ACS Kids Zone
ACS Kids Zones are free public events featuring themed facilitator-supported activities, for children and their families. ACS members, including local chemists, college chemistry students, in addition to volunteer chemists of the ACS Committee on Community Activities (CCA), support interactive investigations, so children can experiment with actual chemists.
ACS Fall 2025 Kids Zone
Saturday, August 16, 2025 | 11 AM - 2 PM ET | Washington, DC
On Saturday, August 16th, ACS President Dorothy J. Phillips will sponsor a complimentary public event at the Ronald Reagan Building on Pennsylvania Avenue (outdoors next to the Children's Museum) in Washington, DC.
What you will experience:
- Explore cool science experiments led by real scientists
- Engage in interactive activities that spark creativity and critical thinking
- Participate in awesome photo ops
- Enjoy exciting giveaways and prizes
Attendees can expect to experience these activities during the event:
- Spice Match: Follow your nose to discover where spices come from.
- Spicy Lotion: Make your own spice-scented lotion.
- Cloud Bubble: Chill with chemistry to make long-lasting cloud bubbles.
- Turmeric Twist: Get to the root of turmeric's amazing properties.
- Chemistry Makes Scents: Does your nose know the difference between similar scents?
- Secret Message: Make and erase a secret message using kitchen chemistry.
Past Events
ACS Spring 2025 Kids Zone
On Saturday, March 22nd, ACS President Dorothy J. Phillips sponsored a complimentary public event at Logan Memorial Educational Campus.
- Snap, Crackle, Pop! Glaciers sizzle and hiss as they thaw in seawater. Compare the sounds Nerds and Pop Rocks make as they fall into water. One of these candies has something in common with a glacier! What could it be?
- Ice Cores Count: Layer models of summer snow, winter snow, and volcanic ash according to “weather cards.” Then use your model ice core to figure out the age of the glacier it came from.
- Icy Lakes and Oceans: There is a surprising difference between a glacier melting on land, in a lake, or in the ocean! Do an activity with water (representing a lake), saltwater (ocean), and ice water (the melting glacier) to find out what happens.
- Ice Melt Race: Meet the competitors—Plastic and Aluminum. Both will attempt to melt an ice cube in under a minute using the power of thermal conduction. Who will win? What does this mean for snow hoping to become a glacier?
- Slime: A Model Glacier: Glaciers are famous for moving slowly. So does slime. The similarities do not end there. In fact, scientists consider both to be non-Newtonian fluids. Make your own slime to use in the Glaciers on the Move activity. You will be able to take your slime home.
- Glaciers on the Move: Select slime add-ins, to represent rocks and sand, and arrange them on a ramp. Place your slime at the top of the ramp to watch (and wait) as your slime moves downhill. How will it move? What will happen to the add-ins? How is slime like a glacier? There is only one way to find out!
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