Mad Science Party Bags & Treats

My final post about our Mad Science Party with just a few tips about the party bags.  If you want to read all the details about the party you can visit the Jacksonville Moms Blog.

Favors: Now I would say that sending the kids home with their lab coat, ID badge and goggles would be enough and a party bag isn’t necessary. We had ordered some items before I realized we were going to be doing the lab coats so I went ahead and did party bags. 

Pro Tip: Skip the party bags and just send the kids home with their lab coats and goggles.

Mad Science Party Decorations and Details

Those little details are what really make a party pop.  You can read all about our recent Mad Science Party over on the Jacksonville Moms Blog.

Decorations: Our decorations for this party were a piece of cake. The banner I made using graphics from the Periodic Table Writer. On the tables were jars that I filled with colored water and random plastic snakes, spiders, brains, etc. The dollar store was a great resource for animals that “grow” when you soak them in water.   I added dry ice to our juice containers before serving and the kids thought it was amazing.

Pro Tip: Dry ice is an awesome special effect, but it should be handled with care and is NEVER to be ingested. I used it in containers with spigots where I knew the kids would not be able to drink it. Many Publix stores sell dry ice, and you can use the dry ice finder site to see where you can buy it in your area.

Mad Science Party Experiments

We did some great experiments at our recent Mad Science Party.  You can read all about it over at the Jacksonville Moms Blog.

Experiments: After all the kids arrived we began the experiments. This was the highlight of the party for everyone. I had premeasured and prepped all the ingredients ahead of time so that each experiment was ready to go when we got to that station. If you’re having a party for older kids (I would say 6 and older) then check out my post of science experiments, complete with ingredients and directions. If you’re having a party for younger kids (under age 6) then take a look at some of the experiments in Nicole’s post.

Pro Tip: If it’s in your budget, purchase some test tubes with lids and use those to premeasure some of your ingredients for your experiments. It made the kids feel like they were real scientists.

Mad Science Party Graphics

I loved using my Etsy graphics on so many different items at our Mad Science Party.  You can read all about it over on the Jacksonville Moms Blog.

Graphics: Although I usually like to create my own graphics, I decided to purchase some digital images off Etsy. The nice thing about purchasing a set of graphics is that you can use them for various different items at your party. I printed water bottle labels, stickers and even made cupcake toppers using the same set of graphics.

Pro Tip: Before you purchase images do a search for free clip art and see if there’s anything you can use.

Finger Scanning App for Mad Science Party

Just one of the fun details from our Mad Science Party.  You can see all the info over on the Jacksonville Moms Blog.

Checking In: Once the kids were all decked out in their lab coats and goggles it was time for them to officially check in to the party. I downloaded a Fingerprint Security Scanner app for our iPad (it’s also available for the iPhone) and set my nephew up at a station either allowing or denying access to the party. The rule was he had to allow access to all the little kids, but he could have fun denying the adults.

Pro Tip: Pay the $.99 for the ad free version of the app.

Kid Lab Coats and Goggles for a Mad Science Party

We gave each kid their own lab coat, goggles, and ID badge at our Mad Science Party.  You can read about all the details over on the Jacksonville Moms Blog.

Lab Gear: When the kids arrived we had a lab coat, badge and safety goggles waiting for each of them. The lab coats are nothing more than men’s dress shirts with the sleeves cut off. Since I sew, I hemmed the sleeves to be the correct length but you could easily just roll them up. I asked our friends and family to give me any white dress shirts that they weren’t using and the rest I found at Goodwill for just a few dollars a piece. The badges were printed out at home and put in holders from the office supply shop. 

Pro Tip: The goggles we got for free when the kids attended a Lowes Build & Grow Event (also free). We just kept putting them away until we had enough for the party. You can always buy them, but remember I’m frugal, so free works for me.

Mad Science Birthday Party Invitations

Here are the details for the invitations we sent out for our Mad Science Party.  You can see all the details over on the Jacksonville Moms Blog.

Invitations: We decided to send all the little scientists a padded envelope that included the invitation, a mini magnifying glass, and a small test tube filled with candy. The Thank You Notes you see pictured were created in using a free Periodic Table Writer. I also used this program to create the banner we hung to decorate for the party.

Pro Tip: Do NOT place stickers on the outside of the envelope that read “toxic”. The post office does not think this is cute and they will question you as if you are on the terrorist watch list and possibly even make you remove them. Trust me on this.

Mad Science Birthday Party {as seen on Jacksonville Moms Blog}

The other day I posted the details from our recent Mad Science Party over on the Jacksonville Moms Blog.  

Science Experiments {Live on the News}

A few weeks ago the kids and I made an appearance on our local Chanel 4 Morning Show to do some science experiments live on the air.  It was shot in 2 separate segments so you can view our clips here and here.  If you're interested in doing some of your own science experiments you can get the full supply list and instructions over on the Jacksonville Moms Blog.

Disappearing Iodine Water Experiment {as seen on Jacksonville Moms Blog}

Recently I wrote a post for the Jacksonville Moms Blog highlighting some of my favorite science experiments for big kids.  These were all done for the Mad Science Party we threw for Cole's 8th birthday.  Here are the details for the Disappearing Iodine Water Experiment.

Disappearing Iodine Water

Materials: 2 cups of water (about 1/2 way full), Vitamin C, Iodine, Droppers

Directions: Fill 2 plastic cups 1/2 way full with ordinary room temperature water. Crush up 2 vitamin C tablets and stir the powder into one of the cups of water. Add approximately a tablespoon of Iodine to the other cup of water. Use your droppers to carefully mix a few drops of iodine water into the vitamin C water. You’ll see that the dark brown Iodine water “disappears” when it hits the vitamin C water. Be careful with this experiment because Iodine will stain clothes (and lab coats). The good news is that some of that vitamin C water will get it out.

Why it works: When Iodine and vitamin C (ascorbic acid) are combined in solution, a chemical reaction takes place. In this chemical reaction, the vitamin C (ascorbic acid) molecule loses electrons, which are transferred to the Iodine molecule.

Inflate A Balloon Experiment {as seen on Jacksonville Moms Blog}

Recently I wrote a post for the Jacksonville Moms Blog highlighting some of my favorite science experiments for big kids.  These were all done for the Mad Science Party we threw for Cole's 8th birthday.  Here are the details for the Inflate A Balloon Experiment.

Inflate A Balloon

Materials: Small Empty Water Bottle, Baking Soda, Vinegar, Balloon, Funnel

Directions: Use the funnel to fill your balloon with 2-3 tablespoons of baking soda. Fill your small water bottle about ½ full with vinegar. Carefully put the top of your balloon over the mouth of the water bottle. Don’t dump the baking soda in until it is secure. Hold your balloon upright and gently shake it so that all the baking soda falls down into the vinegar.

Why it works: The baking soda and the vinegar create an ACID-BASE reaction and the two chemicals work together to create a gas (carbon dioxide). Gasses need a lot of room to spread out and the carbon dioxide starts to fill the bottle, and then moves into the balloon to inflate it.

Dissolving Styrofoam Experiment {as seen on Jacksonville Moms Blog}

Recently I wrote a post for the Jacksonville Moms Blog highlighting some of my favorite science experiments for big kids.  These were all done for the Mad Science Party we threw for Cole's 8th birthday.  Here are the details for the Dissolving Styrofoam Experiment.

Dissolving Styrofoam

Materials: Styrofoam Cups, Maximum Strength Acetone (nail polish remover), Droppers

Directions: Pour the acetone over the Styrofoam and watch it dissolve (it is dissolving, it is NOT melting).

Why it works: Styrofoam is made up of polystyrene foam. When the polystyrene dissolves in the acetone, the air in the foam is released, causing it to look like you’re dissolving this massive quantity of material into a small volume of liquid.

Exploding Film Canister Science Experiment {as seen on Jacksonville Moms Blog}

Recently I wrote a post for the Jacksonville Moms Blog highlighting some of my favorite science experiments for big kids.  These were all done for the Mad Science Party we threw for Cole's 8th birthday.  Here are the details for the Exploding Film Canister Experiment.

Exploding Film Canister

Materials: Film Canister, Water, Alka-Seltzer Tablet

Directions: Fill the film canister 3/4 full of water. Add Alka-Seltzer (generic brand works just as well) tablet and close the lid tight. Stand back and watch the lid shoot off into the sky.

Why it works: When the tablet hits water, a chemical reaction takes place very quickly. The bubbles are carbon dioxide gas (CO2) and there’s a lot of it! In the closed canister, the CO2 builds up so much pressure that the lid is forcibly removed from the inside.

Elephant Toothpaste Science Experiment {as seen on Jacksonville Moms Blog}

Recently I wrote a post for the Jacksonville Moms Blog highlighting some of my favorite science experiments for big kids.  These were all done for the Mad Science Party we threw for Cole's 8th birthday.  Here are the details for the Elephant Toothpaste Experiment.

Elephant Toothpaste

Materials: Clean & empty soda or water bottle, Yeast, Warm Water, Food Coloring, Dish Soap, 6% Hydrogen Peroxide (you can find this online or at a beauty supply shop)

Directions: In a separate cup mix 1 teaspoon of yeast with 2 tablespoons of warm water. In your soda bottle mix together ½ cup of hydrogen peroxide, a squirt of dish soap and a few drops of food coloring. Swirl the soda bottle to mix slightly. Pour the contents of your yeast & water mixture into the soda bottle and watch your elephant toothpaste erupt.

Why it works: Hydrogen peroxide naturally breaks down into water and oxygen.  It is stored in opaque containers to help slow down this process.  Yeast speeds up the reaction.  Dish soap catches the oxygen and makes bigger bubbles and the food coloring makes it look cool.  The foam and bottle feel warm because the reaction is exothermic–it releases energy as heat.

Mentos & Diet Coke Science Experiment {as seen on Jacksonville Moms Blog}

Recently I wrote a post for the Jacksonville Moms Blog highlighting some of my favorite science experiments for big kids.  These were all done for the Mad Science Party we threw for Cole's 8th birthday.  Here are the details for the Mentos & Diet Coke Experiment.

Mentos & Diet Coke Explosion

Materials: Mentos Candy, Diet Coke (you don’t need to need name brand soda, the generic diet will work but it MUST be diet to create the explosion), Geyser Tube Cap (optional, but it’s really cool)

Directions: This is an easy experiment that the kids can do by themselves. Simply drop the Mentos into the diet soda bottle and watch it erupt. The geyser tube is an awesome addition to the experiment because it makes the stream shoot even higher in the air.

Why it works: It’s due to a process called nucleation, where the carbon dioxide in the soda is attracted to the Mentos. That creates so much pressure that the soda goes flying.