When and where is the 2024 Meet Pi Maths Festival being held?
The festival will be held on Saturday, August 31, 2024 at the Heidelberg Golf Club, located at 8 Main Road, Lower Plenty, Victoria, 3093.
What is the Festival schedule?
There will be two session times available.
Session One: 2:00pm to 3:15pm
Session Two: 3:45pm to 5:00pm
Check in opens 20 mins prior to session start time.
How do I get tickets?
Tickets will go on sale in July. You can follow Meet Pi on our Facebook Page to keep up to date.
Each Participant ticket order gains free access for a parent or guardian who is responsible for the child(ren) while at the venue.
How does the Meet Pi Maths Festival work?
Unlike most math-based events, this is an inclusive and non-competitive event. During the festival, participants can move between the activities at their leisure and join any Activity Table that interests them.
Participants are encouraged to spend 20-30 minutes or more at the activity and work collaboratively with others to make the most out of the experience.
The festival features around 15 Activity Tables, each with a different problem-solving activity, either a puzzle, game or craft-based challenge. Each Activity Table has an Activity Leader to guide up to 8 Participants. The Activity Tables are for Participants only to ensure there is space and opportunity for children to explore, discover and work with their peers.
There is also a Chill Zone available for Participants who may require a sensory break during the festival.
Who are the Activity Leaders?
The Activity Leaders typically consist of school teachers, pre-service teachers, STEM professionals, senior high school students, university students or local volunteers with a passion for maths.
What students’ age groups are suitable?
The event is for young people 10-15 years old, so typically from Grade 5 to Year 9.
Will this be too hard for my child?
Our Activity Leaders are there to guide Participants and make all activities accessible and fun. The activities are designed with a “low floor and high ceiling” to cater for exploration at differing ability levels.
As this is a collaborative problem-solving opportunity, Participants are also encouraged to work together and help each other.
My child is not really into math. Is this the right place for them?
The festival is designed to be suitable for young people of all abilities, not just those who identify as loving or being good at maths already. The festival is primarily aimed at young people aged 10-15 years who comes with an open and curious mind.
How is this different from a math competition?
Our math activities are designed to engage and inspire young people of different abilities. There are no scores, no time-limits or prizes. It’s about perseverance and not about getting things right all the time. Participants may spend 30 minutes on a single activity and may not finish completely – and that’s ok!
Can I take copies of all the problems home with me?
No, with exceptions. Your young person may take their working sheets of the paper-based problems. Please don’t go from table to table and collect pages or booklets. Please do not take any other table activity materials as these are owned by Meet Pi and will be used for future events.
Can a parent or guardian participate?
No, parents/guardians may not participate directly at the activity tables. It is important for Participants to have the space to experiment, make mistakes, work with their peers, and relax and have a good time. Also, there is limited seating, and we want to make sure there is enough space for the Participants. We are also concurrently hosting Parent Workshops.
What are the Parent Workshops?
The Parent Workshops will provide lots of ideas on how to keep your young person engaged and inspired to learn and apply mathematics at home. A great opportunity to have any questions you have answered by experts from the Mathematical Association of Victoria and headspace Greensborough.
Can I drop my children off and leave?
No. We are providing oversight for the festival activities and will have a range of volunteers to assist during the day, but we are not keeping track of each child individually. You are responsible for your child and are required to stay at the venue. Each Participant ticket order gains free access for a parent or guardian.
Where can I park?
There is parking available on site at the venue, however this is shared with members of the golf club which will be in use during the festival. It may be a good idea to allow time in case you need to find parking nearby streets, as unfortunately it is a bit of a walk from Main Road to the clubhouse.
I’m running late, can I still enter the festival?
Yes you can.
I’d like to be a Table Activity Leader. How do I apply?
Please register your details here and we will be in touch.
I’d like to be a Volunteer. How do I apply?
Please register your details here and we will be in touch.
Any other questions?
Please contact us by email enquiries@meetpi.com.au