Science Party

Decorations

1. Signs for each station
2. Regular and Helium balloons

Games/Activities

Set up Experiment Stations all around the room...

Station 1. Magnifying glasses and various items to explore.
Station 2. Bug Keepers with live bugs inside to observe.
Station 3. Magnets: set up various types of magnets and items to experiment with. Include items that will be attrated to the magnets and those that won't. You can set up a chart and have the children "hypothesize" as to which items they think will be attracted and which won't before they begin experimenting.
Station 4. Float and Sink experiment. Set up a small tub of water on a large beach towel. Provide items that will float and sink for the children to experiment with.
Station 5. Boat Design: Have children design a boat. Provide paper, tin foil cups, styrofoam plates, plastercine, scissors, crayons, straws, popsicle sticks etc. Have the children experiment with different shaped boats to see which design will float the best. Have a tub of water so that they can test their boats.
Station 6. Reaction Experiment: Have different white cooking ingredients such as flour, baking soda, baking powder, cornstarch, etc. Provide small dishes for mixing and have a squirt bottle with water and one with vinegar. Allow the children to mix the various items with water and vinegar to see the different reactions. (Vinegar & baking soda will fizz up, cornstarch & water will make goop, flour & water will make paste)

Food

1.Allow the experimenting to continue by providing the children with their own food items and let them make their own. You can provide pizza toppings and bagels, English muffins, or mini pizza crusts. OR Provide taco toppings and taco chips or shells. OR Provide cold cuts, cheeses and vegetable sticks and buns. The possibilities are endless.
2.Cake. Have pre-made cupcakes ready and a tray of candies for decorating. Provide the icing sugar and milk (or water) and have the children make their own icing. Bring out the food colouring - you will want to assist at this point to avoid a disaster. Ask each child how many drops of the colours of their choice that they would like you to place in their icing. They can mix the icing to the colour of their own making and then ice their cupcakes. The fun really begins when you bring out the tray of goodies for decorating!

Loot Bags

This is where planning ahead REALLY pays off! Visit Party stores and dollar stores frequently and purchase items that relate to your theme for the loot bags. This is one of the most enjoyable part of planning the party and the best part... you get to be there and watch the children's faces when they receive your awesome theme-based loot bags! Here are a few ideas to get you started:

1.Magnifying Glasses
2.Science books
3.Magnets
4."Grow" Capsules or Creatures