Imperial's Public Engagement team distributed their 10,000th STEM activity pack this summer featuring engaging activities for local children.
Packs are distributed by partnering with local charities including youth groups and food banks working with families most in need.
"The packs not only ignite a passion for science but also demonstrate our commitment to making science accessible and engaging for everyone" Professor Maggie Dallman OBE Vice President (International), Associate Provost (Academic Partnerships)
The packs are created by the Public Engagement team in collaboration with Imperial researchers seeking to share their science with young audiences. They were launched during the COVID-19 pandemic when school children had reduced access to hands-on learning and have continued with 2800 packs given out every year.
The activities in the packs are designed for 7-11 year-olds and in the past have included hands-on science kits for children to make robots or explore [example]. As well as activity sheets with instructions, the packs contain everything needed to do the activity, from scissors to colouring pens, meaning that anyone can get involved regardless of what they have access to.
Demand for the packs has increased since their initial launch. Celebrating the 10,00th pack, Professor Maggie Dallman, Vice-President (International), Associate Provost (Academic Partnerships), said:
"The overwhelmingly positive feedback and high demand for the activity packs have inspired us to continue this initiative. The packs not only ignite a passion for science but also demonstrate our commitment to making science accessible and engaging for everyone in our community."
The 10,000th pack
In 2020, the first year of the activity packs, the team produced 1272. That number has more than doubled, with 2800 activity packs produced every year – 1400 in the summer and a further 1400 for the Christmas holidays. Over the years, partnerships with 40 local charities, including the Dalgarno Trust and Masbro Centre, have helped ensure the packs are getting to where the need is greatest.
This summer's packs feature activities that are health-themed and are inspired by research at Imperial into healthy food, breathing, heart health and exercise. These include a game where children measure their heart rate, an activity about Sickle Cell Disease and materials and instructions to make a stethoscope.
"A huge amount of work goes into these packs. We've now produced 11,198 packs with 34 researchers, printed 235,000 sheets of paper and generated 78,000 hours of activities," says Andrew Brooks, Public Engagement Programmer and Practitioner for White City.
The packs were shared with 24 charities and community groups this summer, including Solidarity Sports who offer a range of activities for local children to help them discover what sparks joy. Comments from their staff and volunteers include:
"We are very appreciative of Imperial for providing the science packs. They come with a lot of cool activities with all of the materials that you need to do the activities and more. We also really appreciate that you use recyclable materials such as paper straws and wooden rulers."
"The children really enjoy discovering what comes in the science packs. They love to discover new ways to make things and learn about the many fun and creative activities in the packs. We also love how hands-on and interactive the science packs are."
"It is really great having the science packs as it gives the children something special that they can take away at the end of the day, something that they made and accomplished themselves."
The activity packs form part of a wider programme of activities for families run by the Public Engagement team in White City. This includes weekly Saturday Science Clubs and Discovery Days - mini-festivals featuring hands-on science activities.
