1 year
2 months ago
Muscling in on the Kids
Science PR guru Sallie Robins tells of her exciting visit to The Times Cheltenham Science Festival, and finding her inner child…
“A common sight at The Times Cheltenham Science Festival is parents getting far more animated and excited than their offspring. There is a little of the child in us all and maybe more so in those with an interest in science. ‘But why?’ is what us grown-ups keep on asking as we push our kids aside to get closer to the scientist with all the bottles, vinegar and bicarbonate of soda (it either drives corks right out of the top of bottles or looks a bit like a volcano depending on what you do with it).
So the Cheltenham Science Festival is a wonderful place for any parent to spend time with their kids, especially if like me you still have an awful lot of inner child! When the truly captivating space scientist, Maggie Aderin, asked if a parent and child could come up front, you have never seen two hands shoot up faster and higher. Yes we were chosen, we both do martial arts so our reactions are quicker than the average science punter. Our reward; building an impressive air propelled rocket that sped along on CDs after some, rather vigorous, pumping with a trusty bike pump. The mechanism was ingenious and drew many a comment as my son carried it around for the rest of the day, and at school on Monday.
Richard Hammond (pictured) was also a hit, sadly using the sensible way of choosing kids to go onstage – raffle tickets rather than hands in the air meant Robbie didn’t get up there, but there was still much to do as we had to answer a range of bizarre questions with a show of red (no) or green (yes) bits of paper. Is gold found in seawater? Would Saturn dissolve in water? (You’ll have to look the answers up: I’m not telling!) Hammond has a great way with the kids, just on the safe side of sarcastic which kids and of course grown-ups love. Even I had a jaw drop moment (and I have seen many a science show in my time) when, along with scientist Dr Mark, Hammond demonstrated that metal has memory. ‘No teaspoon has ever remembered my birthday!’, quipped Hammond before a straightened paper clip jumped back to shape when heated by blow torch. ‘Gastronuts’ proved a whirlwind tour through the science of food with TV Presenter Stefan Gates and everyone’s favourite danger scientist Andrea Sella. Andrea gets you right on the edge of your seat: will it all go wrong, doesn’t he need protective goggles, why aren’t you wearing gloves, oh my lord he’s drinking liquid nitrogen — kids squeal with delight, parents wonder about his sanity!
If you are looking for an alternative long weekend then the Cheltenham Science Festival must be near the top of the list: great setting, great shows, lots of free stuff and plenty to impress your mates at the pub….Did you know that lightening is five times hotter than the sun? And that you can un-fry an egg? Oh yes and the kids love it too!”
Sallie Robins (age no longer relevant) and Robbie Mowforth (age 9)
Look out for more Science reviews and highlights here at cheltenhamfestivals.com/science
Photography by Conor Cahill.
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We’ve tagged this post with review, science on Tuesday 16 June 2009.
