De Hoe?Zo! Show teaches children that science is anything but boring
Children
Why is water wet? What is ADHD? In De Hoe?Zo! Show, curious 9-and-10-year-olds get answers to their questions. PhD candidates take to the stage to demonstrate just how exciting science can be while enhancing their own communication skills at the same time.
Children are full of questions. De Hoe?Zo! Show gives 9-and-10-year-olds the chance to ask these questions to PhD candidates from universities across the Netherlands. The initiative, organised by Utrecht University and funded by the NWO, aims to teach children how to think critically, ask insightful questions, and assess reliable sources. One of this year’s participating researchers is Anouschka van Dijk, a psychologist from Leiden University. ‘Unfortunately, public trust in science has been declining in recent years. With De Hoe?Zo! Show, I hope we can show children that science and scientists are well-intentioned and trustworthy.’
Not just boring people in lab coats
‘The programme has two parts for the children,’ Van Dijk explains. ‘First, they complete a five-lesson course with their teacher at school. They learn how to formulate strong research questions, conduct simple experiments, find reliable sources, and seek out answers.’ Once the lessons are complete, the children head to the theatre. ‘There, a presenter explains how science works, and we show them that scientists aren’t just dull people in white lab coats. We introduce our research in a way that makes sense to 9-and-10-year-olds. Then, they get the chance to ask us their questions. We have two ten-minute slots to answer three questions from the audience.’ To make complex topics engaging, PhD candidates get creative. Ball pit balls aren’t just used to illustrate gravity, they can also represent photons or even entire planets.
Excitement and disappointment
The energy in the theatre has taken Van Dijk by surprise. ‘I never expected so many hands to shoot up. With two hundredth children in the audience, there are often at least one hundredth questions.’ After the performance, she gets enthusiastic responses. ‘We often get the feedback that children absolutely love it and keep talking about it at school for weeks. Some even come up to us and say: “I want to be a scientist too.”’ However, not all children leave completely satisfied. With only limited time, not every question can be answered, and some topics are too complex to tackle. ‘Luckily, most kids forget their disappointment within ten seconds.’
Comfort zone
For Van Dijk, joining De Hoe?Zo! Show was a natural choice. ‘I used to think of scientists as somewhat boring. As a first-generation university student, academia felt a bit dull to me.’ To introduce children, just like herself, to science, she decided to step out of her comfort zone. After two days of training, she took the plunge. ‘I was incredibly nervous beforehand.’
'‘Once you’ve performed for three hundredth children, teaching a lecture hall of one hundredth bachelor students suddenly feels a lot less intimidating.’
Valuable lessons
It’s not just 9-and-10-year-olds who gain valuable insights from De Hoe?Zo! Show. PhD candidates refine their science communication skills by learning to explain complex concepts in simple terms. Van Dijk also improved her improvisation skills and gained confidence in public speaking. ‘Once you’ve performed for three hundredth children, teaching a lecture hall of one hundredth bachelor students suddenly feels a lot less intimidating.’ Working alongside other researchers also gave her fresh perspectives. ‘Scientists from different fields approach things in ways I’d never considered.’ And, of course, the children themselves taught her something too. ‘I knew kids were more open to new ideas than adults, but seeing it in action was remarkable.’
On March 21st, Van Dijk will take to the stage in Alphen aan den Rijn for her final De Hoe?Zo! Show performance. As always, she will perform three shows in a row. Even though this can be quite exhausting, it doesn't spoil the fun for the PhD candidate. ‘I never feel more uplifted on the train ride home than after De Hoe?Zo! Show,’ she says with a smile.