Lift off to curiosity: Kids explore Science at Children’s Science Festival

As in previous years, the Bangladesh Astronomical Association hosted its annual Children's Science Festival, this time at Green Bud Nursery School. On 30 November, the small Shantinagar campus transformed into a hub of creativity, showcasing hundreds of science projects by students from Playgroup to Standard one. The festival aimed to spark curiosity in science and astronomy through fun, hands-on activities.

Children enthusiastically participated in crafting paper rockets, decorating boxes with images of planets and astronauts, and creating spiral cones, blending playfulness with learning. These engaging tasks reflected the festival's mission to make science interactive and enjoyable, fostering a love for discovery in a lively and supportive environment. Most projects revolved around space exploration, with many kids gravitating toward rocket and planetary themes.

When asked how the event contributed to students' development, the teachers expressed that their students were highly engaged, which fostered creativity and supported their overall cognitive growth. They observed that the children were excited by the fun activities, which the parents appreciated and acknowledged as a significant feature of the event.

Moshurl Amin, a member of the Bangladesh Astronomical Association's organising committee, shared his perspective, stating, "Children are not like us, they absorb what captures their interest." 

He continued, "Creating a playful environment for their learning is a fantastic way to educate them at an early stage, which will benefit them in the long run. Our goal is to spread knowledge and inspire curiosity among them."

When it comes to the campus, we found the school environment to be very friendly and interactive. The bond between the teachers and students looked evidently inspiring, with children actively playing and learning while receiving constant feedback from their teachers. 

Even though the activities were playful, the learning objectives were well-defined. As Amin intended, while children built rockets and explored pictures of astronauts, their natural curiosity would be sparked, leading them to think more deeply, and to ask more questions to feed their curiosity.

Creating a playful environment for their learning is a fantastic way to educate them at an early stage, which will benefit them in the long run. Our goal is to spread knowledge and inspire curiosity among them

Moshurl Amin

This process of discovering answers through play is an excellent way to educate young minds. Both Moshurl Amin and the teachers agreed that when students don't limit their learning within the confines of textbooks and academic pressure, they find the experience more enjoyable and enriching, ultimately fostering a deeper love for learning.

It was delightful to see the students' active participation and enthusiasm. When we spoke to one of the students, the first grader shared how the event taught her friends and her about new things they didn't know before and expressed her excitement about the festival, especially because it didn't involve traditional studying.