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Kids’ Day 2026 at Midland Mall gave the Dow High Space Farmers a strong public-facing moment to combine outreach, recruitment, and NASA-relevant design thinking in a single hands-on exhibit. The team transformed an open mall walkway into a mini “habitat lab”—quick STEM builds at the table, followed by an immersive light-and-design experience that invited kids to think like astronauts. Gabe N. (sophomore) described the approach simply: “I tried to ask them some guiding questions to spark their curiosity so we could have a thoughtful conversation.”
Our footprint was built around two maroon-covered tables and two posters: one highlighting our first peer-reviewed Gravitational and Space Research (GSR) journal paper, and another, “Space Farmers Wanted (by NASA),” inviting families to learn how students can participate in real space-science work. Between the tables, a moon backdrop and a walk-in paper rocket drew foot traffic and made the booth feel like a small interactive exhibit rather than a static display. As Eric (freshman) put it, the color-changing cardboard rocket was “a fun, hands-on way to help kids experience the excitement of space exploration.” Katie (sophomore) also noted how the booth helped the team connect with the wider Kids’ Day community and “get the younger generation excited about STEM,” including conversations with neighboring tables curious about space farming.
The first table emphasized accessible STEM activities for a wide age range: space bracelets, space bookmarks, space straw rockets, and a Lunar Habitat Challenge card game that prompted kids to design future lunar living spaces by selecting essentials such as air, water, and communication systems. The second table served as a demo and information hub, featuring flyers, a growth chamber display, and a 3D-printed lunar crew sleep-quarter prototype with interior RGB LEDs. Sanvi (Junior) reflected on the months of preparation behind the scenes: “It was really great to see the activities we planned for months be such a hit during the actual event.”
“It was really great to see the activities we planned for months be such a hit during the actual event.” ~ Sanvi P.
"A fun moment was when we shifted the light colors of the chamber with the plants inside—and the kids really liked it" ~ Ben C.
"the color-changing cardboard rocket was “a fun, hands-on way to help kids experience the excitement of space exploration" ~ Eric N.
That mix of “space farming” and “space living” helped visitors connect plant-growth systems with habitability questions. Kids compared lighting modes in the growth chamber and then translated those preferences into a human-centered prompt: what lighting would you want if you were sleeping in a crew quarter?
The lighting demo became one of the most memorable parts of the day. Students guided visitors through RGB light options using both the walk-in rocket and the 3D-printed crew-quarter prototype, then asked kids to select their preferred setting in each environment. Ben highlighted a favorite moment: “A fun moment was when we shifted the light colors of the chamber with the plants inside—and the kids really liked it!” Surprisingly, 32 out of 38 participants gave consistent answers across both scenarios—suggesting that even playful prototypes can elicit stable design preferences when the question is grounded in a concrete use case.
“A kid asked if they could go in the light-up rocket ship. That moment made me smile—I knew we’d made someone’s day better and sparked interest in science.” ~ Viktor
For older kids, the Lunar Habitat Challenge extended from card prompts into sketch-based design using half-sheet, self-adhesive color paper. Three standout ideas captured the spirit of the activity: a retractable tether system to keep astronauts (and tools) safely connected during movement outside a habitat; a “bubble shield” concept imagined as an impact-deflecting barrier to bounce away incoming debris; and “helmet helps / moon-breath help” solutions emphasizing life-support reliability as foundational for lunar work.
By the end of the event, Kids’ Day 2026 had achieved three outcomes at once: it made DHSF’s peer-reviewed research visible and approachable, it gave K–12 students authentic entry points into NASA-aligned engineering and habitability challenges, and it generated meaningful, human-centered feedback—especially around lighting preferences—that reinforces why prototyping belongs in early STEM education. Jasmine (Junior) observed that “some had already heard of Space Farmers through the recent publication and local news—others were new to hearing about our club and curious to learn more.” For Viktor (senior), the most rewarding moments were simple: “A kid asked if they could go in the light-up rocket ship. That moment made me smile—I knew we’d made someone’s day better and sparked interest in science.”
Dow High Space Farmers would like to thank NASA HUNCH Academy and Dr. Florence Gold for their support and guidance on activity design and material use. For more information about NASA HUNCH Academy, please visit: https://nasahunchacademy.com/
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