Experts from L’Atelier Bus are delighting children at the ongoing Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival (SCRF 2024) with fun-filled science experiments.

The 40-minute workshop, Exploring Volcanoes, is more than a simple lesson – it delves into the fascinating facts about the explosive openings on Earth’s crust. “Did you know that there are about 1,500 active volcanoes worldwide, and of these, approximately 80 are located under the sea?” queried Kriztyn Colina, the instructor who captivated her young audience.

“Every day, around 15-20 volcanoes erupt globally,” Kriztyn continued, eliciting audible gasps of amazement from her audience. 

“Explaining to children that the interaction between acidic substances like vinegar and basic substances like baking soda causes effervescence might sound dull enough to send them straight to sleep. However, presenting this chemical reaction in an engaging manner could embed the knowledge deeply enough for them to recall and use throughout their lives”, the instructor added.

This is precisely the educational philosophy underpinning the lab experiments at SCRF. 

At the Exploring Volcanoes workshop, each child’s workspace featured a PET bottle wrapped in aluminium foil, simulating a volcano, set in a tray. They were also provided with safety glasses and gloves, and small quantities of vinegar, water, baking soda, dishwashing liquid and food colouring for the experiment.

Under close guidance, the children mixed these ingredients in their makeshift volcanoes. The resulting eruption was met with bursts of glee and excitement, thrilling the children as well as their parents and guardians, who intently watched the entire session from outside the experiment area, capturing every moment on their smartphones.

L’Atelier Bus continues to host a variety of art and science workshops throughout this year’s Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival (SCRF).