Questacon gets out and about

26 October 2006

National Childrens Week

Questacon’s Q2U programme visits pre school for the first time

Trial of Questacon’s latest outreach programme Questacon Science Play

To celebrate National Childrens Week Questacon’s theatre troupe, the Excited Particles are visiting Forrest Early Childhood Centre with their first pre school Q2U delighting students with insects, dinosaurs and their spectacular electricity show.

Q2U is a Questacon programme aimed at primary schools students. The Excited Particles perform educational shows at schools covering topics from natural disasters to marine animals and the solar system in an hour long show. Teachers can tailor the show to their curriculum choosing up to three topics. For the first time Q2U will tailor their show to 0 to 5 year olds drawing on the resources of their yet to commence early childhood traveling programme Questacon Science Play announced last week.

Excited Particle, Patrick Helean explains “The Show will be filled with dinosaurs, electricity and insects as well as an appearance by Mutty the Muttaburrasaur to entertain children. The performances are interactive and the children have loads of fun as they learn”.

Questacon Science Play concept developer Nicole Sherman will be attending to present the insect component of the Show. Armed with some of her collection of 150 insects including an ant farm and live stick insects the children will get up close to all manner of insects.

Trialling the Questacon Science Play concepts are important to develop the right type of programme. “We relate topics to what they see at home, in this case living things so the children can go home and look at what is around them in a new light” Nicole said.

At this age engagement and interest levels of the children are incredibly important and Questacon’s fun, interactive presentation style makes sure that learning is fun for children of all ages.