Let's Science Play

What is Questacon Science Play?
Sessions for Children
Workshops for Educators
On Tour
Want to make a booking? Have questions? Contact Us!

What is Questacon Science Play?

Questacon Science Play offers two programs:

a hands-on science session for children aged 2-5 years

and
a workshop for educators

Both programs tour regional, rural and remote areas of Australia, providing parents and carers of young children with an understanding of the importance of play in early development. Representatives of Questacon Science Play come from a variety of backgrounds with university degrees in areas including science, science communication, education and theatre. Questacon Science Play is produced by Questacon - The National Science & Technology Centre.

Sessions for Children

Each 1-hour Questacon Science Play session consists of two short presentations and approximately 40 minutes of free play with hands-on science activities. The session is facilitated by trained science communicators and caters for up to 20 children aged 2-5 years. Parents and/or carers are asked to assist children and participate in the session.

Format of the session:

10 minute presentation to meet the presenters and find out how to use some of the activities
40 minutes of free play with hands-on activities with the presenters, carers and parents participating and assisting children
10 minute presentation including a sing-along that will have everyone laughing

Each parent or other carer will be presented with an activity booklet that includes ideas for hands-on science activities using everyday materials for the preschool setting or the home.

Workshops for Educators

The 2 hour Science for Early Learners workshop aims to provide early childhood educators with new ideas for science activities and to encourage them to identify the science and literacy learning outcomes in common preschool activities. At the end of the workshop, participants should be able to articulate the science learning outcomes in a given activity and be able to provide a range of hands-on science activities for children in their care.

Workshop format:

introduction
entertaining presentation by the Questacon Science Play team
group discussion looking at opportunities for science learning using activities from Questacon Science Play to prompt discussion
small group discussion to share ideas about successful science-related activities
hands-on science activities using everyday materials

Workshops are typically open to a maximum of 20 participants and include workshop materials and an activity booklet.

On Tour

Our sessions for children can be hosted in a range of different venues, including childcare centres, libraries, science centres, town halls and community centres.

If you'd like us to visit you, you must be able to meet the following requirements:

a group of approximately 20 children aged 2-5 years and the participation of their parents and other care-givers
a hall or large room at least 8m x 8m, carpet is ideal, but not mandatory
at least one power point
4 or more child-sized tables
access to the venue 1 hour before the start of the session to set up equipment

Our workshops for educators simply require that your venue be willing to welcome staff from other centres to participate.

Check the Tour Schedule to see if we'll be in your part of Australia soon.

Want to make a booking? Have questions? Contact Us!

We endeavour to visit as many groups as possible within the areas on our Tour Schedule. If your venue is in the area, we'd be happy to hear from you.

For more information, or to register an expression of interest with the Questacon Science Play team, please send a message to:

scienceplay@questacon.edu.au

Be sure to include the name, address and phone number of your organisation, the type of organisation, the range of ages and number of the children.