton, NJ) Event link: Princeton Library Events Who it’s for: Kids in Grades 1–3 Why we love it 💛 Peer-to-peer mentoring is one of the absolute best ways for young kids to learn new technology! The Princeton Public Library is hosting a special block-coding session in their Spark Lab led by the teen coding group, Byte Budz. Early elementary students will be introduced to the fundamental concepts of computer science through interactive, highly visual lessons and activities. We absolutely love youth-led coding events because they show young learners exactly what they will be capable of building in just a few short years! How this event aligns with iCode Princeton 🌈⚙️ Visual block coding is the gateway to professional software development! Visual Block Coding: Before kids type complex syntax, they need to understand how logic flows. In our Scratch and STEAM Junior Tracks, we teach early learners how to use colorful, snap-together blocks of code to build their very first animations and interactive games. Algorithmic Thinking: Learning to code…
🧠 Biology, Systems Thinking, & Tech: YoungMedMinds Club + iCode! 🧬💻
Event: YoungMedMinds Club When: Wednesday, June 3, 2026, 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM (Drop-in!) Where: Somerset County Library System – Hillsborough Branch (Conference Room) Event link: SCLSNJ Hillsborough Events Who it’s for: Kids in Grades K–4 Why we love it 💛 There is no machine more complex or fascinating than the human body! The SCLSNJ Hillsborough Branch is hosting an incredible session of the "YoungMedMinds Club," led by local high school scholars. This interactive program takes complex medical topics and makes them fun, accessible, and hands-on for elementary students. Kids will learn about the basic anatomy of the brain, discover cool facts about the cardiovascular system, and participate in awesome experiments. We absolutely love youth-led STEM events because learning from older peers gives young kids the confidence to dive into advanced scientific subjects! How this event aligns with iCode Princeton 🌈⚙️ The human body operates exactly like a massive, interconnected software system! Systems Thinking: The cardiovascular system is a network designed to transport resources exactly where they need to go. In software engineering, this is exactly how database networks and servers operate! In our Python and Web Development Tracks, we teach older students how to build networks that transfer data…
🔍 Data Analysis & Pattern Recognition: Paleontology + iCode! 🦖💻
Event: Dinosaurs & Paleontology When: Saturday, June 13, 2026, 2:30 PM – 3:15 PM (Registration Opens May 23!) Where: Somerset County Library System – Peapack and Gladstone Branch Event link: SCLSNJ Peapack and Gladstone Events Who it’s for: All Ages (Kids, Teens, & Families) Why we love it 💛 Being a paleontologist requires an incredible eye for detail! The SCLSNJ Peapack and Gladstone Branch is hosting an amazing, hands-on paleontology event presented by Dinosaurs Rock. Attendees will get to explore museum-quality exhibits featuring towering fossils, but the best part is the real fossil excavation stations! Young explorers will dig for authentic shark teeth, dinosaur bones, and ancient ammonites. We absolutely love excavation events because they challenge kids to look closely at physical objects, identify unique traits, and practice real-world data classification! How this event aligns with iCode Princeton 🌈⚙️ Identifying a dinosaur from a single bone is the exact foundation of Machine Learning! Pattern Recognition & AI: How does a scientist know if a tooth belonged to a T-Rex or a shark? They use pattern recognition! In our Python and Data Science Tracks, we teach older students how Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning do the exact same thing. They learn…
🗺️ Grid Systems & Coordinate Mapping: Flag Day Craft + iCode! 📏💻
Event: Flag Day Craft When: Saturday, June 13, 2026, 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM (Drop-in!) Where: Somerset County Library System – Warren Township Branch (Program Room) Event link: SCLSNJ Warren Township Events Who it’s for: Kids Ages 4–10 (with parental supervision) Why we love it 💛 Creating something out of paper is the very first step in structural engineering! To celebrate Flag Day, the SCLSNJ Warren Township Branch is hosting a fun, drop-in crafting event specifically designed for younger children. Kids will get hands-on experience using different shapes and colors to build and prototype their own flags. We absolutely love introductory crafting events like this because they encourage early learners to practice their fine motor skills and understand basic spatial geometry! How this event aligns with iCode Princeton 🌈⚙️ A flag is just a physical piece of geometry! Shapes & Geometry: A flag is made up of rectangles, lines, and stars. In our Scratch and STEAM Junior Tracks, we teach kids how to use code to manipulate digital geometry, taking simple visual shapes and bringing them to life on a screen. Prototyping & Maker Logic: Taking flat paper, cutting it into shapes, and gluing it into a complete design is…
🦖 3D Modeling & Data Sorting: Dinosaur Discovery + iCode! 🦴💻
Event: Kids: Playtime Fun: Dinosaur Discovery When: Tuesday, May 26, 2026, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM (Drop-in!) Where: Princeton Public Library – Story Room (65 Witherspoon St, Princeton, NJ) Event link: Princeton Library Events Who it’s for: Young Children (Ages 18 months+) and Caregivers Why we love it 💛 Paleontology is the ultimate exercise in reverse-engineering! The Princeton Public Library is hosting a drop-in "Dinosaur Discovery" playtime session where young children and their caregivers can explore the prehistoric world through hands-on play. We absolutely love dinosaur events because they introduce kids to the concept of taking small pieces of information (like fossils) and using them to reconstruct a massive, complex picture of the past! How this event aligns with iCode Princeton 🌈⚙️ Reconstructing a dinosaur is just like rendering a 3D digital model! 3D Modeling & Spatial Design: When scientists find a fossil, they have to imagine how it fit into a 3D skeleton. In our Minecraft and Roblox Tracks, we teach kids this exact same spatial reasoning! They learn how to construct massive 3D structures and characters block-by-block and polygon-by-polygon. Data Organization: Paleontology requires intense categorization—sorting dinosaurs by carnivore, herbivore, era, and size. In our Python and Scratch Tracks,…
