In the words of Bill Nye the Science Guy: “Science rules!”

Baylor College of Medicine medical students are sharing this lesson with children and families at Texas Children’s Cancer and Hematology Center through the Wonder Lab mobile cart, which is filled with materials for fun activities that aid in teaching a science lesson. Second-year medical students Naomi Kass and Ashley Chavana launched the project in August 2023.

“We wanted to do something that’s both educational and fun with the kids,” Kass said. “With older kids, we can explain the scientific concept behind the project, and with younger kids, it’s a fun activity for them do. Most projects involve making something they can take home as a fun memory of the experience.”

The Wonder Lab is part of the School of Medicine’s Service Learning Program, a student-led yearlong community volunteer program. Ten student volunteers take turns with shifts every Thursday morning at the Texas Children’s Cancer and Hematology Center’s outpatient clinic. Kass and Chavana worked with the Periwinkle Arts In Medicine Program at Texas Children’s to procure supplies needed to launch the Wonder Lab.

Patients are welcome at Wonder Lab, as well as their siblings or other family members who may be visiting the hospital.

Each week, a new activity teaches a new lesson. For example, creating a lava lamp from scratch taught kids about convection currents and density, and an upcoming project to make a snow globe will teach them about gravity.

A recent favorite activity involved writing with invisible ink. “We had the kids write a message on paper with lemon juice. Then, we heated the paper and the lemon juice oxidized so you could see the message. We tailor the explanation to their age and learning level,” Chavana said.

Kass and Chavana started planning the Wonder Lab last spring and came up with a full year’s worth of activities and lessons. In the first months of the activity, they have received positive feedback from both kids and parents. “It’s been very gratifying to see our idea come to life and be successful,” Kass said.

“Seeing the joy on the faces of the kids and their parents is really rewarding,” Chavana said. “When people are in the hospital, it’s not because it’s fun. It’s nice to bring a sense of normalcy and joy to them.”

By Molly Chiu