Around 8,000 school pupils and students across Cumbria have been enthralled by shows staged by the National Science Museum in the county.

Children and young people have had the chance to experience feeling like a cloud, making instant ice cream and blowing up balloons as part of the outreach tour from the National Science Museum.

The museum’s Super Cool Show has been investigating the effects of liquid nitrogen, involving pupils and teachers in experiments live on stage.

Additional workshops have also been held for 14-16 year olds and those over the age of 16.

The #ICanToo workshops have seen youngsters learn how to launch mini rockets and make water vanish. Others have been helping to inspire a new generation of budding civil engineers.

The National Science Museum Outreach team has staged shows at Lakes College as well as primary, special needs and secondary schools for the last two weeks.

The shows have been the the brainchild of the REACT Foundation who developed the outreach programme to promote science and engineering to schoolchildren in Copeland and Allerdale, with the aim of inspiring them to study science or engineering at a higher level.

Created in 2004, the Cleator Moor based REACT Foundation has delivered science shows to primary school children since 2007 and added shows for secondary schools from 2009.

Some 56,000 children have taken part in the shows since 2007.

Pete Woolaghan, chairman of the REACT Foundation, said. “The shows are designed to excite and inspire local youngsters to think about the part science and engineering plays in our everyday lives. Whilst the shows are energetic and fun, there is a very clear educational content at each show.”

Support for the scheme has come from Robin Rigg (E.On) and the University of Cumbria.

Professor Julie Mennell, vice chancellor of the university, said: “We are proud to support the foundation’s stimulating work to encourage youngsters on the west coast of Cumbria to get engaged and excited about science and engineering.

“The foundation’s values very much mirror our own - to engage and inspire future generations, for the benefits of individuals as well as our region.”

The university has invested £3.5 million in new science provision, including laboratories and courses to help respond to a regional and national shortage of graduates.

Next month, in a further effort to encourage more pupils to take up science subjects, the University of Cumbria has announced the science shows will be offered to secondary schools across a wider geographical area.