There is plenty for kids to enjoy at Coast Day celebration, Oct. 2

12:02 p.m., Sept. 23, 2011--Coast Day, the University of Delaware’s annual celebration of the sea, attracts everyone from seafood lovers to people who want to know more about the coast. But if there’s one group that’s sure to enjoy this special day, it’s children.

Activities for kids at Coast Day provide a hands-on view of the ocean and coastal environment and include opportunities to do things such as touch live marine animals, learn all about rocks and fossils, and see robots used to perform marine science research.

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The free event will be held Sunday, Oct. 2, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., rain or shine, at UD’s Hugh R. Sharp Campus in Lewes. It is sponsored by the College of Earth, Ocean, and Environment and the Delaware Sea Grant College Program.

Families making the trip to Coast Day will want to make the Information Tent their first stop. There they can pick up their Coast Day events program and Treasure Hunt map, which lets kids answer questions related to Coast Day events and win cool prizes.

Families can use the event program to see which activities are especially kid-friendly. Exhibits and demonstrations that kids will love are marked with a special children’s activity icon. One example is the “Chemical Magic Show,” which features dazzling chemical magic tricks that will not only amaze the audience, but also explain various marine-related phenomena. See the show at 12:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m.

Coast Day is supported by DuPont Clear into the Future, Gamesa Corp., NRG Bluewater Wind, OSG Ship Management Inc., UTEC Survey Inc., Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, WMDT CW-3, Lewes Historical Society, Lewes Chamber of Commerce, PNC Bank, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

While Coast Day parking and admission are free, vendors will be selling food and other items. There is no ATM on the campus grounds. 

The full Coast Day program is available on the website www.decoastday.org. For more information about Coast Day, visit the website or call 302-831-8083. 

Note to the UD community: Free bus transportation to Lewes from Newark will be available for UD students and employees. Learn more. 

Photos by Margaret Tossey and Tammy Beeson