Permalink : http://hdl.handle.net/2115/28269

JaLCDOI : 10.14943/25966

KEYWORDS : science education;youngsters;science communication;scientific literacy

An overview of science festivals for youngsters is shown in this paper. The primary objective of such festivals was one of a countermeasure against the aversion to science of children and their parents.Many science teachers and scientists participated in these festivals and demonstrated familiar and enjoyable experiments for several thousand youngsters.This campaign of enlightenment through science has been well received by many people in Hokkaido prefecture.The reasons of this success have been the passion of science teachers and collaboration with the media.Enjoying science was an initial objective.However what should be the final goal of holding these festivals? The total time for science education in elementary school and high school has been decreased in these past 20 years. In view of this situation,it is suggested that such science festivals should complement school education and teaches also should attract students to science classes through these festivals.