MANILA, Philippines - BASF, the world’s leading chemical company, opened its interactive chemistry educational program, BASF Kids’ Lab at Taguig Elementary School.
For three days starting last Monday, more than 1,300 students aged 10 to 12 gained a better understanding of and interest in chemistry through fun and creative experiments.
The BASF Kids’ Lab has been bringing the magic of chemistry to Filipino children since its launch in the Philippines in 2005.
To make this year’s program even more interesting, BASF has introduced a new experiment called “UV Investigation,” in which children were able to visualize skin damage caused by ultraviolet (UV) light and the importance of sunscreen.
They learned how to make their own sunscreen and witnessed how their mixtures filtered UV light penetration using a UV detector.
“We hope to educate the children and help them understand the importance of chemistry in their daily life. Chemistry plays a crucial role in addressing vital issues like health and nutrition, food security and resource conservation,” said Flor Pan, president and managing director of BASF Philippines Inc.
The children were given the opportunity to learn about the importance of water as a resource by conducting an experiment that uses the power of chemistry to purify dirty water.
An experiment with a super absorbent showcased how a material can absorb liquid 1,000 times its weight.
Another experiment called “paper chromatography” triggered the kids’ curiosity in discovering the secret behind colors.
“This is the first time I have attended Kids’ Lab. The experiments complement what I see in the classroom and help me better understand the value of chemistry,” said Erisha Marie Aquino, an 11-year-old pupil of Taguig Elementary School.
Pan said, “I am happy to see these young people getting inspired to know more about science and chemistry and likewise develop good water saving habits and contribute to the protection of the environment.”
This year, the four experiments were conducted under the guidance of the top 12 fourth year students of Taguig Science High School with the supervision of BASF employee volunteers and science teachers from Taguig Elementary School.
Kids’ Lab originated from BASF’s headquarters in Germany in 1997 as part of the company’s commitment to sustainability. The program was introduced in the Asia-Pacific region in 2002 in Beijing, China.
More than 200,000 children have since participated in the program, which is currently held in 17 countries in the Asia-Pacific including Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Pakistan, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.