Mad Scientist Party

Disclaimer: Lots and Lots of pictures!

Back in October, I asked Thomas if he thought it would be ok if I asked Grayson, our nephew, if I could throw him a birthday party. He thought it would be ok, so the next day while Grayson was watching some show on Disney, I asked him if he would like a birthday party. His little face lit up and he said yes. Well, I had already been scouring the Internet and my brain for ideas and I came up with a Mad Science party. But, I wanted to see what he might want. So I asked him, "What kind of party do you want to have?" Grayson: "A football party!" Inside I cringed. I do not really care for football, but I did ponder the idea for a minute or two. I went to the computer looked up a couple of ideas and then called him to me. I showed him some of the ideas for Mad Science Party and them threw some of my ideas in there. And alas, the seed was planted. We were going to have a Mad Scientist party (Grayson's one request Mentos Rockets). Since, I started planning the party, in October, I took full advantage of after Halloween sales. This is a WONDERFUL party for 8-9 year olds. It was fun (for both kids and adults) and it kept their attention the entire party (that was wonderful with 10 little boys)!

Let me begin my journey:

The Invitation: I made these myself (I think they turned out ok)

The front of the invite

Inside the invite

Back of the invite

For everything I made, for the party, I wanted to have a science lab feel. And since he was turning 9, Lab #9, was the official name of our party gathering.

The party was held at my Mother-In-Law's house. She has a great garage, and I knew that was the perfect spot...no one would care if water or some other "poison" liquid spilled on the floor.

My WONDERFUL sister, Amanda, came to help me out. She used all her creative talents to help me. She helped make most of the posters to decorate the "lab" with, she dressed up like a Mad Scientist, and she help wrangle the kids. THANK YOU, AMANDA!!!!

Some puzzles on the wall for the parents to figure out

 Posters of most the experiments to be conducted

There was not a lot of decorating for this type of party, because the focus is on the experiments you are conducting. Like I said, the majority of the party was held in the garage. We used 4 folding tables, silver and white table clothes ($1 each).

The Experiment Table (I tried very hard to have everything pre-measured before the party. Sadly I forgot an ingredient for the slime. Guess that one slipped my mind. The boys were very curious of all the "poison")

 Bio hazard label on Gatorade bottle.  I just used mailing label for this bottle.

 the Poison Liquid is really vinegar

 This poison is Diet Coke (generic due to $$, and it works just the same) I used full sheet labels for this bottle and put 2 to a page and cut in half. That way I could cover up the spot where the original label was attached and didn't have to work too hard to make sure I removed the entire original label.

That was all the decorating needed for inside the lab. I did have a couple of little decorations before entering the lab. Since, I wanted the boys to think they were Mad Scientists, I ordered small adult lab coats and small goggles from an online store for about a $1 to $1.25 a piece. Each Scientist was also given a name badge I personalized on the computer before the party. Since, I didn't really know the kids, the name badge served the purpose of my sister and I knowing each kids name and made each kid feel like they were a Dr. Just FYI, the Avery business card works wonderful and is perfect size for the horizontal clear name badges. The lab coats protected the kids clothing and the goggles were needed on a couple of the experiments.

The sign above where the goggles were located

 Area right before entrance to the lab. On the bench, the lab coat, a folder and name badge for each Scientist. I made the folders. Each folder had a welcome note from the staff of Blakeley Laboratory and instruction sheets for each experiment we conducted so they could recreate the experiment later. All these items were take home items.

 Sign on the Lab door

 I hung a plastic drop cloth, cut into strips to help give a restricted area feel to the Lab.

I took advantage of the nice open layout of my mother in law's house to have the food, cake and gathering spot before we entered the Lab.  I used the bar area to set up a couple different chips and dips for the kids and parents to munch on. We served pizza, so that there was really no food prep for the party. On the front dining table was the Mad Scientist cake and jello petri dishes. I used a couple of racks of test tubes with water and food coloring added and glass jars I had been collecting with creatures in them. I spray painted the lids on the jars gray so that they all matched. One thing I had and didn't get a picture of was a marshmallow heart and brain I had around the cake. This was a major conversation piece with the kids and the parents. I found both at Wal-Mart after Halloween for 75% off!!!

The Mad Scientist Cake (I think it turned out wonderful...I had a lady I work with make it)

 Upper view of the cake

 The cake table...petri dishes, creatures in jars and rack of test tubes

 Close up of petri dishes...small petri dish (ordered from Steve Spangler Science.com) with jello and either a small gummy worm or gumball eye (ordered from Oriental Trading)

 I made a couple of the worms look like they were trying to crawl out

 A set of eyes in the petri dish

 I ordered these cups for the boys to drink out of and they got to take them home. The cup looks like a marked measuring beaker with an eyeball in the bottom. I loved these!!!

 Bar set up with food. The plastic bowls made for easy clean up...just throw them away. I purchased all the paper goods from the Dollar Tree for about $6. So much cheaper than buying a theme type plates, cups or napkins. 

While waiting for everyone to arrive, I had the boys make towers out of marshmallows and toothpicks. Whoever made the tallest tower won a prize at the end of the party (one of the Mentos rockets tubes). This kept their attention and them in one area while we waited. They didn't get restless and start running around the house. And it taught them a little bit about construction of things (ex. not using only big marshmallows, making a sturdy wide base, etc). Just a side note...it was really fun to just stand around a listen to them all talk to one another. It is so funny what things come out of kids mouths.

The EXPERIMENTS: We were supposed to do 10 things, but like I said due to forgetfulness on my part we only did 9. Here they are in order:

1. Glitter Bug to the hands. Before I let the scientists enter the lab each one had to put a special solution on their hands and we used a black light to see how well they wash their hands. I explained that a scientist needs to always make sure his hands are clean.

2. Insta-Snow: I purchased a special solution (polymer) from Steve Spangler Science. It comes with instrucitons for use. And I had a container for each kid so that they could take their snow home with them.

3. Magic Sand: Purchased from Steve Spangler Science. This sand is coated with a special hydrophobic coating, so it stays dry when placed in water.

4. Film Canister Rockets: This was a HIT. I ordered film canisters from Steve Spangler Science. Each kid got 2. We filled them half full of water and drop an Alka-Seltzer into the canister and replaced the lid tightly. In seconds the top pops of the canister making a loud noise and flying in the air. EVERYONE, parents included loved this one!

5. Balloon Blast: This was a fun one, too! I used water bottles, pre-filled with vinegar. I then prefilled a balloon with baking soda. We attached the opening of the balloon over the opening of the bottle. We counted to 3 and emptied the baking soda into the vinegar. The carbon dioxide inflated the balloon. The boys all ran away thinking the balloon was going to pop. We had a good laugh with this one!

6. Mega Magnet: Purchased a very strong magnet from Steve Spangler Science. We had the scientist line up and placed the magnet on the back of the kid's hand. We placed it over a pile of paper clips and the magnet was so strong it attracted the paper clips to the underside of the kid's hand.

7. Egg in a Bottle: This was kind of a flop. I would not recommend this one. Out of 10 kids, only 3 of them worked.

8. Slime

9. Mega Bubble: This was a last minute purchase from Steve Spangler Science, but I am so glad I bought it. Instructions were included and the result was cool. The kid stood in the middle of the circle holding the bubble solution and my sister and I each got on the side of the ring and lifted it over the kids head. It made them feel like they were in a bubble.

10. Mentos Rockets: I tried this one first my just dropping the Mentos into a diet coke but quickly found out I would get soaked. So I did purchase 3 Mentos Gusher tubes from Steve Spangler Science which is designed with a tube and a pull pin. This was done outside due to mess it was going to make. We did in groups of 3 and by the time the last group went, we had figured out a system, but it was fun none the less.

Instant Snow fight

 Making Film Canister Rockets (so glad they wore their goggles)

 Balloon Blast

 Mega magnet

 That is one strong magnet

 What is it like to be inside a bubble? Just ask one of these Scientists!

 Mentos Rockets

Time to wind down, have our cake and eat it too.

Make a Wish Grayson!

 Present time!

 The birthday boy being silly...A side note: One of the boys told Grayson, "Grayson, that is a really nice bow. You might want to save it. I save all of my nice bows." Too funny these boys! That is what I mean about listening to some of the things these boys say!

Each boy went home with not only, the lab coat, goggles, folders, snow, sand, film canisters, supplies to make slime (minus borax) but they went home with these bags and goodies (science book, glow necklace, rack of filled test tubes and connector to make a tornado).

This was fun party to organize and do. I know that my nephew had a blast! Now it is time to plan his older brother's party for March: CSI party!