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Brainwaves: Exploring the Brain by the Sea

01 December 2025

The Brainwaves outreach initiative brought the excitement of neuroscience research to 40 Year 4 (9 year old) pupils from Sidmouth Primary and St John’s School. Hosted in Kennaway House on Devon’s coast, this day of seaside science invited children to explore how their brains help them think, move, and feel.

As part of the Sidmouth Science Festival, Public Engagement manager Dr Leigh Wilson and researchers from the Centre for Developmental Neurobiology (Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience); Dr Connor Sproston, Dr Darren Williams, Alexi Mery, Professor Richard Wingate and Dr Ryan Cheng delivered an one-day neuroscience outreach workshop for local Year 4 pupils. Presenting to a slightly older audience, Dr Ryan Cheng also shared his research on fruit fly nervous system development at Science in the Pub.

Dr Ryan Cheng teaching Brainwaves pupils — Dr Ryan Cheng (Centre for Developmental Neurobiology, School of Neuroscience) formed part of the Brainwaves team. Part of the activities involved making giant collages of the structure of the brain.

Brainwaves kicked off with lively introductions and an icebreaker about “what your brain helps you do,” with pupils then rotating through a carousel of creative, hands-on neuroscience activities. They built pipe-cleaner neurons, painted pebble “brain cells”, and constructed colourful, giant collages to map the brain’s function and structure. The afternoon continued with a wobbly “brain jelly” dissection and a beach-ball “action potential” relay that turned brain physiology into play.

Integrating art, play, and tactile exploration helps translate complex neuroscience into experiences that children can see, touch, and imagine. Activities like neuron-building and brain collage not only spark curiosity but also support inclusive teaching practice by engaging different ways of learning including visual, verbal, and kinaesthetic modes. This multi-modal approach helps young learners recognise that science is not abstract or distant, but something they can actively explore and shape (Wilson, 2019).

Dr Connor Sproston helping pupils build pipe cleaner neurons — Dr Connor Sproston (Centre for Developmental Neurobiology, School of Neuroscience) taught pupils about the structure of neurons using pipe cleaners. The students made their own neurons of different shapes and varieties.

Just as importantly, meeting real researchers in a relaxed, playful setting in a neutral, welcoming, location helps children see scientists as approachable role models, showing that discovery is driven by diverse approaches, creativity, teamwork, and fun. By the end of the day, every child left with their own pipe cleaner neuron model, brain stickers, pebble neuron, wonderful fun neuroscience learning memories and a spark of scientific curiosity to take home and share with friends and family.

It was so exciting to see how complex neuroscience can be made accessible through play and creativity and meeting children where they are at. The children asked the same kind of curiosity-driven questions that researchers do —how, why, and what if?”– Dr Leigh Wilson, Public Engagement Manager, Centre for Developmental Neurobiology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience

1. Wilson LJ. 2019. Teaching children about the brain using the world around you. Neuronline.