The world’s ‘second largest Whoopee cushion’ caused a great deal of mirth at the last day of Sharjah International Book Fair, when children attended a workshop given by Science Made Simple. Delivered by instructor David Price, the session formed part of the Fair’s ‘Kids Activities’ programme, with the huge rubber joke device used to show how vibrations are able to create noise. 

The humour and fun element to the workshop was designed to make the science subjects being addressed easily accessible to the little ones attending. As well as the Whoopee cushion demonstration, there were displays of optical illusions, a show of how to balance a cork on one’s nose and instructions on how to make a musical instrument out of a kitchen roll holder, a latex glove a straw and some sticky tape.

The theme of the workshop was the message that science is not just an abstract concept, but something seen in everyday life, with David Price keen to show that the subject could be fun.

“What we show is science with a smile on its face. If we can get people to buy into the science of their lives made out of the components of their lives, like the forks, corks, pens and balloons, then they can go home and try it for themselves. It’s just as much about inspiring the next generation of scientists and engineers as it is about increasing the footprint of science in popular culture,” he said.

The Science Made Simple workshop was one just one of the many sessions under the fair’s Kids Activities programme, with its other programmes including Cultural Activities, Cookery Corner and Comics Activities. Titled ‘A World in my Book’ the 36th edition of SIBF 2017 concluded yesterday (Saturday) at Expo Centre Sharjah.