The Lab Toowoomba and Highfields

01/06/2026

🤖🎮 NEW LAB CHALLENGE: Code Your Own Fidget! 🎈✨

This week we're combining making, creativity, coding, and trading games into one fun project!
✅ Make your own squishy fidget
✅ Code a virtual version in Scratch or MakeCode
✅ Collect, trade and upgrade your digital fidgets

Kids can create their own collection, trade for better fidgets

Perfect for creators who love:
🎮 Games
💻 Coding
🎨 Design

At The Lab, we love projects that start in the real world and continue into the digital world. Build it, personalise it, then bring it to life through code pronciples.

06/05/2026

‼️ NEW‼️The Lab Highfields 🎮🕹

Tech • Games • Fun

The Lab Tech community are excited to be launching a new Lab session at Highfields. A relaxed, welcoming space for young people to connect, create and have fun.

In weekly sessions during term time, our experienced mentors support young autistic gamers to build social, technical and vocational skills through shared interests and activities.

Designed as a low-pressure, supportive environment, our sessions are:
✔ low-demand
✔ participant-led
✔ focused on connection, confidence, friendships and community

Our sessions include:
🎮 Social gaming
💻 Coding & programming
🧩 Lego & creative builds
🎨 Digital design

🧠 Target ages: 8–14 (current participants 9–13)

📍 Highfields Library
🕒 Mondays 3:15pm – 4:45pm
📅 Starting 18th May 2026

Group size is capped at 5 initially, with the option to expand as the group builds and relationships form.

To register:
https://thelab.org.au/join-a-lab/⁠
For more information, feel free to message or visit:
https://thelab.org.au/

06/05/2026

💻☕ CODE + CREATE: MOTHER’S DAY MUGS 💐

This week at The Lab, we’re mixing creativity + coding + making to create something truly special 💙

Instead of just decorating a mug…
our gamers will design, code and build their own custom mug for Mum.

✨ Write a message
✨ Create a pattern (their “code”)
✨ Design it in Cricut
✨ Cut & apply permanent vinyl

Every mug is completely unique — and made with real thought and intention.
It’s not just a gift… it’s something they’ve designed and built themselves.

🧠 What they’re learning (without even realising):
✔️ Pattern logic + sequencing
✔️ Creative design thinking
✔️ Hands-on making skills

22/04/2026

Do know there’s a story behind Anzac biscuits? 🇦🇺❤️

Anzac biscuits date back to World War I, when families in Australia and New Zealand wanted to send something homemade to soldiers fighting overseas.

Because fresh food wouldn’t survive the long journey by ship, they created a biscuit made from simple pantry ingredients: oats, flour, sugar, coconut and golden syrup that would last for weeks without spoiling.

These biscuits became a small but powerful way to show care, connection and support from home 💛

Today, Anzac biscuits are more than just a treat, they’re part of our history and a way to remember the resilience, courage and community spirit of that time.

At The Lab, we’ve turned this classic recipe into something a little different…

✨ Coding + baking = learning in action!

Our kids are: 👩‍💻 Turning recipes into algorithms
🔁 Using loops to cook in batches
🧠 Debugging “broken” recipes
🍪 And (of course) enjoying the results

Because learning should be hands-on, creative, and a little bit delicious.

31/03/2026

27/01/2026

Hot days. Cool ideas.

The Lab is back tomorrow and we’re starting 2026 with coding your own snow cones, big screen games and so much more 🍧🎮✨

We can't wait to see you all!

22/01/2026

We’re welcoming new families to The Lab this year 💙

A child-led tech community for autistic gamers and their families in Toowoomba, built around interests, flexibility and connection. Message us or visit our website to find out more.

10/12/2025

I was so honoured as we celebrated The Lab with trophies, awards, and a huge showcase of all the incredible things our Lab kids have created this year. Minecraft builds and add-ons, Geometry Dash skills, PS5 gaming, board game creation, graphic designs, and dancing! Watching their skills, confidence, and connections grow makes us all so proud. 🎮💻🎨💃

Huge thanks to our amazing mentor Bonnie, East Creek Community Centre for having us, Domino’s for boosting our celebration, our beautiful parents, and of course… our incredible Lab kids. 💙

Here’s to another year of tech, games and fun! ✨

08/12/2025

As we close out another incredible year with our Lab family, we're filled with gratitude and anticipation for the celebrations tomorrow! A private teams link is available by invite only for family members who would like to join in from home.

15/10/2025

This may just be a new favourite to add to our week. What do you think? 🤭🕹✔️🪖