Colorful drawers filled with magnifying glasses, insect collections, pocket microscopes, minerals, fossils, and specimens of sea life, mammals, and reptiles invite students to discover the hands-on learning activities that await them inside Fair Oaks Elementary School’s new Exploratorium. 

The Exploratorium, designed by students for students, is open during school days and available to the community on the first and third Saturday of the month in conjunction with the Pearson Middle School Fresh Market and clothing store. 

Instead of paying about $100 for a family of four to visit a science center or children’s museum, the Fair Oaks community can explore the school’s Exploratorium for free. The interactive activities, suitable for all ages from toddler through fifth grade, provide children a place to explore, create, and make discoveries. 

The Exploratorium includes a student exhibit area so students can learn from other students. Inside the Creation Station, students can use their imagination to create works of art and unique projects. The Discovery area features bins with a variety of activities, from brain games like Rubik’s cubes to items related to human anatomy, the Revolutionary War, and much more. There’s also a Dundy play couch students can build into different shapes and forts.

From the walls to the floor, the play area welcomes students to explore the world of Legos, balls, cars, and more.

Last year, Fair Oaks educators set the goal to make learning fun, which launched their plans to open the Exploratorium on campus. Thanks to their fundraising efforts and support from the Cobb Schools STEM Department, the educators were recently able to cut the ribbon on the new learning space.

Fair Oaks students served as tour guides for all the families and community members who explored the space the students helped create. In addition to the exploration that takes place during the school week, more families have already taken advantage of the free learning space on the weekend.