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December Home Education Day

Special ticketed event
Especially for home educated children
Friday 4 December 2026, 10:00am - 5:00pm
Father and daughter in home education workshop and mother and daughter on ice rink at Newcastle's Life Science Centre.

Home Education Days give home educated children the chance to take part in curriculum-linked workshops inspired by current STEM themes. Sessions are led in fully equipped labs or Making Studios, offering hands-on experiences that simply can’t be replicated at home.

On these days, the centre is closed to school groups but still open to the general public, so while it’s generally quieter, you may see families with pre-school children enjoying the exhibits.

Families can book a workshop and combine it with time in the science centre, or choose a centre-only visit. To make things easier for those who prefer a slower start, workshops run to a different timetable than on school days. When not in a workshop, families can explore the centre at their own pace without following a ‘school-style’ schedule.

Families can also enjoy a skate on our ice rink as an end of day treat following a workshop. You can purchase these tickets on the day of your visit at reception or online.

The theme of December’s workshops is Winter Lights. Keep scrolling for further details… 

Terms and conditions

Enjoy a fantastic day of learning with other home educators.

Ticket prices

Combined workshop and science centre visit £12.50
Under 11s must be accompanied by a parent in workshops. One adult comes free with every paying workshop attendee. If there are more adults coming along, additional tickets can be purchased for £13.60 each.
All workshops cost £12.50 per child and include a science centre visit. Sorry, but no membership discounts apply. Children not attending workshops pay normal science centre admission prices.
Unfortunately, we cannot accommodate children younger than 4 in our workshops for health and safety reasons.
Children who are participating in the 11+ workshops can attend unaccompanied, however parents/carers must stay in the centre and provide contact information so that they can be reached if necessary.
Book all five Home Education Days across the academic year for a block-booking price of £50.00 – that’s five workshops for the price of four. To secure your child’s place for the full programme, call 0191 243 8223 between Monday and Friday, 9:00am – 5:00pm.

December workshops

Female student looking amazed at scientific demonstration during a Life Science Centre workshop.

Shine

Recommended ages: 5-7 (minimum age 4)
Curriculum link: Working Scientifically, Light

 

How can we use the properties of light to create a shining decoration?


In this hands-on workshop, home educated children will investigate the properties of light using scientific equipment before putting what they’ve discovered into practice to create a shining decoration to take home.

 

Buy tickets >

Little boy taking part in electrical schools' workshop.

Lighting up the Dark

Recommended ages: 7-11 (minimum age 7)
Curriculum link: Working Scientifically, Electricity

 

How can we use electricity to make lights shine as brightly as possible?


In this hands-on workshop, home educated children will build and test series and parallel circuits, investigate how different bulbs affect brightness, and use their new skills to make an LED torch to take home.

 

Buy tickets >

Teenagers in science workshop wearing lab coats and safety goggles.

Let it Glow

Recommended ages: 11+ (minimum age 11)
Curriculum link: Working scientifically, Changes of State, Rock Cycle

 

How can we use chemical reactions to create a glow?


In this hands-on workshop, home educated children will carry out a series of chemical reactions to investigate how different reactions create a glowing end product. Safety glasses must be worn throughout the session and will be provided.

 

 

Buy tickets >

Getting here

Life is located in Times Square, just a two minute walk from Newcastle Central train and Metro station.

Driving? Times Square Car Park is just around the corner. The sat nav reference for the car park is NE1 4AD (opposite Leonardo Hotel – formerly Jurys Inn). Look out for Centre for Life and/or Times Square Car Park signage to direct you.

Life Science Centre, Times Square, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 4EP