Raising Children's Interest in Science Through Minds-on Activities

Today's busy families want activities that are stimulating for children and adults. At the same time, many children receive inadequate exposure to the sciences. The Explorit Science Center, located near Monsanto's Calgene research site in Davis, California, is meeting both of these needs though an education center that promotes children's interest in the sciences through activities their whole families can enjoy.

In 2004, the Monsanto Fund gave $10,000 to Explorit for the development of a family festivals program. The weekend programs are structured to encompass a range of multidisciplinary science experiences for children and adults, including demonstrations of physical and natural sciences. Experiments and problem-solving activities are open-ended, involving everyday items as well as the stuff of science.

The Explorit Science Center is helping promote children's interest in science and mathematics while providing a great resource for family activities.

$20,000
Overall, the Monsanto Fund has contributed $20,000 to the Explorit Science Center for science-based activities.