Play-testing a VR horror game the QRL team created during a 48-hour game development competition.
For the last five-plus years, a group of young, inquisitive minds have assembled in Whangārei to expand and challenge their curiosity.
Along with their inquisition, the group snowballed to over 60 and what began as a Coding Club evolved to a Technohackers Club before settling as the Questionable Research Labs (QRL) on the ground floor of Manaia House.
And the organisers expect to be even busier over the next two weeks as school holidays will see an influx of youngsters.
Organiser Kevin Waugh describes QRL as an idea incubator where kids can feel comfortable.
"It's a space for the geek, the maker and the breaker in us all. It's where kids can be curious and try out different ideas. We play with all things related to science, design and engineering."
Waugh, who describes himself as a "science geek", started the club when his own children were looking for an outlet for their interests in computers and "It has been a slowly mutating format since then".
The club's active members, aged 9 to 17, attend five after-school groups and two evening groups for teens. There are also adult and teen weekend day and multi-day events. Classes include the Girls Lab, Science and Tech, Robotics and Coding Groups, as well as the teen Questionable Projects and the Older Girls Lab groups.
Projects range from simple to very complex and members "figure it out on the way. The weirder the better, as long as it is fun".
The Girls Lab, for example, explores "anything geekie and tech", including game development, graphic design, music-making, video-making, coding or even wildly creative mechanical projects. Every term has a different topic chosen by popular vote.
Waugh believes making experimentation fun and pushing boundaries is how young people learn best. He enjoys seeing the light switch on when they work on ideas.
"Our experiments combine art, design, science and engineering. Technology is the intersection point for all of those interests. We're always playing with ideas and there are many that have the potential to become a real thing, which could earn money."
Members also participate in national and international competitions. Last year, a group of teens competed against university students and professional developers, taking out both first and second place achievements.
Former members have continued to university and studied diverse subjects such as astrophysics, computer science, medical science, engineering and media studies.
"It is always interesting to see what they go on to do with their lives," said Waugh, whose oldest son is at university undergoing a computer science/psychology double major while working for the university developing software. His younger son is one of the active members.
The school holidays are a busy time for the club where young people hang out at the meeting rooms and collaborate on projects. People drop in over the course of the day and catch up with each other in an informal way.
Activities include both digital and non-digital and board games, nerf fights, projects and fix/break/recycle/dismantle day, with lunch included in the price.
For further information, go to: www.questionable.org.nz
July School Holidays
Active Attitude Holiday Programme
July 12-23
8:30am-3pm
Ages 5-13
$35 per day
Different themes each day, physical play, games and crafts.
09 945 4876
admin@activeattitude.co.nz
www.activeattitude.co.nz
Boost – Tania Dalton Foundation
July 12-July 14
9am to 2:30pm
Year 7 and 8 girls only
Free
Sports and physical activities.
anthyde@taniadaltonfoundation.org.nz
Kidzones Holiday Programmes
Kidzones operated from Kamo, Whau Valley and Tikipunga Primary Schools
July 12-July 23
7:45am-5:30pm
From $40 per day
Movies, 10-pin bowling and themed fun days.
Sandra North 021 249 3308
sandra@kidzones.co.nz
www.kidzones.co.nz
Kiwi North – School Holiday Activities
Open all school holidays
10am-4pm
All ages
Train rides, treasure hunts, paper model making, tuatara encounters, planting and plant giveaways.
admin@kiwinorth.co.nz
Maunu Educare
Monday July 19-23
8am-5:30pm
Ages 5-13
$39 to $42 per day – discount for siblings
Movies, 10-pin bowling, bumper balls, skating, mystery afternoon and pamper day.
Christin: 027 482 1331
Educare: 021 946 019
www.schoolholidayprogrammes.co.nz
Northland Hip Hop Dance
July 12-23
9am-1pm
5-14
Free
Hip hop dance, arts and crafts, outings and sports.
Annalise: info@hardcoredance.co.nz
Northland Hockey Holiday Programme
July 20-22
8:45am-3pm
Ages 8-12
Multi-sports.
09 437 3830
participation@northlandhockey.org.nz
Quarry Arts Centre School Holiday Programme
July 12-23
9:30am-12pm
1pm-3:30pm
9am-4pm
Ages 5-15
$15 per child per class (all materials included) or $50 for full-day supervised session
Clay, painting, mixed media.
09 438 1215
workshops@quarryarts.org
quarryarts.org/kids/shp/
Safe Outdoors Nature's Cool Holiday Programme
July 13-15
July 20-22
8:30am-3:30pm
Ages 5-plus
$50pp per day
Fire lighting, cooking, hut building, clay and art creations, tree climbing, whittling, free-play, nature exploration.
Luke 022 027 1605
Hilary 021 0232 8428
safeoutdoorsnz@gmail.com
www.safeoutdoors.co.nz
Sistema Whangārei Toi Akorangi
July 19-22
9am-11am
Ages 6-plus
Group music making, singing, dancing and performing.
09 430 7436
sistemawhangareioffice@gmail.com
www.sistemawhangarei.org.nz/programme-dates-and-times-enrol
Table Tennis Northland
July 12-23
Times vary between 8am-4:30pm
Ages 5-18
Free
Naina Suri: 022 538 2035
ttsportsnorth97@gmail.com
Te Ora Hou Northland
July 13-15, 10am-2pm – come and go as they please
Ages 12-24
Free
Games, activities and food.
Basketball slam dunk competition, board and console games, tournaments, arts and crafts: jewellery making, scrap booking, rock and wood painting, cupcake and biscuit decorating, chill space and music.
Tutukaka Surf, Learn to Surf Holiday Programme
July 12-23
9:30am-12pm
School ages
$35 per day or $150 a week
Surf technique basics, water safety, wave rips, currents and surf etiquette.
027 306 7047
surf@tutukakasurf.co.nz
www.tutukakasurf.co.nz
Whangārei Academy of Gymnastics School Holiday Programme
July 12-23
8:30am-4:30pm
Ages 5-14
$42.50 full day or $27.00 half day – discount for siblings
Gym skills, arts and crafts, games and circuits.
09 437 6667
office@wags.org.nz
Facebook: Whangārei Academy of Gymnastics
Whangārei After School Care
July 12-23
7:30am-5:30pm
$60 full day
Crafts, nerf gun war, treasure hunts.
Lyn Rapana 027 338 4634
rapana7@xtra.co.nz
Youthtown Holiday Programme
July 12-23
8:15am-6pm
Ages 5-14
$45 full day or $30 chool day
Creative arts, science, tech, sports and outdoor activities.
0800 004 566
info@youthtown.org.nz
www.youthtown.org.nz
Whangārei Aquatic Centre Chill Out Holiday Programme
July 12-23
9am-3pm
Glow party, movie madness, Flip Out, Roller Disco, swimming and more.
www.chillout.clmnz.co.nz
Far North
Caro's Crazy Critters
Mobile farm and ponies.
One-hour beginner lessons or three and six-hour drop-off. Includes care of pony and gear, learning to saddle up etc.
Umawera (16km from Okaihau)
Email: caroscrazycritters@gmail.com
Fishing Adventure
Half-day snapper charter or two shared kingfish charter spots and kids for free.
July 10-25. Maximum four persons. Four-six hour duration departing 7am weather- permitting.
Email info@bigfishbayofislands.co.nz
www.bigfishbayofislands.co.nz to book online.
Kaikohe OSCAR Programme
Kaikohe Christian School
7.30am-5.30pm.
Ages 5-14
Class activities and sporting activities.
Call Gail on 027 258 2244 or search Kaikohe Oscar Blogspot.
Dargaville
CornerStone Dargaville Holiday Programme
July 12-23
Ages 5-13
Games, library and farm visits, arts and crafts, duathlon, bake-off, Flip Out, mountain biking.
www.cornerstonechildren.co.nz
• Some of these programmes are free, and many are registered with OSCAR and WINZ and may be subsidised.
Initial construction work on the next section is set to begin by the end of next year.