SLIME, explosions and assorted creatures had children of all ages leaving the Main Corner with a big smile following the free Science Alive event on Sunday.
Hundreds of families descended on the complex from 10am to 3pm to revel in the fun put on by the ScienceAliveSA team.
Science Alive event director Brian Haddy said Sunday was proof the event continued to expand to be bigger and better in the South East.
“This is about the seventh or eighth time we have been here in Mount Gambier and I believe we had around three to four thousand people come through the door,” Mr Haddy said.
“What we are trying to create here is ‘aha’ moments, where kids go ‘oh that’s how that works’.”
There were plenty of “aha” moments during the Messy SciWorld Explosive Science Show.
It was not hard for demonstrator Natalia Dworniczek to capture the children’s attention because anyone who looked away for a moment risked notseeing the next item explode.
Explosions, colours and bright lights were all part of the fun and had children and adults alike covering their eyes and ears.
Mr Haddy said it was always great to see everyone having fun, but the event’s main aim was to extend the learning of those in attendance.
“The whole point of these events is for children to have fun, but it needs to be more than that too,” Mr Haddy said.
“Parents have a role to play in showing them how this stuff is happening in the world around them.”
Animals Anonymous also had children fixated on a display as handlers showed off creatures such as flying foxes and tawny frogmouth birds.
But it was the large python which had the children in awe.
Five lucky audience members were “lucky” to hold the snake.
“To see the joy on the children’s faces when they get to pat a snake, see a science show or program robot was just fantastic,” Mr Haddy said.
“It really is a very rewarding job.”
While all the activities seemed to be a hit with the children, Mr Haddy said there was always a couple of standouts.
“For the really young children, it is always the slime, but for the older ones the robotics is really fascinating,” he said.
“They can actually come here, program a robot, put it on the ground and see it twirl around, do a dance, clap its hands and for some children that is a real breakthrough.”
A local influence was perhaps the attraction that excited Mr Haddy the most during the Mount Gambier visit.
“Komatsu forestry came along with their harvesting simulator, which gave a link to the local forestry industry,” Mr Haddy said.
“There was a queue to use that all day.”
