Mad Science Party – Part 2 Experiements
Posted by Amy | Filed under Entertaining & Parties, Family
It’s time for Part 2 of my son’s Mad Science Party!!
Part 1 was all about the decor. (Click here if you missed any of it.) Today is all about the fun!!
To start off, I like to have something to keep kids occupied until everyone shows up. I was lucky enough to have really warm weather on the day of the party, so the boys were able to go outside to burn some energy.
Experiment #1 – Make a tornado in a bottle.
A few soda bottle tornados were on the table for kids who were done playing outside and wanted to experiment. These are simple to make with water, food coloring and a handy kit from Steve Spangler Science.
Experiment #2 – Make Snow
This was super easy! Just add water and the powder instantly erupts into amazing artificial snow that looks and feels like the real thing.
I had the powder measured ahead of time in small containers. Then I passed around little dixie cups with the correct amount of water. I told them it was experimental science acid to make sure they didn’t spill it! ha. Then we counted to 3 while they poured their acid on the magic powder and walla! Cold, fluffy snow! If you can, make sure to do this one outside, just in case someone wants to have a snowball fight! You can get a container for less than $10 here.
Experiment #3 – Make Green Atomic Slime
You can make this from scratch, but I decided to use the class room shaker kits from Steve Spangler. It comes with everything you need for 24 kids, plus 2 small black lights to see it glow!
After pouring the solutions together and making sure the lids were tight, the boys shook their cups for one minute. Then they had ultra sticky, gooey slime!! Everyone had to go in the bathroom with no windows to watch the black light make it glow!
This was a very exciting experiment! You have to watch the video to get the full effect. ha!
Making Slime! from Amy @ Living Locurto on Vimeo.
Experiment #4 – Make your own Cupcakes
What kid wouldn’t like this experiment?
Experiment #5 – Diet Coke & Mentos Experiment
Exploding Diet Coke was by far the hit of the party!! You’ll need a roll or box of Mentos and a 2-liter bottle of diet soda. Just drop the mentos in the Diet Coke, run and watch it erupt! My son is hooked on this video by 2 mad science guys at EepyBird.com. I got their kit which included goggles and several launchers. They also have a free download on how to make your own launchers if you’d rather do it yourself.
We did a bunch at once the first time on the ground, but about half of the bottles fell over. Putting them on a bench worked really good.
The kids got a little crazy with the left over Coke. It basically became a Diet Coke fight and everyone was covered in the stuff! They were even licking their arms. Talk about hyper!!!!
I gave each kid their own small Diet Coke bottle and let them drop Mentos in themselves. It was a blast!!
Here is our first attempt. Please ignore the geeky laughing!!! I’m so embarrassed, but it was hilarious watching the moms who came all dressed up right after church get blasted with Diet Coke!!! ha! (I made them do the launches so I could video… when really I just didn’t want to get messy!)
Diet Coke & Mentos Experiment from Amy @ Living Locurto on Vimeo.
Goodie bags were packed with a Steven Spangler test tube full of M&M’s with my son’s face, their snow, slime, a roll of Mentos to try their experiment at home and several other fun trinkets. Download the Open With Caution stickers on the Part 1 post.
Even the little sisters had a blast! They say thanks for coming to the party!!!
Don’t miss Mad Science Party – Part 1 Decorations
Tags: birthday, diet coke, experiments, instant snow, mad scientist, mentos, party, slime
January 23rd, 2009 at 4:34 am
[...] Mad Science Party – Part 2 | Living Locurto – Creative Ideas & FREE Downloads Says: January 23rd, 2009 at 4:30 am [...]
January 23rd, 2009 at 5:32 am
LOVE it! Stev Spangler is such a great resource for science parties.
Thanks so much for sharing your fantastic pictures and video!
Brenda’s last blog post..Blog Award
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January 23rd, 2009 at 8:04 am
Hi Amy- I had planned on doing the large diet coke / mentos geyser, but I love your idea of giving the kids each their own smaller bottle of diet coke. About how many mentos did the kids need in the smaller bottles to make a good geyser?
Thanks, Brenda
Brenda’s last blog post..Blog Award
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January 23rd, 2009 at 8:15 am
Hi Brenda,
They only needed one or two for the small ones. I just fizzes over, not really a geyser. So they each did it about 3 times. Those launchers for the 2 liter bottles are great because you can attach a string and be further away to launch the Mentos.
Have fun!!
Amy
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January 23rd, 2009 at 10:17 am
I want to be younger again just so I can have a party like this. You are just full of great ideas!
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January 23rd, 2009 at 12:30 pm
Love it! You rock. Boys love the chance to be boys like that. When they get a bit older, they still love it (but my son actually got invited to a Captain Underpants party at age 10 and they chewed huge packs of gum and just talked about burping and other forms of gas the whole time. Tacky and yet…hilarious). I so wish I had taken good pictures of my spy party. sniff sniff. must write down.
min’s last blog post..Snow Fun!
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January 23rd, 2009 at 12:39 pm
Love your party ideas. I’ve been wanting to try the diet coke + mentos…have to wait until it’s warmer outside. Can’t wait to show my almost 8 y.o. the videos. Thanks.
jen@ourdailybigtop’s last blog post..Friday Mix
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January 23rd, 2009 at 2:50 pm
You = Cool Mom.
Seriously.
-Nat
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January 23rd, 2009 at 3:55 pm
I literally have tears rolling down my face that you made the other moms do the Diet Coke experiment because “you had to man the video camera.” You tricky girl! So funny!!
theArthurClan’s last blog post..Strangest Evening…Ever!
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January 23rd, 2009 at 4:01 pm
You throw the best parties! My son is finally getting to the age to be interested in parties, so I think we’ll be filing this one away for future reference.
Melissa J. Lee’s last blog post..You’re Invited (a Giveaway!)
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January 23rd, 2009 at 4:32 pm
Wow! You are my hero! This looks like so much fun. My son would love this. I’ll have to bookmark it for future reference.
mommyknows’s last blog post..Just What is News?
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January 23rd, 2009 at 6:21 pm
Oh I was so excited to see that you posted part two- man you must be the favorite Mom on the block- {my boys love to explode things, they would of loved a party like that :}
Thanks for the fun
Teresa’s last blog post..Heirlooms
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January 23rd, 2009 at 8:04 pm
OMG Amy! Those were so cool! The kids looked like they had a blast! Did you serve something in petre dishes?
Donna’s last blog post..What happened to the Tooth Fairy?
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January 23rd, 2009 at 8:39 pm
Fabulous party!
Cindy’s last blog post..A Skip to my Lou Makeover
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January 23rd, 2009 at 8:41 pm
I am so unworthy! Oh Amy, come to Michigan and throw a Mad Scientist Birthday Party for Robert..in May, the snow will be gone by then
Off to Stumble, love it!
Bella Casa’s last blog post..Giveaway: $20 Gift Certificate to Scribble It Etsy Shop
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January 23rd, 2009 at 8:56 pm
You are genius!! This is the COOLEST party I’ve ever seen … your kids must think you are one awesome mama.
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January 24th, 2009 at 12:33 am
What an absolutely genius idea! Love it!!
Ms.Tee’s last blog post..A Family Home Tour
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January 24th, 2009 at 2:28 am
No WAY!! Amy, your not just the COOLEST mom on the block, your the COOLEST MOM IN THE WORLD!!!
That is freakin AWESOME!!!!! I will have to put these ideas away for Will when he gets older.
Love and Prayers,
Tim
Tim’s last blog post..Thanksgiving Thursday
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January 24th, 2009 at 1:24 pm
Great party… very creative… super mom! LOVE that scientist cupcake!
Fifi Flowers’s last blog post..Bronte’s Garden…
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January 25th, 2009 at 3:08 pm
How FUN!! Your son’s friends will always remember this party.
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January 26th, 2009 at 11:28 am
Mom of the YEAR!!!!
OMGoodness – you totally get good-mom points for this party. What a blast (literally & figuratively!)
Susan’s last blog post..Backing up…
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January 26th, 2009 at 1:43 pm
Hi Amy – it looks like you had an amazing party and the kids had tons of fun. I had a Mad Scientist party for my daughter and the kids talked about it for weeks! We did several of the same experiments you did. One mention, Steve Spangler Science also offers Geyser Tubes (he is responsible for the Mentos and Diet Coke sensation and created the first Geyser Tube.) http://www.stevespanglerscience.com/product/geyser-tube-event-packs
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February 16th, 2009 at 9:33 pm
I love your mad scientist party idea. We just sent out the invites for our sons scientific seventh birthday…daddy is a science teacher so there are microscopes, dry ice and ph levels in the works. Bravo on such a fun day!
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February 22nd, 2009 at 10:52 pm
This was absolutely fantastic! Nice work !!
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March 5th, 2009 at 9:03 am
Amy, Thank you so much for sharing! We will be using some of your ideas!
Best regards.
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April 2nd, 2009 at 4:11 am
OMG… my Nephews would just LOVE all that stuff, thanks for the brilliant ideas!
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July 16th, 2009 at 9:34 pm
You are a brilliant, brilliant, brilliant woman!!! Thank you for sharing these great ideas!!!!
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July 27th, 2009 at 8:07 pm
help!! I can’t get the invatation to print on an 8 1/2 X 11 paper. If prints biger.
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July 31st, 2009 at 10:57 pm
I am so thrilled to have found your website and brilliant ideas.
My soon to be 7 year old wants a science party and I was just searching online for ideas when I came upon your site.
I love the cupcake bar but did you serve additional food as well…related to science???
Thanks so much!
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October 27th, 2009 at 9:48 am
I thnk yor son has a very fun and entertaining mother
My kids would have killed for a party like this. Your pics are great- makes me wish I could have been there (with a raincoat on). Thanks for sharing!
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October 30th, 2009 at 11:38 pm
I love your party ideas! I thought my sister and I were the party planners! Well… you are awesome. Thanks for sharing your ideas with us.
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