I’m excited to share some creative tips and ideas from my daughter’s Mad Science Birthday party with you… finally! She’s 8-1/2 now, and this is her 7th birthday party. 😳😂

Anyways, aside from the abundance of “experiment messes” around the house, I really love that Macy has been crazy about science for a few years now. This was a super fun party theme to work on with TONS of room for creativity – especially in the treats department. (Hello, Petri Dish Jello and Radioactive Punch!) 🥳

Science Party Printables

My Mad Science printables are available in our store! Use them to add instant style and personalized details to your party. 🙌 You can edit the custom text yourself – right on the website – whenever (and as often as) you need to! Click here to buy this collection.

THE ELEMENTS OF FUN

1. Hands-on Experiments

Set up stations with simple experiments that kids can try themselves, like baking soda & vinegar balloons.

We saved small Gatorade bottles for this activity and pre-filled them with vinegar. The balloons were also pre-filled with baking soda, so kids could just grab a balloon and put it on a bottle, then watch the balloon *magically* inflate. Using balloons with design on them – like these polka dot and marbled balloons – makes this activity even more fun to look at!

Candy molecule building is another super easy activity that doesn’t make a huge mess. 🙌 Set out trays of “squishy” candy (like spice dots, marshmallows, etc) + toothpicks and let kids build their own candy molecules! It’s a good idea to set out a some pre-built models for them to copy, and there are lots of great examples available if you do a goole image search for “candy molecules”.

2. The Mad Scientist

From crazy hair to a giant mustache, bring in signature “mad scientist” details for a touch of zany flair. I loved the idea of greeting guests at the door with a giant, playful nod to our mad scientist! We also had colorful “safety glasses” for all of the guests to wear.

3. Laboratory Treats

This is where things can REALLY get creative! We served up science-inspired treats like “Petri Dish Jello”, gummy frog “Specimens”
white chocolate “Lab Rats” (made using this candy mouse mold), and rock candy stick “Geodes”.

I especially love how the petri dish jello dessert turned out:

This scientific and gross-in-a-good-way treat is easy to make! Just pour liquid jello into Petri dishes (about halfway full). If you’re using gummy worms or other big gummies, you can then add them in now.

Refrigerate for about an hour, then add some sprinkles and continue to refrigerate until serving. The sprinkles will kind of bloat and “bleed” out into the jello after a while, resembling “bacteria” that’s growing! I also added a strip of washi tape to “package” the treat.

4. Printable Fun

Printables are my favorite quick & easy way to play up any theme! I designed a bright and colorful science inspired collection for this party featuring playful (and yes, maybe a little bit nerdy 🤓) science puns like “Of QUARTZ, Geology ROCKS” and “DISCOVER something fun”!

5. Bright Ideas

Fill plastic light bulb containers with colorful candy for party favors with creative *spark*!

I used a mix of regular and pastel M&Ms to fill these light bulbs… and yes we DID pick out all the pieces that didn’t match the party’s palette. Looking at you brown and orange! 😜 It’s less expensive to buy bags of regular M&Ms and remove certain colors than to buy the specialty packs that are all one color.

(P.S. The giant plastic lightbulb decoration above was also an Amazon purchase!)

6. Giant Atoms and Molecules (DIY Decor)

This was probably my favorite decoration – possibly because I just love anything that you can hang overhead! These giant “atom & molecule” decorations are made from embroidery hoops (spray painted silver), colorful “ball pit” balls, and wooden skewers. I used fishing wire to hang them for a “floating” effect.

7. Mad Science Show

Live demos are always a hit with the kids! We hired a pro from Mad Science of Sacramento to put on a cool science show that was centered around gases, chemical reactions, and “things that go pop and fizz”. She also led the kids in a bouncy ball making activity and explained the science behind cotton candy making… while making it. And then of course the kids scarfed it down!

8. “Experimental” Decor

These science-inspired decoration ideas are quick, stylish, and won’t break the bank!

• Colorful Chemistry
  This is as easy as it gets! Just fill glass beakers with water and food coloring. We also dropped dry ice into them a few times – especially when guests were first arriving. However, just a heads up that the dry ice doesn’t last very long with the small pieces that you have to use in order for them to fit inside the narrow mouth beakers.
• Petri Dish Specimens
  For these, I printed scientific-looking patterns out on transparency paper and cut them to fit inside large Petri dishes. A plastic insect or butterfly was placed on top, then covered with the petri dish lid. Done!
• Biohazard Caution Tape
  This bright yellow tape is a great way to make a big impact on your space without spending much at all. Doors, fences, etc… it makes an easy photo backdrop too!
• Test Tube Insects
  To make these, just stick plastic bugs and butterflies into clear test tube containers (I used these large plastic ones) and fill them with water. It’s actually best when the fit is a little snug, because the insects get suspended in the tube, making things look all the more “science-y”.

The acrylic stand I’m using here is actually an ice cream cone holder! I bought this one probably 10 years ago, but you can find similar ones here and on Amazon.

I hope some of these ideas help you plan your own *explosively fun* Mad Science Party! 😉🧪🥼🔬🧫

Science Party Printables

Printables are my favorite *secret weapon* for adding unique style to any celebration! Click here to customize my Mad Science collection for your own party – instantly, online. 🤗