Peace, Human Security and Dignity Week
Slime Musical Instruments Workshop! -- playful steAM --
EXPO 2025 Thematic Project “Invigorating Lives” (Producer NAKAJIMA Sachiko)
This workshop is a part of the series of playful STEAM workshops within the thematic project of EXPO2025, "Invigorating Lives," which takes place at the pavilion "Playground of Lives: Jellyfish Pavilion." It offers a fun and sensory physical Playful Inclusive STEAM Workshop experience. Led by some youths, children aged 0 to 120 will create wonderful slime with diversified haptics, by mixing a variety of materials together. They will use all five senses to shape something unique. A touch of magical wonder will be involved... we would explore the inclusive "music" experiences.
Recorded video available
Discussion
- Inclusive
| Transmission of simultaneous interpretation | Provided |
|---|---|
| Language of interpretation | Japanese and English |
-
Signature Programme
- Time and
Date of
the event -
-
2025.08.04[Mon]
10:30 ～ 12:30
(Venue Open 10:15)
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- Venue
- Pavilion
- Playground of Lives: Jellyfish Pavilion
Programme details
*Subtitles: Choose “Subtitles/CC” in the “Settings” (gear icon) at the bottom right of the YouTube video.
*Subtitles may not show with multiple languages or overlapping audio.
This workshop is part of the thematic project "Invigorating Lives," and is held at the pavilion "Playground of Life: Jellyfish Pavilion" as part of a series of fun, sensory Playful Inclusive STEAM Workshops.
At the Jellyfish Pavilion, there are intuitive instruments that, when touched, generate sound and light, and even influence the central "Tree of Creation." In this workshop, participants will create slime together while enjoying the experience of mixing various materials to form slimes with different textures. They will then decorate their slimes with colors, scents, and other embellishments. At the same time, by wearing special magical devices, they will experience the wonder of seeing and hearing sounds and lights emanating from the slime they created. In the end, participants will have the chance to enjoy the sound of their own slime and perform, creating a harmonious symphony where their body and slime come together as one, playing the "music of life."
Jelly Harmony enjoyable for all the people, even who cannot see or hear or move hands. Through this workshop, many students will be involved, and we hope participants will feel a sense of excitement and anticipation, and embrace the joy of diversity, realizing that they too are helping to shape the future and experiencing the invigorating feeling of life in motion.
*This workshop will be led by students.
*We would hold several workshops within these 2 hours.
Reports
【Reflection】
On August 4, the Jellyfish: Playground of Life Pavilion hosted a “Slime Instrument Workshop,” led primarily by a team of university students and young facilitators. In this hands-on STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Mathematics) program, children created their own slime and transformed it into a playable instrument using a small “magical tool” — a simple electronic component.
The workshop space was filled with colorful samples and materials, sparking excitement among the children as they exclaimed, “I want to make this one!” Participants freely chose their favorite colors, scents, beads, and glitter to design unique creations. Although slime-making might appear easy, it came with its own challenges — some mixtures wouldn’t solidify, while others turned too runny. Yet, rather than giving up, the children experimented again and again, asking, “What if I try this?” or “Maybe I should mix a little more.” Through this process of trial and error, they displayed remarkable creativity and problem-solving — like true young researchers.
As soon as the signboard was set up, children began pulling their parents by the hand toward the booth, and within minutes the space was full of laughter and enthusiasm. Many siblings and friends joined together, each crafting entirely different designs and textures, teaching one another and comparing results. Their interactions — filled with curiosity, sharing, and discovery — embodied the essence of learning through play, a core principle of STEAM education.
In the final stage, participants attached a small electronic part prepared by the staff and experienced the moment when their handmade slime transformed into a musical instrument. The slime produced sound when touched, with pitch and tone changing based on movement and texture. The children’s astonishment was palpable — “Why does it make noise?” “Is it electricity?” “The sound changes when I touch it!” — and in their excitement, a natural curiosity for science began to bloom. In reality, the mechanism used the conductive properties of slime combined with a simple electrical circuit, subtly embedding real scientific and engineering principles into a playful experience.
This workshop also succeeded as a co-creative learning space where young facilitators and children created, experimented, and learned together. Through the familiar material of slime, science connected with art, and music merged with technology. The result was a joyful expression of the Jellyfish Pavilion’s mission — nurturing diverse forms of creativity and fostering a living rhythm of curiosity and imagination.
(University Students Team: Sou Nakajima, Sayaka Akiyama, Moe Shimada, Syouki Ichihashi)
【Post EXPO Initiatives】
Through the Slime Instrument Workshop, we—university students from steAm, the organizers—learned deeply from the boundless creativity and curiosity of the children who participated. Their innocent questions, such as “Why does it make sound?”, “Is it electricity?”, and “Why does the sound change when I touch it?” captured the very essence of learning itself and embodied the spirit of STEAM education, which bridges science and art. Building on this experience, we aim to further evolve the program into one that deepens both curiosity and understanding.
In future iterations, we plan to expand the variety of slime types available and, more importantly, move beyond simply making and playing slime-based instruments to co-creating the instruments themselves with the children. By assembling simple electronic circuits and using slime as a conductive medium, participants will be able to experience firsthand the principles of electricity and sound. This hands-on approach will connect science, engineering, music, and design in a natural and playful way—an authentic embodiment of the creative power of STEAM.
The university and youth team will continue to lead the workshop’s design and refinement. We will improve materials, recipes, and procedures to ensure consistent results while preserving the freedom for participants to express their own ideas. Enhanced reference samples and explanatory materials will also be prepared, creating an environment where children can actively explore their own “why?” questions and develop their sense of inquiry.
Looking ahead, we hope to expand this workshop beyond the Jellyfish Pavilion to schools, community centers, and science museums. Using slime—a familiar and enjoyable material—as a medium, we will provide opportunities for people of all ages to experience the intersection of science and art, bringing the spirit of STEAM learning into educational and public spaces.
This initiative, led by young people and co-created with children, is becoming a model for learning together across generations and disciplines. Through the Slime Instrument project, we aim to further develop a learning cycle that integrates making, understanding, and expressing, cultivating a future culture of education where creativity, curiosity, and life itself resonate in harmony.
Cast
Moderator
NAKAJIMA Sachiko
Thematic Project ”Invigorating Lives" (Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition)
Musician, a mathematics researcher, and a STEAM Educator. She is also CEO of steAm, Inc.,the representative director of steAm BAND Association and a thematic project producer of Expo 2025, Osaka, Kansai, Japan. She also serves as a STEM Girls Ambassador, Cabinet Office. She won the gold medal as the first Japanese woman in the International Mathematical Olympiad. She passionately conducts research on art and technology as well as music, mathematics, and education. Winner of 2025 Power Of Radiance Award by Cle deau Peau Beaute (Shiseido).
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Sou Nakajima
NIC International College in Japan
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Sayaka Akiyama
Shikoku University
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Moe Shimada
Shikoku University
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Shouki Ichikawa
Shikoku University
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Takeshi Suzuka
steAm, Inc.
Associate Professor at Shikoku University and Marketing Architect at steAm Inc. He leads nationwide STEAM education workshops and lectures, with a focus on applying generative AI in learning. Awarded the Excellent Teacher Award by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) and serves as a Textbook Examination Committee Member. He actively promotes experiential learning through camps, product development, and community-based projects.
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Chenhe Zhang
steAm, Inc.
Chenhe Zhang (張宸赫 Nick) is a mexied media artist and designer from China. He holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Recording Engineering from the Communication University of China and a Master’s degree from New York University’s Interactive Telecommunications Program (ITP). He has worked at the National Museum of China and the Art and Science Research Center in Beijing and has taken on many roles throughout his career, including creative director, graphic designer, curator, theatre manager, and recording engineer. Currently based in Japan, works at steAm Inc. as a media designer and artist.
In his artistic and design practice, everyday life and diverse cultures has being the main inpiration for his creation. His projects span interactive media and installations, motion graphics, posters, and creative products. Often playful and whimsical, his work merges science, technology, art, and design, aiming to inspire people to embrace creativity and think in unique, unexpected ways.
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Co-organiser
steAm, Inc.
Peace, Human Security and Dignity Week
Slime Musical Instruments Workshop! -- playful steAM --
This workshop is a part of the series of playful STEAM workshops within the thematic project of EXPO2025, "Invigorating Lives," which takes place at the pavilion "Playground of Lives: Jellyfish Pavilion." It offers a fun and sensory physical Playful Inclusive STEAM Workshop experience. Led by some youths, children aged 0 to 120 will create wonderful slime with diversified haptics, by mixing a variety of materials together. They will use all five senses to shape something unique. A touch of magical wonder will be involved... we would explore the inclusive "music" experiences.
-
2025.08.04[Mon]
10:30～12:30
(Venue Open 10:15)
- Pavilion
- * Programme times and content are subject to change. Any changes will be announced on this website and via the ticket booking system.
- * The schedule is subject to change depending on the organiser's circumstances.
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