BASF Kids’ Lab brings the fun of chemistry to more than 1,000 children in Thailand

• Kids’ Lab celebrates its 20th anniversary worldwide
• Free chemistry education program led by BASF employee volunteers and university students
• Kids learn how to the best way how to enjoy the sun safely and protect their skin from sunburn

Bangkok, Thailand – August 28, 2017 – BASF will bring its interactive science program for kids to more than 1,000 primary school children at the King’s Mongkut Institute of Technology Ladkrabang (KMITL) from August 27-29, 2017. This year, the annual program is celebrating its 20th anniversary worldwide.

During the university’s science week, children aged 6 to 12 will explore the impact of chemistry in everyday life in a fun, interesting and tangible way by conducting a simple, safe, hands-on experiment, Ultraviolet (UV) Investigation. The session is led and facilitated by trained BASF volunteers and chemistry students from KMITL.

“Through the UV Investigation experiment at BASF Kids’ Lab, children will understand more about how UV light damages our skin. They will also learn about related topics including climate change and the ozone layer. Through this program, children can be educated from a young age about global issues,” said Mr. Petrus Ng, Managing Director of BASF Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar. “Building on 20 years of science education among youngsters, we hope the Kids’ Lab experience will continue to spark children’s interest in how chemistry plays an important role in our daily lives,” added Ng.

Through the UV Investigation experiment, kids will learn about UV light and make sunscreen themselves by mixing various ingredients. They will also test the effectiveness of the sunscreen they make on filtering UV light by using a UV detector. The experiment helps children visualize the effect of UV light and raises their awareness about potential skin damage from UV light. Kids will also learn the importance of the ozone layer in blocking UV radiation, which in turn reduces the risk of photoaging and skin cancer.

BASF Kids’ Lab is a free, interactive chemistry education program that enables children aged 6 to 12 years old to discover the magic of chemistry. Celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, the program is currently conducted in more than 40 countries. To date, more than 9,000 children from primary schools across Thailand have experienced hands-on experiments at BASF Kids’ Lab.

In addition, the online platform “BASF’s Virtual Kids’ Lab” offers children the chance to be a scientist at home. Under the expert guidance of Kids’ Lab mascot Dr. Bubbles, children can play and learn through an array of interactive online experiments, including “The Sweet Bread”, “The Bubbling Refreshment”, “The Foaming Beads” and “Energy From The Sun”.

BASF’s Virtual Kids’ Lab: http://kidslab.basf.com/virtual-lab

 

About BASF Kids’ Lab
Education is the key to the future of our children, and it plays an important role in the development of society. With our Social Engagement Strategy, we want to open up learning opportunities and to encourage children's sense of discovery and teach good science methods and skills. This helps us to meet the challenges of tomorrow and to create a sustainable future. The BASF Kids’ Lab program is an interactive, fun and free chemistry education program designed for kids aged 6 to 12 years to discover the world of chemistry through simple and safe hands on experiments. The program has been brought to more than 40 countries across the globe, including China, the U.K., the U.S., Australia, Singapore, India and Japan. It was established in 1997 in Ludwigshafen, Germany, and celebrates its 20th anniversary this year.

About BASF in Thailand
BASF has been operating in Thailand for over 50 years. With 640 employees in Thailand as of December 31, 2016, BASF offers products to customers in Thailand including crop protection, automotive catalysts, construction chemicals, coatings, care chemicals, nutrition and health ingredients, industrial chemicals, performance polymers, polyurethanes, and performance chemicals. BASF maintains a head office in Bangkok, along with three production sites around the country and a technical lab in Samutprakarn. BASF sales to customers in Thailand in 2016 were approximately €443 million. Further information on BASF in Thailand is available at www.basf.com/th.

About BASF
At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. The approximately 114,000 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 five segments: Chemicals, Performance Products, Functional Materials & Solutions, Agricultural Solutions and Oil & Gas. BASF generated sales of about €58 billion in 2016. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchanges in Frankfurt (BAS), London (BFA) and Zurich (BAS). Further information at www.basf.com.