How to Inspire Future Scientists at Your School’s Summer Fair
Educational and Fun Activities
Written by Harry Davies
8 May 2025
🕓14 min
When you think of a traditional school summer fair, what comes to mind? Bouncy castles, raffle draws, cake stalls, and perhaps a face-painting booth. While these beloved staples certainly bring smiles and community spirit, many schools are now looking beyond entertainment alone. They're asking: how can our summer fair do more? How can it become a space where children don’t just play—but learn, dream, and get inspired?
Enter the world of science-themed activities. By weaving STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths) experiences into the fun of a summer fair, schools can ignite a passion for discovery that lasts long after the stalls are packed away. For many children, this might be the first moment they see science as something exciting, accessible, and fun. For parents, it’s a chance to see their kids’ imaginations light up—not with sugar highs, but with questions, experiments, and problem-solving.
Here’s how your school’s summer fair can become a surprising but powerful catalyst for nurturing the next generation of scientists.
1: Why Science Belongs at the Fair
Science may not be the first thing that springs to mind when planning a summer fair, but it’s quickly becoming one of the most impactful additions. While the fair’s traditional purpose is to entertain and bring the community together, adding interactive science experiences creates an added layer of value: educational enrichment that feels nothing like a classroom.
Children are naturally curious. They love to explore, experiment, and figure things out. A well-designed science activity stand speaks directly to these instincts. Whether it’s a slime-making booth, a mini rocket launcher, or a station for building balloon-powered cars, children get to take part in hands-on learning that thrills and teaches at the same time.
For many students, these are formative moments. The tactile excitement of holding a bubbling beaker or watching a chemical reaction occur is vastly different from reading about it in a textbook. It offers the kind of immersive, multi-sensory experience that deepens understanding and strengthens memory. Science stalls can also provide opportunities for intergenerational learning. Parents and carers who get involved are often just as fascinated—and seeing adults actively engaged helps normalize scientific curiosity as a lifelong trait. It’s not just for kids or “boffins.” It’s for everyone.
2: Designing Science Activities That Wow
Not all science activities are created equal. The key to success at a summer fair is designing experiences that are visually engaging, quick to participate in, and rooted in simple but powerful concepts. Each station should have that “wow” factor—whether it’s colour-changing potions, smoke rings, or magnetic games.
Consider building your activities around themes. For example, you might focus on “Everyday Chemistry” with stations that include making bath bombs or invisible ink. A “Physics Playground” might include catapult challenges or gravity-defying spinning tops. Themed stations help provide structure and make it easier to plan age-appropriate experiments.
Another way to make science exciting is to run live shows throughout the day. A science show adds theatre, surprise, and energy to the fair. Watching a presenter set off a geyser or create fire with static electricity is a shared moment of awe that gets children talking—and wanting to try more themselves. Don’t forget the value of take-home experiments. Even a small baggie of cornflour slime with instructions for re-making it at home can extend the excitement beyond the fair. These little extras encourage continued experimentation and family bonding around STEM.
3: Making It Inclusive and Accessible for All Ages
One of the biggest advantages of science-based fair activities is how adaptable they are. With the right preparation, they can include learners of all ages and abilities. For younger children, stations can focus on colour, texture, and sound—activities that emphasise sensory exploration rather than strict scientific accuracy. For older students, challenges involving problem-solving or engineering principles can engage deeper critical thinking.
It’s also important to consider neurodiverse children or those with sensory sensitivities. Providing quiet zones or lower-stimulation stations allows more children to participate comfortably. For example, a station focused on calm visual experiments—like chromatography using felt pens and coffee filters—can be just as engaging without the loud bangs or bright flashes.
Many science enrichment providers are well-versed in making workshops and activities inclusive. They can offer adaptations, quiet session times, and resources to ensure every child can take part and feel successful. Inclusivity also extends to gender and representation. Choose activities that challenge stereotypes—like engineering challenges that appeal to all students or posters highlighting diverse scientists from different backgrounds. These small decisions build an environment where all children feel welcomed into the world of STEM.
4: The Role of Teachers, Volunteers, and Families
Making a science-rich summer fair successful requires collaboration between school staff, volunteers, and families. Teachers can offer insights into age-appropriate content and tie science activities into what students are already learning in class. Volunteers, including parents and carers, can help run stalls, explain experiments, and support setup and cleanup.
When the wider school community gets involved, the fair becomes more than just a fun afternoon—it becomes a shared experience of curiosity and discovery. Consider reaching out to local universities, businesses, or STEM outreach organisations for support. Many are eager to connect with schools and may be willing to provide equipment, activities, or even expert guests to run live demonstrations.
Family involvement is especially impactful. Seeing their children absorbed in scientific exploration can shift perspectives and lead to stronger support for science enrichment in school. It can also spark new ideas at home: families who enjoy hands-on learning may begin experimenting together, laying the groundwork for lifelong curiosity and connection.
5: Creating a Lasting Impact Beyond the Fair
The best part about incorporating science into your summer fair? The effects don’t end when the fair closes. For many children, the experience of conducting an experiment, solving a challenge, or seeing science in action may become a turning point. It might plant the seed of a future engineer, doctor, or researcher.
Schools can build on this momentum by offering follow-up activities after the fair—STEM clubs, classroom discussions, or take-home project kits. Teachers can incorporate fair topics into their lessons to solidify learning and keep the excitement going. It’s also an excellent opportunity to gather feedback. Ask children what their favourite activity was and what they’d like to explore next. This information is gold when planning future enrichment efforts and ensures that students feel heard and involved.
And perhaps most importantly, a science-themed summer fair shows students and their families that science is not confined to labs or textbooks. It’s a living, breathing part of the world around them—vibrant, surprising, and full of possibilities.
Conclusion
Summer fairs have always been about celebration. By adding a science dimension, you’re celebrating more than just the end of term—you’re celebrating potential. The potential of every child to be curious, to ask questions, to experiment, and to grow into someone who shapes the future. Science doesn’t need to be intimidating. When delivered in the right way—hands-on, playful, inclusive—it becomes something joyful. Something kids want more of. And what better place to show them that, than at a sunny, laughter-filled summer fair?
Want to add unforgettable STEM experiences to your school fair this year? Get in touch to explore our science fair packages for Croydon schools. Whether it’s interactive stalls, explosive shows, or take-home kits, we’ll help you inspire the next generation of scientists—one summer fair at a time.
