Youth Programming at Norwescon 40 is Out of this World!
Wizard dueling, kookie klatches, and mermaid encounters are just a few examples of what we have planned for fen of all ages this year. The schedule is chock-full Thursday through Sunday with activities for youth and their families including arts and crafts, writing workshops, story time, sensory and quiet time, science, costuming, and more. Questions? Email programming@norwescon.org.
Jump to: Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday
THURSDAY
Art and Craft Open Time
Drop by for crafts and activities for our younger members!
Newest Fen Social
Drop-in for a meet and greet of your fellow youngest fen and their caregivers from newborn to two. Toys and gear available for socializing and quiet and gentle play.
Sensory Open Time
Sensory-friendly items and activities only for our neurodivergent members and their caregivers to drop-in to a safe space to slow down, stim, or just be themselves.
Story Time for Kids
Come to hear a story and then create a one-of-a-kind item to take home with you.
Traveling Back in Time with Kate Ristau
What would happen if you traveled back in time? When you returned, what story would you tell? As a group, we’ll develop our own time travel stories and share them through drawing, reading, and writing. Bring your pen, your paper, and your imagination! Ages 4-8. Space is limited. To sign up, email workshops@norwescon.org with the title of the workshop in the subject line.
FRIDAY
All Ages Gaming
Art and Craft Open Time
Drop by for crafts and activities for our young members.
Ask a Fae
Do you have a question that only the Fae can answer? Or maybe you just want to know what fairies wear to the Fairy Queen’s Ball? Our Fairy Writers will be on hand to dictate your message to the Fae with their magickal tools. A genuine letter from a Fae is guaranteed to be available for pickup on Sunday morning!
Build Your Own Journal
Learn to use scrap paper, magazines, photos and more to make your own journal for capturing your thoughts, story ideas, and all the memorable events of life. Brought to you by Swords for Scribes.
Dress Up intro to RPG
Come dressed up as your favorite hero or come build a character with some costumes on hand so that together we can an adventure together!
Escaping the Cage: Write a Short Story in an Hour with Patrick Swenson
This hands-on workshop leads you through a timed and moderated one-hour freewrite. At the conclusion, you’l’l have a rough draft (or at least the bare bones) of a short story. Bring your writing notebook, tablet, or laptop, prepared to write nearly the full hour. Ages 13+. Space is limited. To sign up, email workshops@norwescon.org with the title of the workshop in the subject line.
Fandom on an Allowance
Or: I Spend All My Money at Hot Topic. Listen to tween and teen panelists and adults who have been there discussing the struggles of budgeting for gear when you don’t have a car or job.
Fin-tastical Story Time
Bring your guppies for some Fintastically magical stories, and possibly songs and games.
I am a Teenage Geek
Sometimes parents just don’t understand. What is it like to be a geeky teenager in the 21st century? Come join some actual teenagers to discuss what is cool today and what you need to be playing, watching, reading and what your pop culture future looks like.
Introduction to Literary Analysis for Young Adults
An introductory workshop to literary analysis using Science Fiction and Fantasy classics, specifically for a Young Fen and Young Adult audience.
Kookie Klatch with Lisa Mantchev
Join Author Lisa Mantchev for a reading of her book Strictly No Elephants, and an interview from our Youth Pros, plus there will be no elephant related questions or activities from our young audience.
Making Plastic From Milk
Did you know milk can be made into plastic? Come to learn how and make your own small figure or tag from cow’s milk!
Model Rocket Construction Workshop (kids and parents)
Learn the basics of model rocket construction and build a rocket of your very own to fly! Materials supplied.
Picture Book Basics for Aspiring Authors with Lisa Mantchev
Put your pointy thinking caps on and learn the steps to plotting, pacing, and formatting a 32-page picture book with the award-winning author of STRICTLY NO ELEPHANTS. Ages 8+. Space is limited. To sign up, email workshops@norwescon.org with the title of the workshop in the subject line.
Sensory Open Time
Sensory-friendly items and activities only for our neurodivergent members and their caregivers to drop-in to a safe space to slow down, stim, or just be themselves.
Story Time for Preschoolers
Join us for stories and activities for our preschool-aged fen (3-5 yrs) (younger siblings welcome).
Swords and Storytelling
What’s the difference between a rapier and a longsword? Would your Viking warrior use a dagger? How do you hold a fighting cane? Come get a hands-on look at some favorite weapons from books and movies, learn how they’re used and who would use them, and do some storytelling from prompts. Brought to you by Swords for Scribes.
Wizard Dueling
Bring your newly decorated training wand and learn to use it to defeat your opponents (extra wands will be available if you didn’t make it to Wands for Wizards at 12:30 p.m.). Open to wizards of any and all genders. Brought to you by Swords for Scribes.
Wands for Wizards
Come decorate your own training wand and get ready for Wizard Dueling at 1:30 p.m.! Open to wizards of any and all genders. Brought to you by Swords for Scribes.
Youth Art & Craft Contest
Submit your craft, costume, story, or art on the theme Over The Hills and Far Away by Friday morning. Submissions will be judged in categories of type of submission and by age categories (Newest Fen 0-2, PreFen 3-5, Kid Fen 6-8, Young Fen 9-12). Items will be on display until Sunday, when awards will be given and submissions will be returned to their creators.
SATURDAY
All Ages Gaming
A Writer’s Toolbox for Description with Brenda Cooper
Science Fiction and Fantasy are all about world building. One aspect of world-building is setting. In this workshop, we’ll hone skills around describing setting both by exploring how bestselling writers use setting and by completing some simple writing exercises in class. Come be creative! Ages 13+. Space is limited. To sign up, email workshops@norwescon.org with the title of the workshop in the subject line.
Art & Craft Open Time
Drop by for crafts and activities for our young members.
Baby Lounge and Quiet Hour
Need a quiet place where you can release your babies from confinement and let them socialize while you relax? Drop in for an hour and let your little ones roam free in the room.
Children’s Masquerade Pre-Meeting
If you have a little one that wishes to enter the Children’s Masquerade, please come to this panel where you will get your little one signed up and lead you all down to the masquerade when the time is right. Children go on first to accommodate their early bed times.
Comics for Younger Readers
Ms. Marvel, Princeless, the Unbeatable Squirrel Girl, and others are specifically seeking to engage younger readers, in particular younger female readers. What comics do our panelists recommend for your teen and pre-teen readers?
Comic RPG Smackdown
Bring your favorite comic characters in mind, and our crack team of comic know-it-alls will develop stats for them to battle it out in RPG Comics Smackdown To End All Smackdowns!
Fantastic Foldies for the Comic Creator or Zine-ster In All of Us with Liz Argal
All you need is a piece of paper and a pencil and you can make an unfolding mini-comic that doesn’t need staples, has hidden surprises and gets your story out into the world fast. Once you’ve created your original foldies are one of the fastest and cheapest zines to get out in the world as all you need is one page B&W double sided printing. This workshop is suitable for anyone who wants to play around with visual storytelling, from people who aren’t sure how to draw stick figures, writers who want to collaborate better with artists, to visual artists looking for a different way to play with the form. Some art supplies will be provided, but participants are encouraged to bring pencils, pens, or erasers. Presented by Cascade Writers. Ages 13+. Space is limited. To sign up, email workshops@norwescon.org with the title of the workshop in the subject line.
Jet Propulsion
Do you love things that are fast? Do you love to go? Come learn about the science of propulsion and build some model jets, experiment with jet propulsion, and meet our friend Jet Propulsion from the PBS Kids’ Ready, Jet, Go! Jet’s appearance courtesy of KBTC Public Television.
Kookie Klatch with Bridget Landry
Our Youth Pros will interview Bridget Landry, chemist and planetary scientist, on her work in STEM, followed by an open discussion and questions from our young audience.
Kookie Klatch with Cat Rambo
Interview with Cat Rambo, writer and editor, current president of the Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America by our Youth Pros, followed by a short reading and an open discussion and questions from our young audience.
Kookie Klatch with Tina Connolly
Chat with author and podcaster Tina Connolly and our Youth Pros about her work, followed by a short reading and an open discussion from our young audience.
Kids’ Masquerade Costume Parade Workshop
Our fantastic costume pros will help families prepare for the Kids’ Masquerade Parade using the items you bring, and the accessories and bling we have on hand to create a one-of-a-kind Kids’ Masquerade costume!
Making Up Stories – And Making Them Better with Nancy Kress
In this workshop, kids will begin to write a story, and every few paragraphs we will learn how to make it better by writing good description, using strong verbs, adding characters’ thoughts, and thinking up exciting things to happen in the story. Worksheets will be provided. Ages 8-11. Space is limited. To sign up, email workshops@norwescon.org with the title of the workshop in the subject line.
Masquerade
Join us at the pinnacle event for Saturday evening, the Norwescon 38 Masquerade. Come and watch our fabulous contestants perform for your entertainment. Will your favorites match the judges? Whether they do or not, we know the show will blow you away. So come and join us as the doors open at 7:00pm and we begin with the Children’s Masquerade followed by the Masquerade and Cascadia’s Got Talent for the halftime show.
Monster Mash for the Budding Bioengineer
Every budding mad scientist needs to start somewhere… and this is where! We will take cute fluffy stuffed animals and hack them into pieces only to reassemble them into marvelous monsters and creative chimera! Please bear in mind that to attend this workshop, one must be capable handling scissors and needles safely and if you cannot personally sew together your monster’s various bit and pieces you must bring a minion (aka “parent”) to do the dirty work for you! The only skills required are rudimentary sewing skills (plush is very forgiving) and a sick sense of humor. There will be a $5 materials fee per participant to cover the cost of DNA splitters, splicers, and experimental specimens. WARNING! Only adults serving as minions will be allowed to attend!
Pirate Training
What does it really take to be a pirate? Learn basic exercises and activities needed to make it as a pirate on the high seas. Open to pirates of any and all genders. Brought to you by Swords for Scribes.
Robot Warm-Down
Ever get wound up and have a hard time getting ready for bed? Are you overclocked and your wires crossed? Come join your fellow Robots in for a cool-off and wind-down at the end of a busy day.
Saturday Morning Cartoons with Ready Jet Go!
Saturday Morning Cartoons and Coloring in Your Jammies – Ease into Saturday with PBS Kids! We’ll have cartoons to watch and character coloring sheets available, followed by a visit and photo opportunity from Jet Propulsion from Ready, Jet, Go! Courtesy of KBTC Public Television.
Sensory Open Time
Sensory-friendly items and activities only for our neurodivergent members and their caregivers to drop-in to a safe space to slow down, stim, or just be themselves.
Story Time for our Youngest Fen
Story time and activities just for our youngest fen. Ages 0-2 (older siblings welcome).
Stories Under the Sea
Bring your guppies for some Fintastically magical stories, and possibly songs and games.
SUNDAY
All Ages Gaming
Easter Egg Hunt – Newest Fen (2 & Under)
Baby and toddler-friendly filled eggs will be placed around for our youngest fen and their helpers to find. Sign-up sheet for participation of children ages Newborn to 2 will be available in Olympic 1 until Saturday Evening to guarantee space and supplies.
Easter Egg Hunt Pre-Fen (3-5)
Preschooler-appropriate candy and toy filled eggs will be hidden in for kids ages three to five to find with their caregivers. Sign-up sheet for participation will be available in Olympic 1 until Saturday Evening to guarantee space and supplies.
Easter Egg Hunt Kid Fen (6-8)
Eggs filled with candy and surprises will be hidden for our bigger kids to find. Sign-up sheet for participation will be available in Olympic 1 until Saturday Evening to guarantee space and supplies.
Easter Egg Mystery Hunt for Young Fen (9-12)
Each youth who signs up will be given a clue that will lead your team to a clutch of eggs that hidden somewhere in the con space. Sign-up sheet for participation will be available in Olympic 1 until Saturday Evening. Clues will be distributed at the time of the hunt.
How I Fen
Come chat with young fen and adults who work with them about how fandoms are built by youth, and how youth can build the future of our fandoms. How do their fandoms inform their creative activities? What do they make? How can we help them do more? What can parents learn from their young fen, and how can we build a better world together?
Story Time for Families (Dragons Love Tacos)
Secret Messages
Ever wanted to know how to write secret messages? Come to learn the science behind writing secret codes and make one of your own!
Sensory Friendly Open Time
Sensory-friendly items and activities only for our neurodivergent members and their caregivers to drop-in to a safe space to slow down, stim, or just be themselves.
Tech Careers for Young Fen
There is an opportunity for people who are thinking about their personal Future, and what careers they might follow that let them embrace their inner nerd and still lets them buy a house and nice toys. We don’t have all the answers, but we perhaps have some useful questions.
Dinosaur Romp
Come on down to learn about our prehistoric dinosaur friends, learn a dino dance, and roar some dino roars!