Science of learning through experience

Updated on: Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Science exists not just in textbooks but is in fact all around us, a group of 90 children discovered during their visit to the Nehru Science Centre. The personalised tour was organised as part of the Times of India’s Mumbai for Kids initiative.

“It’s nice to see that children get to do something constructive during their holidays. My son is very interested in science and was more than happy to participate in this event,” said Pooja Bathija, who came to drop her 11-year-old son Sahil. Several parents also accompanied their children to the various science exhibitions.

The day started with a tour of the various galleries at the centre, including Prehistoric Life, Hall of Aerospace, Human and Machine and the crowd’s favourite – Light & Sound gallery. “There were so many activities at the various galleries that we fell short of time. I loved experimenting with the various installations the Sound and Music centre,” said Akriti Bose (13), one of the participants.

A 3-D show was also organised for these children, which shed light on the evolution of the galaxy and the presence of dinosaurs on our planet. The 15-minute long movie also explained the slow process that led to the extinction of many animals millions of years ago. “A couple of times, it felt like the dinosaur was going to eat our heads off,” added Bose. This show turned out to be one of the most liked programmes of the event.

After a brief look at the various galleries, these children were then taken for the final show of the day—a demo in physics theories. Several experiments on the pressure of air were explained during the 30-minute long session and participants were more than happy to volunteer in all the activities. “The conductor showed us such simple theories but we still couldn’t solve the puzzle. I will try the same experiments with my cousins and friends now,” said 11-yearold Ameya Parikh.

By the end of the session, students were looking forward to some more experiments and many were ready to take another round of the entire centre. “We taught them concepts that they are currently learning in school,” said Manjula Yadav, education officer, Nehru Science Centre. She added that the purpose behind the session was to make science entertaining as well as enjoyable for the children.

Science of learning through experience

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