I met a boy named Jamie at the Junior League of Northern Virginia's Back-to-School Free Health Clinic. As uninsured children waited to get school physicals and vaccinations, the Children's Science Center's Museum Without Walls team was there to provide a meaningful activity during the wait.  More than 200 children came through that day and we had a table full of children excited to pop the "Unpoppable Bubble".

Jamie stood to the side and watched as the children giggled, put on one glove, blew bubbles and bounced bubbles all around. Jamie was about 12 years old with a hip look, longish hair, worn jeans and a printed t-shirt. He looked like he just needed to be invited to participate so I asked, "Would you like to try this?" Without making eye contact, he nodded and said, "Sure." I explained that we had added a special ingredient to the bubble solution to make the bubbles stronger and then gave him a glove to put on. Jamie blew a large bubble and did as the younger children did, watched the bubble bounce off his gloved finger. He did this several times then used his ungloved finger... and the bubble popped!   All he said was, "Very cool," but I knew he was hooked.

After the first group of children moved on, he stayed to teach the next set of children and eventually seemingly took over our Museum Without Walls table. He even conducted the experiments in Spanish for the Spanish speakers.

I learned a little about Jamie that day; he has four siblings, his mother is a nurse and his father is a firefighter.  His best subjects are science and math because he finds them easy, and he wants to be a doctor.  

When I told him that we were opening a Children's Science Center- he was the expert. He had been once on a school field trip but not since... and I thought, "Wow! Here's a child with interest and potential. Wouldn't it be great if he had this type of fun and engagement more than only once."

Whenever I think about Jamie, it always strikes me how much I take for granted.  Maybe Jamie's family will support his interest in science but maybe, like me and so many other parents, they just don't have the tools or resources to make these kinds of experiences accessible.  I want to see a successful future for all of our children.  Having a place dedicated to meaningful exploration that is also fun for families, teachers and children is why I continue to volunteer with this project. I look forward to when our community can't imagine not having the Children's Science Center.

-- Tanya La Force, Children's Science Center Board Member  

Challenge:  Make Crystal Decorations

This Fun Science Experiment Doubles as a Holiday Decoration  

 

What You Need:

• White Pipe Cleaners
• String
• Twig or Pencil
• Borax (ex. 20 Mule Team Laundry Booster.  Do NOT use Boraxo Soap)
• Water
• Blue Food Coloring
• Jars Large Enough to Submerge Ornament in Solution

What You Do:

1. Fashion your ornaments out of white pipe cleaners.  Spirals or Stars make good shapes.
2. Tie one end of your string to the top of your ornament and the other end to your twig or pencil.
3. Mix together your crystal solution at a ratio of 3 tablespoons of Borax to one cup of boiling water.  Stir until the Borax dissolves.  Don't expect all of the powder to dissolve, some may settle on the bottom
4. To give your crystal a slightly blue cast, add a drop or two of blue food coloring.
5. Pour the crystal solution into a wide mouth jar.  You will need enough of this solution to submerge your pipe cleaner ornament..
6. Submerge your ornament in the crystal solution with the pencil resting on the lip of the jar so that the ornament hangs freely.  You do not want the ornament to touch the bottom of the jar.
7. Leave the ornament in place overnight.  The next morning you should have a beautiful holiday ornament covered in crystals!

Why this Works: