As part of our recent Science Adventures workshop with Chuck Delpier, the children took part in a series of exciting hands-on chemistry activities. Chuck workshops are always a favourite, filled with curiosity, colour and discovery.

One of the first activities explored surface tension. The children sprinkled sawdust onto water and watched how it floated on the surface. When a single drop of soap was added, the sawdust suddenly scattered across the container. This happened because soap acts as a surfactant, reducing the water’s surface tension and causing the floating sawdust to move away quickly. It was a simple but striking way to see how soap affects water.

The children then investigated surface tension further by seeing how many droplets of water they could place on a coin. Using a dropper, they added water slowly and were amazed to see a raised dome form on top of the coin. With magnifying glasses, they could observe how the strong attraction between water molecules allowed the droplet to grow higher than the edge of the coin before finally spilling over.

Another favourite activity involved exploring pH using red cabbage water. Red cabbage contains natural pigments that change colour depending on acidity. The children added vinegar, which turned the indicator a pinkish-red, and then baking soda solution, which produced greens and blues. These dramatic colour changes helped them understand acids, bases and how indicators work.

The children also created their own mini “lava lamps.” A container was filled with oil and water coloured with red food dye. When an Alka-Seltzer tablet was dropped in, the children watched as bubbles of gas carried the coloured water upward through the oil before falling back down again. This demonstrated how oil and water don’t mix, how density affects movement, and how chemical reactions can produce gases that create motion.

These activities gave the children a fun and memorable introduction to chemistry, showing them how everyday materials can reveal fascinating scientific ideas. Chuck’s workshop, as always, was engaging, colourful and full of hands-on learning that the children absolutely loved.