Super Science Birthday Party

For my son's 8th Birthday, I hosted a Super Science Party here at the house.  We had a few cousins and a few friends, making 13 kids all together (ranging in age from 2 to almost 10).  While it got quite loud at times and a bit crazy, everyone seemed to have a blast!  Plus, even though I had a decent amount of prep work getting everything set up, it only cost  around $150 for everything (including food for 24 people). Here's a summary of the day's events...

 

Setting up our "lab"...

 A small welcome sign instructing guests to pick up

safety goggles, a magnifying glass, science notebook and lab coat.

 I ordered the safety goggles from HERE on Amazon

and they helped the kids feel like "real" scientists!

I also made a science notebook for each kid with all of the experiments

we would be doing at the party (and a few more they could take home).

I included a list of supplies, the directions, a spot for note taking

and the science behind each experiment.

I just made copies of everything 

and put them in an inexpensive three-pronged folder.

It's HERE as a printable if you want to see or use it yourself.

Thanks to some connections at a health care facility,

I was able to get the disposable lab coats for free!

I just wrote each child's name on them with a Sharpie.

The big scientist wall decoration was borrowed from a generous

teacher at the school where I work part time.

The Experiments...

This was the real focus of the party and a ton of fun.  As much as possible, I separated and prepped all the supplies ahead of time.  We separated the kids into two groups to make the size more manageable and my mom and sister ran one experiment downstairs while I ran another one upstairs.  All the other adults also stepped in to help measure and pour when needed.  It was still a bit hectic at times (as it will always be with a bunch of kids), but overall, everything went off without a hitch.

Here are the experiments we did with links to more detailed posts here on the blog or back to my original source if I didn't do a whole post on it myself.

1.  Walking Water ( idea from HERE at Play Based Learning)

The water will "walk" from one cup to the other through the paper towel.

(NOTE: When I tested this experiment before the party, I used a cheap paper towel from a paper towel dispenser and the water took a few hours to move from cup to cup.

However, for the party I picked up a roll of Bounty paper towels thinking it would work even better.

I was wrong!  The good paper towels were so absorbent the water was trapped in the towel.

I had to sneak and pour some water into the second cup
when no little scientists were looking.

So if you're going to do this experiment, go with the less absorbent, cheap paper towels!)

2.  Swirling Colors Milk (full post HERE)

. 

3.  Make-Your-Own Lava Lamps (full post HERE)
NOTE: The full post was from last summer when we first made these.  At the party we did the same thing, but in smaller bottles.

4.  Exploding Sandwich Bags (full post HERE)

5.  Elephant Toothpaste (full post HERE)

6.  Marshmallow Masher (idea from HERE at Steve Spangler Science)

NOTE: I don't have any pictures of this one.  Even though the experiment worked, the results weren't quite as dramatic as I'd hoped.

 7. Floating m's (idea from HERE at CandyExperiments.com)

NOTE:  This experiment worked and was pretty cool, but for some reason, I didn't get any pictures at the party.  (Maybe it had something to do with 13 noisy, experimenting kids running around my house! ;)  )  I'm sure we'll do it again and I'll do a full post then!)

For the children to take home, I gave them the supplies to do the following experiments...


8.  Ivory Soap Explosion (full post HERE)

 9.  Bending Water (idea from HERE at Science Bob)

NOTE:  We tested this out at home, really cool!

10. Spinning Penny (idea from HERE at Steve Spangler Science)

NOTE:  We've also tested this one out and the kids love it. 

Finally, the FOOD...

Because I knew I'd have my hands full with all the experiments and all the kids, I kept the food simple.  Pizza is my son's favorite food anyway, so I ordered several pizzas as our main dish. Then I added a few bowls of chips and a few sides 

Colorful Chemistry Concoctions  ( Ice Cream Jello ~ 
full post HERE)

 Make-your-Own Molecules (blueberries, grapes, raspberries and marshmallows with small straws)

Birthday Cupcakes

I didn't have the time (or the decorating skills) to make a fancy cake, however I thought this was just as cute.  I just made regular chocolate and vanilla cupcakes and added little cupcake toppers I designed on Picnik.  Then, I made my own little cupcake stand, just like I did HERE.
 

  
Oh, and to make serving the ice cream easier, I scooped it all out the morning of the party and put the individual scoops in a muffin tin.  When it came time to serve, we just handed each kid their own scoop of ice cream in a cupcake wrapper.

Phew, and that's it!  I know this was a super long post, but I hope it gave you some fun ideas if you're thinking of having your own Science Party.   

Sharing our fun party at: 


Here Comes The Sun 
A turtles Life for Me 
Nurture Store 
Science Sparks 
Tatertots and Jello 
I heart Naptime 
Brassy Apple 
Craft-O-Maniac 
Skip to My Lou 
Blue Cricket Design