mom review:
A s the mother of a 7-year-old who absolutely loves
science, I jumped at the chance to check out the new
Children’s Science Center Lab at Fair Oaks Mall in
Fairfax, VA. Before going, I checked the website to
make sure it would also be fun for my 4-year-old daughter and
almost 2-year-old son. It’s geared toward the pre-school and
elementary crowd (and kids under age 2 are free), so off we went!
The CSC Lab is designed for children to create, learn, imagine
and experiment with all sorts of hands-on activities to help them
SCHOOLS / preschools
24 January 2016 washingtonFAMILY.com
TEXT PAMELA PRADO
learn STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics)
principles. The Experiment Bar was our first stop. My kids first chose to
create “magnetic slime.” It sounded messy, and I was thrilled to
be doing it somewhere besides my home!
A staff member set out all the ingredients and tools to make the
slime. The instructions were simple and shown on a tablet so my
second grader could read them himself. As the goo transformed



into a solid object, the employee explained how magnetic fields
work (in a fun and simple way) and gave my kids a magnet to
interact with their slime. The kids were giggling, my son was
asking questions and they were having a ball! We did two more
experiments at the bar, involving a balloon and bubbles.

The Tinker Shop was just as fun. Stations include building a
robotic arm, experimenting with a wind tube, making a magnet
train and building with LEGOs. Instructions are included at each
station, but kids are also encouraged to create something unique.

My kids kept gravitating toward the wind tube. How could
they not? You can make a creation of cardboard, cups, straws,
etc., throw it up the tube and then watch it float around. It was
awesome! We stayed for about 2½ hours and my kids wanted to stay
longer. We all had a great time. My 7-year-old son thinks it’s
the greatest place ever and asked when we can go back. My
4-year-old daughter had just as much fun and happily carried
her “surfboard” (made of a piece of cardboard, a paper cup and
paper clips) back to the car.

Pleas P
lease e
Imme Proof Imm Proof
ediat diate
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The Inspiration Hub focuses on energy and features wind
turbines and a gear table. The most popular display is the “chain
reaction.” Basically, kids get to design a wall track for balls to
drop into, then they watch the chain reaction as the ball drops
from track to track.

Check One:
The Discovery Zone is geared toward children under age 5.

They can build or climb on foam blocks, read a book, play with
Okay As Is
musical ❏ instruments, solve puzzles or just crawl around. My
Approved and by: 4-year-old had a lot of fun in this room.

almost 2-year-old
I also had a great time not only watching my kids learn with
excitement, but I enjoyed some tinkering and experimenting
too. A staff member told us they change the activities and
experiments frequently, so it stays fresh for the kids. They also
offer birthday party packages, workshops and demonstrations.

The Children’s Science Center Lab is located at Fair Oaks Mall
(between Sears and Lord & Taylor) in Fairfax, VA. It’s open seven
days a week from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (with extended hours until 8 p.m.

on some Fridays and Saturdays). Admission is $12 per person for
ages 2 and older; ages 2 and under are free.

childsci.org • www.facebook.com/ChildrensScienceCenter
11948 Fair Oaks Mall, Fairfax, VA • (703) 648-3130
Pamela Prado is a former TV news anchor turned stay-at-home mom in Northern VA,
with a passion for social media. If she’s not rushing her kids to acting/modeling gigs or
taking them to dance, soccer or baseball, she’s heading out to explore the rich history of
the D.C. area.

TEXT NANCY S.

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