Abu Dhabi: Children can make their own smartphone microscopes, watch enthralled as sherbets explode into the air, or construct a model to see how their muscles work.
The colourful exhibits and hands-on workshops are part of the sixth edition of the Abu Dhabi Science Festival, which opened in the capital on Thursday. The a annual event, which will run until November 26, is being organised by the emirate’s education sector regulator, the Abu Dhabi Education Council (Adec), with the aim of inspiring children to pursue studies and careers in science, maths and technology.
This year, the festival is expected to attract up to 135,000 visitors, including 15,000 children who will attend as part of scheduled school visits, said Neama Al Marshoudi, programme manager for content at the Adec’s Innovation Committee.
“The festival is 20 per cent bigger with 67 activities, and children need not register to participate in nearly half of all workshops. This will help eliminate any long queues. Moreover, about 40 per cent of the activities are locally inspired, and this adds cultural relevance to what children learn here,” she added.
While the festival content is geared towards children aged between five and 12 years, nearly 900 university students also get a chance to develop their communication skills by registering as Science Communicators. In this role, they help deliver workshop content to the visiting schoolchildren.
Fariyal Mirza, 9, a student at GEMS Winchester School, was visiting the festival for the first time with her classmates, and told Gulf News that she really enjoyed constructing a microscope.
“I want to be an ophthalmologist when I grow up, so I really enjoyed making the microscope and using it to magnify things around me,” she added.
“I haven’t yet decided whether I want to be a pilot or a footballer. But I do enjoy all the science activities at the festival. I made a balloon compass today, and learnt about magnetism,” said Yousuf Ramadan, 10, a Grade 6 student at Diyafah International School.
Teachers accompanying groups of children on school trips also said that the festival helps demonstrate many science concepts to children in a way that is not always possible in the classroom.
“We are learning about electricity in class, and the children had a chance to make a simple circuit today. It makes the theory more real to them, and they get to do it during a fun outing,” said Raja Rajeshwari, a science teacher at GEMS Winchester School.
Abu Dhabi Science Festival
Umm Al Emarat Park, Abu Dhabi
4pm-9pm from Sunday to Wednesday
4pm-10pm on Thursday
2pm-10pm on Friday and Saturday
School trips between 8.30am and 1pm on weekdays
Tickets to the festival are Dh10 for children aged 5 to 15 years, and Dh5 for adults. This does not include park entrance fees.
Al Ain Zoo, Al Ain
4pm-9pm from Sunday to Thursday
2pm-10pm on Friday
2pm-9pm on Saturday
School trips between 8.30am and 1pm on weekdays
Visitors only have to pay zoo entrance fees. All Science Festival activities are free.
