BASF Kids’ Lab sparks children’s interest in chemistry at Chongqing Science and Technology Museum
- New exploration area offers interactive and immersive journey about chemical elements to celebrate 150th anniversary of the Periodic Table
- Kids learn how to separate plastics for recycling and make healthy food choices
- Bringing safe and fun chemical experiments to over 8,000 kids in Chongqing since 2008
Chongqing, China – August 7, 2019 – For the seventh consecutive year, BASF has partnered with the Chongqing Science and Technology Museum (CQSTM) to deliver the annual BASF Kids’ Lab program for children aged 6 to 12 from August 6-11. This year, the “Journey of Chemical Elements” will be featured in a dedicated exploration area for visitors to learn and discover the stories about chemical elements in celebration of the 150th anniversary of the Periodic Table.
“BASF has been committed to promoting science education among young learners in Greater China and globally for over two decades through our signature Kids’ Lab program,” said Marko Murtonen, Vice President, General Manager, BASF Polyurethanes (Chongqing) Company Limited. “Chemistry holds the key to solving major global challenges of today and tomorrow. We aim to help children gain a better appreciation and interest for the dynamic world of science through safe and engaging experiments.”
In 2008, Kids’ Lab was first introduced to Chongqing under the “Germany and China – Moving Ahead Together” initiative. Since 2013, BASF has cooperated with CQSTM to establish Kids’ Lab as a popular summer event for children in Chongqing and its peripheral areas. More than 8,000 kids have experienced the joy of chemistry under the guidance of trained university volunteers.
"We appreciated the long-term partnership with BASF and their continued support to introduce children to science and chemistry at an early age,” said Mr. Li Jiangtao, Curator of CQSTM. “We are excited to collaborate with BASF every year with new highlights, to get school children excited about science and enrich their learning journey.”
Before the opening ceremony, a lecture sharing a brief history of the development of chemical elements is delivered to the children from the neighboring Changshou District, where the BASF Chongqing plant is located.
BASF has also developed a portfolio of digital online learning resources, allowing kids to enrich their learning journey from elementary school to high school with exciting experiments and stories about elements. It enables them to experience the joy of chemistry anytime, anywhere, with ease and fun.
Experiments to be staged at CQSTM include:
Poly Lab (45-min workshop, for 8 – 12 years old)
Plastics are efficient materials that can save resources and enable health, safety as well as convenience benefits for society. However, it is important that plastics and their waste are used, disposed and recycled in a responsible manner. This experiment helps children learn about various properties of plastics and discuss how to separate different types of plastics for recycling. They can also observe and understand the unique properties of corn starch liquid, which is a type of renewable resources that can be used to make plastics.
Clever Foodies (45-min workshop, for 8 – 12 years old)
The world is witnessing a significant rise in overweight, obesity and other forms of malnutrition[1]. This experiment aims to increase children’s dietary awareness and foster healthier eating habits. The workshop lets children explore and analyze the substances contained in fruit and vegetables. They will learn to measure and compare vitamin C content in a variety of fruit juices. This allows them to have a good understanding of the benefits of eating a colorful range of vegetables and fruit in their diet.
From early July to mid-August, Kids’ Lab has been touring across China in partnership with various science and technology museums in Shanghai, Beijing and Chongqing.
For more information on BASF’s Kids’ Lab in China and how to participate, please visit: www.basf.com/kidslab/cn
About BASF
At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. The approximately 122,000 employees in the BASF Group work on contributing to the success of our customers in nearly all sectors and almost every country in the world. Our portfolio is organized into six segments: Chemicals, Materials, Industrial Solutions, Surface Technologies, Nutrition & Care and Agricultural Solutions. BASF generated sales of around €63 billion in 2018. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchange in Frankfurt (BAS) and as American Depositary Receipts (BASFY) in the U.S. Further information at www.basf.com.
About Chongqing Science & Technology Museum
Chongqing Science & Technology Museum (CQSTM) is one of the ten key social and cultural infrastructure projects administered by Chongqing municipal Party committee and government. It is a grand, modern, comprehensive, and multi-functional venue open to the public for the popularization of science education. CQSTM features “Life, Society, and Innovation” as the theme of the exhibition. There are 6 theme exhibition halls with more than 400 exhibits. The museum has received more than 16 million visitors since its opening on September 9, 2009. CQSTM has been at the forefront of the National Science and Technology Museum system in terms of popular science activities, cooperation with schools, the construction of digital science and technology museums, the reliability and integrity rate of exhibits. Further information on CQSTM is available at www.cqkjg.cn.
Media Contacts
BASF Greater China |
Chongqing Science & Technology Museum |
Cunyu Ma |
Wang Tingting |
Phone: 021-2039 5271 |
Phone: 023- 6186 3011 |
