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Enriching Education

There are several ways to give your kids a little extra boost of learning, and two of 417-land’s enrichment programs are doing it through a fun, kid-friendly take on

Photo by Keivn O'Riley

Fiction, Facts and Fun developer and owner Terri Johnson (left) instructs children at the program, which was created to generate interest and fun while developing science, math and fine motor skills. Preschooler Carson Lines (below) with his mom, Amy Lines, at Fiction, Facts and Fun.

From gross science to kid-built robots, fun and learning are fueled at 417-land enrichment programs. “There’s nothing more fun for kids than to make things ooze, gush, pop and foam,” says Terri Johnson, developer and owner of Fiction, Facts and Fun. Slime and goo are top attractions at her Gross & Yuck Science and Halloween Science classes, which feature experiments from her literacy books, The Quirkles. The classes generate great interest and fun while surreptitiously developing science, math and fine motor skills.

When conducting the Magic Cabbage Experiment from The Quirkles’ Andy Acid, for example, children learn how to measure and mix cabbage juice with substances that turn it red or greenish/blue, and discover how cabbage can be used to test for acids/bases, plus they get to explore how digestion works and even what causes vomit.

Classes also encourage play acting, imagination and self expression and can incorporate math tricks and amusing riddles to spark logic, deductive reasoning and critical thinking skills. “The goal is to allow children to be passionate about learning and to teach them how to learn and how to think,” Johnson says.

Preschooler Carson Lines is thrilled with his Burp, Slurp & Slime class and especially likes Quirkles. “My favorite is Colorful Caroline, and I like the lava experiment in Vinnie Volcano,” Carson says. “Quirkles are really great for science, phonics and lessons on how to treat people,” says Carson’s mom Amy Lines. “And learning science at such a young age will get him interested and keep him interested.” Classes are now enrolling preschoolers through fifth graders.

The Discovery Center of Springfield also guarantees a science buzz. Kids can explore ancient Egypt, technology, the environment and other science topics through classes, clubs and special days, says Charlotte McCoy, the director of marketing/special events. Museum exhibits are for people of all ages, whereas classes have suggested age ranges. “Here, you have all sorts of science to choose from—physics, chemistry, environmental, technology and even social sciences,” says McCoy. “You can also cross-reference them to understand each subject better. Unlike tutoring sessions for science or math where a specific lesson for a specific subject is the focus, our programs allow students to see what interests them most.” McCoy says the two-hour robot workshops continue to be especially popular, and that they encourage both adults and children to work together and build a robot that can be taken home and enjoyed.

Fred Quackenbush, who helped sons Luke, 7, and Ivan, 10, each build a turbo race car with mesh gears and flashing headlights, highly recommends the class. “It’s really good and very mechanically educational,” Quackenbush says. “The car propels itself, and the boys learned how to make the positive and negative connections to make it go forward instead of backward.” The Discovery Center also offers workshops for young inventors and astronomers.

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