Magic and science combine to enchant, teach children

Las Cruces native Britton A. Goodwin has always been fascinated with science and magic performances, so he combined them to create Professor Bah-Boom Educational Entertainment.

As Professor Bah-Boom, his performance props are a lab coat, various chemicals and household items and a table, where he performs his act for whatever size audience books the gig. The goal behind the business, he said, is “educating children about science and math through hands-on demonstrations and experiments.

“By using common supplies, I guide children on how to conduct scientific experiments in a safe environment,” he said. “I then address the physics behind it all and further explain what we did to create each scientific reaction.”

Equipped with a self-written “cookbook of about 100 experiments,” Goodwin said he uses each one to bring to light what he calls “the FUN-damentals of chemistry, physics, and engineering.”

“One example is mixing food dye, glue and laundry booster together to make colored slime,” he said. “This helps demonstrate some basic principles of chemistry and the chemical bonding process. Once the slime is finished, the young scientist then has his or her very own sensory manipulative that they helped to create.”

Before COVID-19, Goodwin said he performed at birthday parties and other special events for $110 an hour, which covered his prep time, performance time, supplies and tax.

“This allowed me to make enough profit to cover things such as travel expenses, insurance, advertising and living expenses,” he said.

Then came COVID-19, which forced him to develop web-based educational packages in a price range of $35 to $90. The goal, he said, is to have affordable, differentiated educational lessons that any family can afford.

“The curriculum will be based on learning through experiments,” he said. “I’m planning to provide prepackaged experiments to families who would rather avoid the trip to the store for supplies. I will then lead the young scientists through each experiment via video call.”

Despite adapting to COVID-19, Goodwin said Prof. Bah-Boom Educational Entertainment is dedicated to the education and scientific enrichment of the children in Las Cruces.

“The overall goal of the business has always been to teach children about the world of science through fun, laughs and hands-on learning. This goal remains unchanged, but the pandemic requires us all to find a new normal,” he said.

Email Goodwin at professorbahboom@gmail.com or search for Professor-Bah-Boom on Facebook.