Nanaimo Science’s Science on the Move mobile van brings fun, hands-on activities and travelling educators to your community event! Choose a theme that works for your event and choose from a variety of hands-on activities, demonstrations, and/or make-and-takes.
Community Event Request
Community groups, businesses and organizations may use this form to request science-related activities to offer to young attendees, families and people of all ages at event settings with Nanaimo Science.
- Interactive challenges
- Drop-in table where small groups (5-10) can participate in a mini-science project
- Popular science demonstrations that expand the drop-in booth theme
- Hands-on activities where kids can take home their creations
Forces & Flight
Wind Tunnel Challenge – Build and test different objects (paper, feathers, tissue paper) in a vertical wind tunnel to see what flies best.
Whirly Gigs – Create spinning paper helicopters and test how changing the blade size affects their descent.
Stomp Rockets – Launch small paper rockets using air pressure and see how angle and force affect their flight.
Bubble Science
Bubble Geometry – Use different-shaped wands to see if bubbles can be square or triangular.
Bubble Snake Maker – Create long bubble “snakes” with a sock and bottle.
Rainbow Bubbles – Explore surface tension and light refraction with glycerin bubble solutions.
Space & Stars
Constellation Viewers – Make a star pattern in a tube and shine a flashlight through.
Moon Crater Experiment – Drop small objects into flour to see how craters form.
Planet Sorting Game – Match fun facts to different planets or see how well you do with our galactic timeline activity
Marble Walls & Motion
Marble Wall Challenge – Design and build a vertical marble run using pegboards, tubes, and connectors.
Target Drop – Drop marbles from different heights and test accuracy by hitting a target.
Nature Explorers
Leaf & Tree Identification – Match leaves to trees and do leaf rubbings.
Animal Track Matching – Match tracks to the right animals.
Touch Table: Shells & Rocks – Explore local beach finds with magnifiers.
Salmon Science
Salmon Dissection Puzzle – Put together a dissection puzzle to learn about the internal anatomy of a salmon.
Hands-On Life Cycle Manipulatives – Explore the stages of the salmon life cycle with tactile manipulatives.
Salmon Information Station – Learn more with informative posters, facts, and hands-on materials about salmon.
Fishing for Salmon ID – Test your knowledge by fishing for cards to identify different species of salmon.
Engineering Challenges
Bridge Builders – Use KEVA blocks to build and test different bridge designs.
Earthquake-Proof Towers – Construct towers and test their strength on a shake table.
Strong Shapes – Explore how triangles, arches, and other shapes make structures stronger.