Science Playground for Kids at Colorado State University

The annual gathering at the Lory Student Center turned ordinary physics into a playground for more than 8, 000 young visitors. Instead of following the usual order, this rewrite starts with the hands‑on excitement: children lifted objects with robotic arms, flew model planes on simulators, spun liquids in bottles to create mini tornadoes, and even triggered colorful lights by rubbing a tiny disco floor with static electricity. These activities were just a glimpse of the 300 experiments that lined up inside five themed ballrooms. Each room focused on a different branch of physical science – from magnetism and light to gravity, the atmosphere, and the human body. A 16‑year‑old student liked displays about muscle movement, while his younger brother was drawn to a Tesla coil. Outside the center, a wooden trebuchet launched teddy bears every half hour for children to chase. Another table let people craft paper rockets and launch them with hand‑pumped air pressure.Guests also created giant bubbles from soap mixtures, raced miniature cars and all‑terrain vehicles, and explored a 37‑foot mobile lab that used virtual reality headsets to dive into biology topics. The final highlight was a free ice‑cream station, where students mixed liquid nitrogen with donated dairy to serve dozens of cold treats. Since its start in 1992, the event has been a yearly tradition—except for a two‑year pause during the pandemic. Undergraduate students from the College of Natural Sciences design most exhibits, but other departments and 38 external partners also contribute. One group of eighth‑graders from a nearby school designed over 100 experiments in just two days for their class project. The purpose goes beyond fun: it gives campus students a chance to practice explaining science and managing projects, while the community enjoys interactive learning.