Chemistry outreach workshops for children: Q1 2026 summary

The Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences (IChF) regularly organizes workshops and experimental demonstrations to spark curiosity about the world and inspire children and teenagers to explore the field of chemistry.

In early 2026, several such events took place: a demonstration at IChF for first-grade primary school students (February 17), workshops for two groups of five-year-olds at Kindergarten No. 293 (February 27), and a session for third-graders from Primary School No. 369 (March 16 in the IChF auditorium) .

During the demonstrations, children had the opportunity to learn about:

• the daily work of a scientist and professional laboratory equipment;
• safety gear – how to work safely with chemical compounds;
• pH changes;
• water purification and electrolysis;
• combustion reactions – flames of various colors;
• the effects of liquid nitrogen on different materials, such as balloons, rubber hoses, and flowers;
• dry ice experiments, e.g., can dry ice be used to inflate a balloon;
• the phenomenon of levitation;
• whether pickles can glow.

In the kindergarten, the youngest participants also performed simple experiments on their own, including:

• making artificial snow;
• creating a "bubble inside a bubble";
• painting on milk;
• observing hydrogel beads.

The demonstrations were prepared and conducted by: Beata Pleskot, Ewelina Kalwarczyk, Bartłomiej Bończak, Tomasz Kalwarczyk, and Konrad Giżyński.

"Showing the world of chemistry to children from such an early age brings us immense joy."
— Beata Pleskot, Health and Safety Department

It is also worth noting that for many years, the Institute has been organizing bi-monthly lessons focused on various states of matter, specifically designed for high school students. These workshops, led by Dr. Roman Luboradzki – Head of the X-ray Structural Analysis Laboratory at IChF – are highly popular, with schools often booking sessions six months in advance. Chemistry teachers interested in the workshops are invited to contact us at: rluboradzki@ichf.edu.pl.

Additionally, the Institute participated in the Grand Finale of the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity (WOŚP). On January 10, the 7th Winter Picnic for WOŚP was held at Primary School No. 52 in Warsaw's Zacisze district. The event featured artistic performances, a charity bake sale, and science demonstrations to which we were invited. Alongside our team, science clubs from the Faculty of Chemistry at the University of Warsaw and the Warsaw University of Technology were also present. The Institute was represented by Dr. Kuba Luboradzki, who presented chiral objects and "magic cylinders," while explaining why a mirror image does not have to be (though it can be) identical to the object it reflects. The workshops led by Dr. Luboradzki lasted a total of 4 hours, during which guests could drop donations into the collection box. Throughout the entire picnic, over 42,000 PLN was raised.

We would like to extend our sincere thanks to the Chemistry Outreach Team for preparing the workshops and to all the young participants for their active engagement.

Photos: Beata Pleskot