From baking over a 200-year-old stove in a historic pioneer home to dyeing the snow in Thompson Memorial Park, the Saturday Adventurers Club showed science and fun go hand in hand.
At least Joanne Elliot thinks so.
The six-year-old is a regular at Thompson Memorial Park. Now in her second year with the Adventurers Club, she says her favourite part of this month was “trying out fun experiments.”
Saturday marked the wrap up of February’s month-long Mad Scientists theme at the Scarborough Museum. Club guests had a full day of science related activities planned, including working together to create cookies from scratch.
“We did a lot of body awareness this week with the science experiments,” camp leader Cheyenne Twiner said.
With each experiment, the children were taught a lesson on the functions of the body. In one activity, the children pushed a ball using their noses.
“The girls could do it, but the boys usually fell over,” Twiner said. “[The experiment] explained how boys are usually top heavy while girls are usually bottom heavy.”
February has been a huge success, she said, especially for the kids. She said she thinks science interests children as much as it does because it’s all about the unknown.
“They’re still learning,” Twiner said. “Not understanding how everything fully works but getting the hands on experience is what they love.”
Cheyenne Twiner, camp leader for the Saturday’s Adventurers Club, talks about this year’s upcoming summer camp program. The club welcomes a new theme each month for children ages 5-12 and introduces a wide selection of activities targeted towards that theme.
[audio:http://www.torontoobserver.ca/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/web-extra-cycle-3.mp3]Kristen Kane, a volunteer with Saturday Adventurers Club, agreed. She said the children have been extremely receptive and eager to learn.
“It’s always fun,” she said. “Last week we took them outside with coloured water bottles and we drew in the snow. Everyone has a good time.
“Science is one of their favourite things, so they’ve told me.”
The club welcomes children age 5–12 every Saturday from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Prices vary depending on the month, but usually range from $45 to $60 for three to four sessions.
March Mix-up Mania picks up where Mad Scientists left off. The new theme for the March starts Saturday.
And with March break coming up, the Scarborough Museum is set to present Pioneer Adventure Day Camp, where kids will get to experience life as an early settler.
For more information or to register, visit toronto.ca/torontofun or call 416-338-4386.