Science explained to children, from the laboratory to schools
10.03.2026
Introducing children to science through play, direct experience, and curiosity. This is the goal of the series of workshops dedicated to proteins, designed and conducted by Cinzia Franchin, a researcher at the Department of Drug Sciences at the University of Padua, scheduled between March and April at the Santa Capitanio Foundation in Piove di Sacco.
The project, aimed at preschool and primary school, was conceived as a pilot experience to bring complex scientific topics into an accessible and engaging educational context, in collaboration with the school and the educational director Maria Paola Carraro.
The common thread of the meetings is the world of proteins, explained in a simple and interactive manner. Starting from the question "what are proteins?", children discover through games and practical activities that these molecules are found in our bodies and in foods, come in various shapes, and perform essential functions. Among the most engaging moments is the symbolic construction of a "protein," which each child can imagine and create personally.
For primary school students, the course also addresses the relationship between proteins, health, and the immune system, with particular attention to the topic of food allergies, a reality already present in the daily lives of many children.
"Explaining chemistry and proteins to the little ones is an idea I had a few years ago, after the arrival of my two children," says Cinzia Franchin. "I saw that these activities are very popular and realized that, if presented in the right way, even more complex concepts can be internalized by children."
From there, the idea of bringing science to schools was born. "Children are very receptive and want to know things even if they don't fully understand them. Their curiosity and sense of wonder when they discover what's behind everyday phenomena motivated me to share these activities with other children," Franchin explains.
One of the main goals of the initiative is to show that science is not something distant from everyday life. "Science is everywhere: in the kitchen, at school, even when you froth the milk for a cappuccino. We want to make children understand that science is part of the world around them."
Thus, the series of workshops represents an experience that brings together university research and schools, with the aim of igniting curiosity, wonder, and interest in the scientific world among young children.
