My Science Playroom

We are a science museum for young children in Auckland. We get visits from adults and children who are curious and want to explore various aspects of science and its links to all aspects in our lives including technology, engineering, arts and crafts and maths. We are integrating a diverse range of play in 'hands on,' interactive activities where children can take their time to explore matter and its properties. Some of the activities we have on displays are; individual chemistry experiments at 11 am and 2 pm., space exploration, music, light, forces, motion, animals, dinosaurs and other living creatures as well as a range of other physical aspects of our lives.

We have some links to the NZ science curriculum as well as the early childhood curriculum, Te Whaariki. Teachers who have visited with their classes are amazed at the involvement of young children in learning through play. Comments have been made about the love children has for our museum and how parents and teachers can see the thinking and problem solving that goes hand in hand in their dramatic play.

Because we do want anyone to be able to visit us, our prices are at the lower end of the spectrum and we barely cover our running costs. We have to weather low seasons as well as lower income groups that are heavily discounted, as we do not charge our under two's who are a third of our market, a fee. Our main visitors are often single income parents, who are giving up time from outside work to look after their young children themselves. We also have grandparents taking time out to look after their young children. We have amazingly many visitors from overseas who bring their children to visit our children's Science Playroom and compare us to their governmental big corporation and heavily supported city council facilities. We are unique in that we try to keep our displays simple, interactive and suitable for young children who can touch and play with everything at their level. We make use of recycled and natural materials that are used in custom made activities that have an underlying science or maths theory or principle to explore.

We have applied for contestable funding and grants but have not been successful in attaining any as our younger learners are probably not a priority in developing a love for science play. We are a Look and See Limited company and have considered changing to a charitable trust, but as we will still be responsible for the bills, we decided to keep the status quo for now. We have received a small amount last year for our Playgroup from the Ministry of Education which was helpful but not nearly covering our expenses.

So, if you do want to come and visit, please feel free to do so. If you want to sponsor a new development such as our castle (with a tunnel and clock tower as well as windows looking into an interactive Aimee's Room(, please contact us, we will acknowledge your support with your name on it. We also have a 'time machine' that will have all kinds of maths, and weather information to play with, under construction. We appreciate volunteers to help out in the museum too.

We need ongoing funding for this community effort to raise a love and awareness for science. Your help would be much appreciated.