Young scientists in the making

Learning: Kids have fun at a chemistry workshop.

On 7 December, 55 eager youngsters descended on the Department of Chemistry Department to enjoy a morning of science and experiments in a Fun Science Workshop.

The event, organised by senior scientific officer Dalielah Jappie, aimed to interest and excite children aged between five and 10 years old in science, and show them that chemistry can be fun.

Each child had a workstation in the lab, where they donned gloves and mixed their own chemicals, all under the sharp eye of lab assistants, of course.

The children made slime of all colours, bouncy balls they put to the test in the quad, even fizzy bath bombs. They also watched crystals grow, made and played with magic snow, saw exploding bomb bags and learned how polymers absorb water and grow to many times their original size.

Reports are that a fun, learning time was had by all.

The children were all family members of UCT staff.