There are plenty of ways of making science festivals children-friendly. The most obvious is to make it fun. If the festival is fun, it’ll bring kids anyway. Children want to be mentally stimulated. It’ll keep them thinking and learning new things. In order to make a science festival children-friendly, you have have all sorts of interactive workshops. For example, you could have a hands on workshop where you can combine baking soda and vinegar for an interesting chemical reaction.
That’s just one example. The types of workshops you have to have is up to you. Throw ideas around. Think about as a child, what would you want to see at the science festival. In short, tap into your inner-child. You do that, you’re going to spawn off several possible ideas on what workshops to implement. Each idea you have, write them all down. That’s one thing I like doing at science festivals, is getting hands on at the workshops.
Also, you should have performances and concerts. That’ll bring the children over as well. The 2008 World Science Festival is going to have concerts, musicals, plays, and other performances relating all to science. That’s going to spark children’s interest in science. And more importantly, it’ll make the science festival more child-friendly.
Have computers that children can access play with all sorts of science programs. We’re in the digital age and we have to teach children how to use electronic devices. And science plays a huge role in the age of electronics and other technologies.
If you can, show films and movies. Not the typical documentary which is geared to the much older crowd. Basically have screening rooms where they show various fun and interactive films. A good film is bound to drawn a child’s attention and interest in various subjects. The same can be applied to the genre of the sciences. So films is another good way to make a science festival child friendly.
Have exhibitions and demonstrations. Have the people conducting the live demonstrations be able to take questions from the children. Bedazzled children are bound to ask questions. Most importantly, give children something they can take home as a cherished memory.
Here are the ideas, the only thing left is to implement them.
