While school is still weeks away, some young Livingston residents are getting a head start on science. From August 16-27, the Livingston Senior and Community Center is holding two week-long Sciensational Workshop Summer Camps for children ages 6-12.

Laura Tykowski is teaching both workshops this summer. Last week her 12 campers ages 6, 7 and 8 spent a week learning about science through Harry Potter-themed experiments.  The campers made lava lamps, slime, playdoh, crystal trees and rock candy; enjoyed writing in "invisible ink" on specially treated paper that changes color; and learned about static electricity.

After rubbing balloons on their heads, the campers tested the static charge of their balloons by trying to stick them to the ceiling, pick up packing peanuts and even a ping pong ball with the balloon. 

"The static electricity ball was a big hit, the kids had a lot of fun with that," said Tykowski.

"We grew crystals the second to last day so they would be ready to bring home on Friday, something to remember the week by," Tykowski added.

 "We also had fun playing with chromatography," said Tykowski. This involved putting different colors on coffee filters, and watching how they separated.

This week, campers will set their sights on the stars, learning about "Lasers, Galaxies, and Then Some."  Experiments will be conducted with laser pointers, and they will build a variety of tools they can bring home with them, such as a mini microscope, kaleidoscope, spectroscope, periscope, and a constellation watcher.

The Sciensational Workshops for Kids is a New Jersey based company started 30 years ago that has gone national, running workshops in 22 states for both public school districts and private schools. The company offers 23 different workshops,  including several Robotic workshops. It also brings robot workshops and demonstrations to birthday parties.

"Most of what we do- hands-on  science projects- is not done in schools," said owner Neil Schulman.  "With a lot of time taken up  preparing for state mandated tests,  there's not as much hands-on learning today."

Schulman is glad his company is able to offer fun science enrichment that school days don't have time for.  However, it's not all playtime. "Our teachers always ask the kids questions about the experiments; we sneak knowledge on them," said Schulman.

Summer is not the only time for Sciensational Workshops. The company also runs workshops during NJEA Teacher's Convention in November, winter break and spring break.

Next week, beginning Monday, August 30^th,  is a new workshop with new campers.  But the goal will be the same, to nurture  curiosity in science at an early age.

"While right now it's more about fun than learning, I hope that when they're older the science experiments they did will have stuck with them," said Tykowski.

Adds Schulman, "We try to look at each year as a new experience."