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LIIDLII KUE/FORT SIMPSON - The parking lot of Thomas Simpson school rang with shrieks of excitement and wonder on Friday as a group of youth learned about chemical reactions.

Piercing cries rang out every time a film canister rocket left the ground.

Participants at the Elephant Thoughts' summer science camp in Fort Simpson surround instructor Jeremy Rhodes as he demonstrates the principal of density using a homemade Cartesian diver. - Roxanna Thompson/NNSL photo

Filled with vinegar and topped with baking soda, the resulting reaction sent the canisters shooting skyward in a fizzy explosion. The experiment was one of the final ones in a series that lasted all week during the Elephant Thoughts summer science camp.

The camp, held in Fort Simpson from July 21-25, introduced 25 youth, aged six to 12, to the wonders of science.

Hands-on experiments included building telescopes, making ice cream, creating pictures using light sensitive paper and making Cartesian divers.

"The summer camps are geared at learning through play," said Jeremy Rhodes, the founder and executive director of Elephant Thoughts, an educational charity based out of Collingwood, Ont.

One of Elephant Thoughts' primary objectives is to ensure the availability of proper education to children all over the world.

The summer science camps are one of the programs that the organization uses to meet that goal. Science is a good tool to use to inspire kids to learn, said Rhodes.

"Hooking them and getting them amazed and getting them curious is what science is all about," he said.

The younger participants have a lot of fun and the older children pick up more of the scientific principals, said Rhodes.

Every camp includes a bit of environmental science but also branches into chemistry, physics and biology.

This year the environmental science activities include dissecting owl pellets and making bird callers.

"The six to 12-year-olds are easy to hook with activities like this," said Rhodes.

This is the second year the science camp has been held in the village. Brighter Futures with Liidlii Kue First Nation sponsored the camp.

After a week of experiments Sage Fabre-Dimsdale was sold on being a chemist when he grows up.

"It was really fun," he said.

Fabre-Dimsdale said he particularly enjoyed making the bird callers and then going on a walk to test them out. While calling for birds a swallow answered back, he said.