Mad Scientist Party

 22nd September 2013
Jamal's 10th birthday

 Jamal was turning 10.  For me this was a huge milestone party... my first child reaching double figures:)

We decided since he loved making things and experimenting we would design a Mad Scientist Party.  There was a children's market coming up in the holidays so we saved up and went to the market knowing we would find lots of experimental kits.  We came home with a car full of things and its didn't cost much at all.  I ordered off the internet some Test Tubes, Beakers and Petri Dishes from a science shop.  A lovely lady we know gave us lab coats, protective footwear and lots of gloves.  

Invitation

Guests arriving

Jamal's best friends came to the party.  They loved being greeted by Jamal and being given lab coats, protective footwear, safety glasses and personalised name tags.  

Name Badges, I didn't add actual photos as they had the kids last names on them.  We used the periodic table to personalise and make each name tag different from each other.  A great learning tool.  Each name tag was pinned to their lab coat.

Then the Fun begins.... lots of Experiments!

First we started by making Lava Cups.  These were great and actually worked :)  They reminded me of the old Lava lamps you used to buy.  

 We had so much fun making Elephant Toothpaste.

While the rain stopped for a brief moment we made the most of some experiments outside.  
First Mentos and Coke Geysers then we made some Smoke Drums

A short video clip of two of the Mentos and Coke Geysers going off :)

Smoke Drums 

Smoke Drums were made with regular garden buckets.  I cut out a hole in the bottom and covered the top with shower caps.  The experiment I found on the internet used a shower curtain but shower caps fitted perfectly and were only $1.00 for three.  The buckets were filled with smoke from our smoke machine.  When the kids tapped the shower cap rings of smoke came out.  The smoke was strong enough to knock paper cups of the table.  

So much fun they were lining up for more smoke :)

Another indoor experiment with Dry Ice.
The place we got local ice from wasn't open in the weekends.  We brought 5kg (thankfully they gave us a lot extra).  When we got home Friday night it weighed just over 8kg, by Saturday night we had lost over 3kg.  We were very lucky to have lots left for fun on Sunday at the party.

The kids made exploding gloves.  They put a few pieces of dry ice in a glove and knotted it, put it in a warm bowl of water.  After a few mintues the glove had expanded and was huge, after a few minutes there was a huge bang!  They also put dry ice in a bowl, rubbed dish liquid around the edge of the bowl and pulled a small rag over the bowl, huge dry ice bubbles formed. 

Potato and Lemon Clocks

Next was Potato and Lemon clocks.  We split into two teams and one made a clock out of Potatoes and one out of Lemons.
Both clocks were a working success.

Lastly Tornado in a bottle using a tornado tube, two empty bottles, water, dish liquid and some food colouring

Food

I love planning party food using a theme.  We had green slime cupcakes, Popping candy in test tubes, Pizza Particles, Molecule Cookies, Atoms (Chocolate Lollies), Radio Active Jelly in Petri Dishes, Bacteria bites (Mini Savouries), Laboratory Mice, Brains and lots more.  We used dry ice in the drinks and in beakers and test tubes to give off a real science feeling.  The kids especially loved the dry ice :)

Delicious Mad Scientist Cake

A few extra family photos 

Brothers - Leroy & Austin

Birthday Boy - Jamal

Jamal and Dad

Jamal and Mum

Little scientist sister Willow

Loot Bags 

This year we found bubbles shaped like science bottles.  You mix the colours together to make different colours.  Also make your own snow, magic growing trees, pens, chocolates, sherbet and Popping candy

Thank you so much to Jamal's friends Finn, Roan, Kian, Samantha and brothers and sister Leroy, Austin and Willow for sharing in his special day.
He had a wonderful 10th birthday :)