Image: AI illustration of the bubble and slime activities. It does not depict the Discovery Fair.

Keiki stepped inside giant soap bubbles, squished quicksand goo and cooked up their own slime as Leeward Community College turned its Pearl City campus into a hands-on science playground on Saturday, Nov. 7.

The college's 36th annual Discovery Fair is a free, family-friendly day built to spark curiosity in children of all ages through science, technology, engineering, art and math, often shortened to STEAM.

Families moved through more than 30 interactive stations during the day.

One crowd favorite, Bubblicious Geometry, let kids stand inside giant bubbles.

At the Quicksand Goo table, young scientists poked at a cornstarch-and-water mixture that acts like a solid one moment and a liquid the next.

For returning visitors, the slime table was a must.

Seven-year-old Caden Maruoka told UH News he makes slime every year, and he was waiting his turn at the Slime Time station, where keiki mixed custom slime while learning about chemical bonding.

The loudest gasps likely came from the Exploding Gummy Bears demonstration, in which a gummy bear dropped into heated potassium chlorate burst into a bright flash of heat and light as its sugar combusted.

Leeward CC chemistry instructor Daniel Brayton said demonstrations like that give kids a front-row seat to real chemistry and show them how fun science can be.

Beyond the experiments, the fair offered live music and prize giveaways hosted by 102.7 Da Bomb, balloon creations from Balloon Monsoon and food trucks.

Natalie Kahn, educational activities co-chair of the Discovery Fair planning committee, said the goal is to inspire lifelong learning and introduce young minds to STEAM pathways early.

She described welcoming so many families to campus as a way to plant the seeds for future innovators, thinkers and leaders.

For Pearl City and Aiea families, the fair has become a reliable fall tradition right in the neighborhood, and a free one at that.

Families who missed this year's fair can keep an eye on Leeward Community College's announcements for next year's date.