STEM Center
An incredible STEM Center experience awaits at this year’s Air Show, giving fans of all ages the chance to try fun, hands-on activities that showcase what STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) and aviation are all about. The STEM Center will be available to fans each day as soon as gates open at 10am.
At the Thunder Over Louisiana Air Show Presented by Kia of Lake Charles, our goal is to get people excited about the many opportunities in STEM and aviation. We are immensely grateful to The Police Jury of Calcasieu Parish, LA for helping make this goal a reality.
The STEM Center will feature activities from Region 5, McNeese State University, and SOWELA Technical Community College. Guests will be able to explore interactive exhibits and learn about future careers in our region.
General “Open for Fun” Activities
In addition to the scheduled main events, these continuous activity stations will be open all day for kids to get hands-on STEM experience:
Drone Simulator Time Trial Challenge
A simulator station where attendees can try to beat the fastest lap time on a virtual drone course. Great for high-level engagement without the risk of crashing physical drones!
Sphero Maze
Open driving and coding practice. Kids can take turns navigating the robotic balls through a designated floor maze.
Paper Plane Challenge
An engineering and aerodynamics station. Kids design, fold, and test their own paper airplanes for distance or accuracy.
Whirly Bird Paper Activity
A fun, simple aerodynamics activity where kids create and customize paper helicopters (whirly birds) and test how adding weight (like paperclips) or changing the wings affects their flight and fall speed.
Stomp Rockets
A high-energy physics activity! Kids launch foam rockets using air pressure.
Fizzy Rockets
Chemistry in action! Using water and Alka-Seltzer tablets inside film canisters to create a chemical reaction that pops the rocket into the air.
Blaze Pods
A fast-paced physical reaction game! Kids test their agility and reaction times by tapping flashing light pods, demonstrating how athletes use data, technology, and biology for training.
