Families, children and young people are in luck this weekend as IF Oxford Science and Ideas Festival kicks off in style TOP 12: Our pick of ‘IF Oxford Science + Ideas Festival 2025’ from moth music to mankind, myths, mirth, maps, monsters and the moon! with a packed schedule which includes dozens of events and activities for curious young hands and minds, kicking off with Super Science Saturday. Here’s what’s on offer.
Explorazone, Saturday October 18, New Road Baptist Church, Bonn Square, 11am-5pm – an all-day interactive science fair for families, teens and adults in the heart of Oxford. A chance to see demonstrations of cutting-edge ideas in extraordinary ways, and try out dozens of interactive activities with some of the most inspiring scientists and friendliest inventors in town. Discover the diamonds in dad’s new car, the creepy critters that hoodwink your health and the hottest hydrogen around. Learn what a banana has to do with radioactivity, how to engineer buildings to survive an earthquake and much more. At 11am, Explorazone will be open just for adults and children and the families of those who are within the autistic spectrum or who other neurodiverse conditions, allowing them to explore and discuss science and ideas in a quieter and less crowded space. https://if-oxford.com/event/explorazone-2/
Myth Monster, Pegasus Theatre, October 18, 11am-12pm and 2.30pm – 3.30pm – a playful and uplifting performance-cum-headphone journey whisking families from Earth’s deep past to a future shaped by stories. As human history unfolds in a canary-yellow furry coat, asperformer Sophie Halstead celebrates the wonder and possibility of life with dance, music and a monster! https://if-oxford.com/event/myth-monster/
Monstrous Discoveries at Westgate Library, October 18, 10am & 2.30pm. In the morning Science Gecko Dr Rowena Fletcher-Wood encourages her young audience to become forensic scientists in an escape-room-style investigation. They’ll test clues, analyse bones and solve mysteries in a hands-on adventure, probing crystals with polarised light, measuring footprints, and testing for fluorescence. As more evidence is uncovered, what will these budding investigators uncover? Return in the afternoon to puzzle over the mystery of an escaped wild animal using your newly-developed CSI skills. For primary school age children (Pay What You Decide) https://if-oxford.com/event/a-monstrous-discovery-1/
Super Science Saturday, October 18, Science Oxford Centre, Headington, 10am-1pm and 2pm-5pm. A family day where children can explore and experiment with water, air, nature and the impossible, meet researchers and scientists and enjoy interactive performances including Sarah Bearchell’s: Amazing Air and a demonstration by science magician Richard Robinson’s 66 Impossible Things to See, Control mini robots in races, explore the properties of everyday and exotic materials used to generate star power or head out through the nature trails in local woodland. https://if-oxford.com/event/super-science-saturday/
Other events for the smallest scientists throughout the festival include a Lego Club at Oxford Westgate on Oct 20. Ever wondered what you can create with thousands of Lego pieces? Explore the Oxford Westgate Library Lego collection, perfect for makers aged 5 to 12 (with an adult) to encourage problem-solving and creativity. Bring your imagination and join the fun and discovery! https://if-oxford.com/event/lego-club-4/
Hack Your Planet on October 23, Westgate Library, in which participants travel to the future in an interactive sustainability game to shape tomorrow’s world. Or try immersive sustainability experience and meet Wendy Stone, Director of The Global Academy. Play the Sustainable Development Simulation Game to balance economy environment and society. Expect to be challenged energised and have lots of fun. Bring your curiosity and ideas! https://if-oxford.com/event/hack-your-planet/
IF Oxford Science and Ideas Festival continues over Half Term at IF Oxford’s newest location Zone One in Oxford North on Friday October 24. At Oxford’s newest red-roofed canalside quarter enjoy a programme that includes hands-on experiments and demonstrations, meet friendly experts offering mini-robot racing, a chance to follow the architectural process from blocks and sketches to the Oxford North’s master plan, stories of the stars, and AstroFun with time-travelling star explorers. Here too Creation Theatre Company will entertain visitors on a playful cosmic journey through the Solar System. https://if-oxford.com/event/zone-one/
Techworks, at Oxford Works, Oxford Business Park, Saturday October 25. This innovation science fair for families includes activities that take on the smallest, hottest, most detailed, and most carefully constructed science with microbial puzzles that explain the immune system in your gut and catapult ping-pong balls to show medical marvels. Here too enjoy the festival’s annual Robot Racing where engineering skill meets high-speed fun! https://if-oxford.com/event/techworks-2/
BLAST, Monday October 27 at The Barn in Blackbird Leys, another interactive science fair for families where opportunities include Seeing the Invisible as the universe as revealed by the James Webb Space Telescope‘s images from deep space. Back on Earth delve deep into the minutiae of dinosaur eggs, Samurai swords, aeroplane wings and spider silk. https://if-oxford.com/event/blast-2/
Other events for children during half term include Incredible Insects and The Great Big Bug Show at the Oxford University Museum of Natural History on Monday October 27. Which beetle has a blaster on its bottom? Which minibeast is barely the size of a full stop? Which eight-legged hunter has fangs as big as a cheetah’s claws? Join poet Simon Mole and musician Gecko for a family show full of poems, raps and songs all about your favourite creepy crawlies (and some you haven’t heard of yet!). Aged 4-11 years and their families. oumnh.ox.ac.uk/events-for-families-and-children
Join ‘The Magical Mr West’ on an incredible adventure into the world of science at Pegasus Theatre in Adventures in Science with The Magical Mr West and Crowbert. Aided by his corvid companion Crowbert and a collection of curious contraptions, Mr West demonstrates the fundamental principles of scientific enquiry, exploring everything from supersonic speediness to malicious misinformation. Expect skills, silliness and the studious application of logic. http://Adventures in science with Magical Mr West & Crow
IF Oxford Science and Ideas Festival runs from October 17 – Nov 2. For more information go to https://if-oxford.com/event/download-the-2025-programme/
