Jr. DEEP Weekends

Weekend STEM program for elementary school students

Discover Jr. DEEP Weekends, a hands-on STEM weekend program designed for elementary school students. Students in Grades 3 to 8 explore exciting topics in science, technology, and engineering through fun, hands-on activities designed to spark curiosity and creativity. Inspired by the diverse disciplines within the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering, this program offers a unique opportunity to explore STEM in a university setting.

Registration Open

Space is limited, register soon!

DATES

Round 1
Jan. 25, Feb. 1, & Feb. 8, 2026

Round 2
Feb. 22, Mar. 1, & Mar. 8, 2026

WHEN

Sundays
1:00 PM - 4:00 PM

Where

U of T's
St. George Campus

Who

Grades
3–8

Course Fees

$240 per round
(3 Sundays)

Program Highlights

Jr. DEEP Weekends is a dynamic program designed to spark young minds' curiosity in the captivating worlds of science, technology, and engineering. Tailored specifically for this season, this program aims to offer an immersive and interactive learning experience for students in Grades 3 through 8. Each day will feature hands-on workshops, engaging activities, and unforgettable discoveries that will shape students' understanding of these fields in remarkable ways.

Each round of this program spans across three Sundays. Each Sunday, participants will engage in a hands-on workshop scaled and tailored to their respective grade level.

STEM-focussed Program

Exciting and engaging activities that explore various fields of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics).

2 Rounds of Courses

Students can register for Round 1, Round 2, or both rounds. Each round is full of interactive experiences designing, creating and building.

Mentorship Opportunities

Courses are taught by undergraduate students in STEM fields who are passionate about inspiring the next generation of scientists and engineers.

Supportive Environment

A collaborative and supportive learning environment where students are encouraged to ask questions, take risks, and think creatively.

Camaraderie

Students have the opportunity to make friends with other like-minded students while exploring exciting topics in engineering!

Dates & Registration Policies

Dates & Schedule

Eligibility

Registration Steps

Cancellations

Waitlists

Dates & Schedule

Dates

Round 1
Sundays
1:00 PM - 4:00 PM
January 25, February 1, & February 8, 2026

Round 2
Sundays
1:00 PM - 4:00 PM
February 22, March 1, & March 8, 2026

Students may take a course from one round or both rounds. Participation in Round 1 is not required before taking a course in Round 2.

Please note it is not possible to register for single days.

Eligibility

This program is offered to students in Grades 3-8 during the 2025/2026 academic year.

Classes are divided into Grade 3/4, Grade 5/6, and Grade 7/8.

Students who are in Grade 2 this year, going into Grade 3 next fall, will not be eligible for Jr. DEEP Weekends this year.

Engineering Experience

This program does not require previous experience with engineering or STEM programs.

Registration Steps

Click on the "Register" button on the top or bottom of this page.
When registration is open, all the available courses will appear on the registration page.
Add the courses to your cart by clicking "ADD TO CART" after each course you are interested in.
If a course is full, it will say "WAITING LIST ONLY." Add it to your cart to add yourself to the waitlist.
After adding all the courses you're interested in to your cart, hit "CONTINUE" at the top of the page.
On the next page, enter your email address to sign in or create an account.
Indicate which child should be registered for each session you have added to your cart.
Answer the registration questions and read and scroll through the waivers.
Complete your online signature and click "CONTINUE TO CART."
Double check all course information is correct, then enter payment information and click "Pay now."

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email - if you do not, please reach out to us.

Cancellations

Cancellation Policy

A refund, less a $40 administration fee, is available for cancellation requests received on or before 11:59 PM the following cancellation dates:

For Round 1 courses (Jan 25-Feb 8): Cancel by Sunday, January 18, 2026
For Round 2 courses (Feb 22-Mar 8): Cancel by Sunday, February 15, 2026

Any cancellations made after these days are not eligible for a refund.

Cancellations can be done through your online account, or by emailing us at outreach@engineering.utoronto.ca.

Waitlists

If a course you are interested in is listed as waitlisted on the registration page, it means all spots are currently full. If the course is full, add it to your cart and go through all the registration steps to join the waitlist.

If a spot opens up in the course and you are the next person on the waitlist, the system will automatically send you an email asking if you would like to register for the spot. At that point you can decide if you would like to register or be removed from the waitlist.

Please note that waitlist offers have a deadline. If your waitlist offer deadline passes and you have not responded to the offer, your waitlist offer will expire and the spot will be offered to the next person on the waitlist.

Questions about Jr. DEEP?

Fees

Course Fees

$240 per round (3 Sundays).

Please note it is not possible to register for single days.

Bursaries and Financial Aid

Our bursary program is currently on hold. If you are interested in hearing if bursaries become available in the future, please add your email to our Bursary Mailing List here.

Workshops

In Jr. DEEP Weekends, students are grouped by grade level and will have the opportunity to explore a series of three workshops tailored to their grade.

Winter 2026 classes will be offered in two rounds:

Round 1: January 25, February 1, February 8, 2026
Round 2: February 22, March 1, March 8, 2026

Students are welcome to take courses from both rounds if they like! Participation in Round 1 is not required before taking a course in Round 2.

Round 1 (January 25, February 1, February 8, 2026)

Grade 3/4 Workshops

Adventures in Light & Refraction

Tiny Engineers: Bridge Building

Little Scientists: Chemical Reactions!

Grade 5/6 Workshops

Mythical Creature Lab

Arcade STEM Challenge

Egg Drop Engineering

Grade 7/8 Workshops

Structural Forces & Motion Lab

Experiment with how real structures respond to forces like tension, compression, bending, and torsion. Build and test small-scale components to see how changes in geometry, reinforcement, and support affect strength and stability. Learn how engineers design buildings and bridges to remain safe in real-world conditions.

Disciplines: Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Materials Engineering

Sensors & Circuits Challenge

Design and build electronic circuits that can sense changes in light, pressure, or motion. Use your sensors to complete engineering challenges, such as triggering alarms, activating motors, or responding to environmental conditions. Discover how smart systems gather information from the world and use it to make decisions.

Disciplines: Electrical & Computer Engineering, Robotics & Mechatronics, Engineering Science

Water Filtration Engineering

Round 2 (February 22, March 1, March 8, 2026)

Grade 3/4 Workshops

Optical Illusion Makers

Eco Rovers

Magnetic Minerals

Grade 5/6 Workshops

Arduino Robots

Solar-Powered Speed Racers

Heartbeat Detectives: Build Your Own Stethoscope

Grade 7/8 Workshops

Balsa Wood Structural Challenge

Training AI: The Data-Driven Classifier

Train a simple AI model using labeled data to classify patterns such as shapes, images, or symbols. Test how data quality, quantity, and bias influence the model’s accuracy, and iterate to improve performance. Explore how engineers use data-driven systems to make predictions and automate decision-making.

Disciplines: Artificial Intelligence Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Engineering Science

Autonomous Rover Navigation

Build and program an autonomous rover equipped with sensors to navigate an obstacle course. Explore how movement algorithms, object detection, and decision-making systems work together as you develop logic for self-driving navigation. Test and refine your rover to handle increasingly complex challenges.

Disciplines: Robotics & Mechatronics, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering

Registration Open

Space is limited, register soon!

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