Molecule Trails - Keele University

Molecule Trails

Looking for a one-off molecules based activity? Our Molecules Trails provide a fun treasure hunt style competition suitable for all ages. We will provide you with molecules to suit your event theme. The activity can be used in a number of ways to encourage participants to learn about molecules.

  • Identify molecules from photos or clues based on their structures.
  • Link molecules to locations and get participants to guess the link.
  • Have a themed display and match the molecules to products containing them
    - for example, a food and drink theme with caffeine / coffee, vanillin / vanilla ice cream etc.

Bollington

Molecules on display in show windows as part of the Bollington Molecules Hunt

For an example, have a look at our Bollington Molecules Hunt Competition - 15 molecules were displayed around the town during the month long Bollington Festival. Each molecule was themed to its location - protein in the butchers, paracetamol in the chemists and linalool, the smell of lavender in the gift shop. Some comments from competition entrants were:

A great way to incorporate an understanding of science with a treasure hunt.  It has made science fun for all ages!
  
It was great! I guess it was aimed at the kids, but I’m 44 and hope not to win!
   
I really enjoyed finding them with mummy.  My favourite was salt and vinegar.

We have also created a molecules trail around the festival marquee at the Birmingham Science Festival 2010 and we have teamed up with the Catalyst Discovery Centre to create a molecules trail around their building featuring molecules linked with their exhibitions.

Interested in creating your own Molecules Trail? Contact us to discuss ideas.