Belly Up The Children's Museum getting ready to drop some science on ice cream

Good science education starts with upending expectations, and when the oft-philosophical Adam Yauch declaimed "Droppin' science like Galileo dropped the orange," progressive educational types understood. Rambling toddlers and tykes who just like climbing in trees may not be thinking about gravity, physics, and science, but it's all around them. How better to connect kids with the scientific method then by focusing on the mechanics of their favorite thing: ice cream? On Dec. 27 at noon, the Madison Children's Museum will upend dessert by analysis, using science to demonstrate how to make the frozen confection. This simple treat reveals many secrets when viewed through the super-useful filter of the modern scientific method: Kids will find out why ice freezes, how and why it melts, and how simple ingredients combine to make the best thing ever. And the promise of eventually eating the ice cream goes a long way toward keeping kids’ attention. This is a “drop-in” activity, so no registration is required and all ages are welcome. Free with the $8 museum admission.

FATSOMETER: 3. The event is more about chemistry and less about eating, but every kid will get a few dollops of ice cream, which is delicious when made from scratch and even more so when one is personally involved in making it.