Learn how to plan a kid’s science party step by step.
Science looks like real magic for kids. It’s even better if they get to do it themselves.
What is a kid’s science party?
During a science party, kids get to watch fun science demonstrations as well as take part in hands-on experiments. The nature of these experiments and demonstrations depend on the age groups. For example, the kids might get to make slime or watch a volcanic foam eruption.
Now that you know what you’re getting into, let’s start planning a science party.
Determine the party space
The first thing to consider is where you’ll be hosting the party. There are two broad options: at home or in a venue. In this article, we’re going to be focusing on planning the party at home, but keep in mind that venues take care of everything for you from A to Z.
At home, you ideally, want to have at least two separate spaces:
- One for the food & presents (if it’s part of a birthday party)
- One for the science activities
This means you can set up the table ahead of time and not have to worry about clearing things during the event.
A third space for “free play” is ideal but not necessary. These spaces can be a combination of indoors and outdoors or just indoor spaces.
Note: If you don’t have space at home, you can also book a function room for the occasion. These are just empty rooms that cater to all occasions.
Choose a date
Now that you know where, it’s time to decide when.
If you’re booking a venue or a function, give them a call to check for availability as this might be limited.
If you’re hosting the party at home, pick the date that is most suitable and the closest to the actual birth date.
Pro-tip: At PartyWizz, we usually recommend to parents to not rule out Sundays. Saturdays are the obvious choice, but for that reason, they tend to be busier. If you’re planning the party during a busy time of year, Sundays are likely to be a lot calmer. You’re therefore much more likely to get the booking (and guests) you want.
Make a guest list
For a birthday party, the ideal number of guests will depend on the kid’s age and individual preferences. It all depends on the child’s personality and what they want.
However, for hands-on activities like science parties, we recommend keeping the number small. Especially if you’re hosting the party at home. Ideally, they should all fit around the craft/science table.
Plan the activities
When it comes to science activities, you can either do them yourself or book a science entertainer for the occasion.
The benefit of booking an entertainer is that they’ll have all the equipment and the technical know-how for running the event smoothly.
A few common science projects to make are:
- Slime
- Bouncy balls
- Putty
- Baking-soda volcanos
- Coke & Mentos explosion
- […]
Note: if you want to make slime, we’ve actually written an article on the topic.
In addition to science activities, you might also want to play a few traditional party games. You can find some fun ideas and variations in our article about party games.
Create a science-proof space
You’re most likely going to be mixing ingredients with kids to create a chemical reaction… expect some mess.
The good news is that most of the science recipes for kids are fairly easy to clean as long as it’s on a hard surface. Simply set up a table with either an easy to wash table cloth or a disposable one.
If you’re indoors, you’re also going to want to make sure there are no carpets, rugs, cushions or other stain-prone items in the craft space.
Lastly, set up clear party & non-party spaces in your house and make sure all the young guests know which rooms are out-of-bounds.
Note: If you’ve chosen to hire an entertainer, they’ll know how to contain the mess/science. Otherwise, this advice should help contain it.
For each guest, you’ll need to plan:
- A small receptacle or tray depending on your experiment
- Stir sticks & utensils
- Aprons or ‘lab coats’
- Safety goggles (most likely optional but fun)
Get some decorations
Now it’s time to decorate the house/venue to match the theme of your event.
At PartyWizz, we usually recommend to not go overboard. Let the science theme speak for itself with the experiments and the equipment.
Instead, focus on having a nice table and a couple of extra decorations (for example balloons) to make the meal as fun as the rest of the party.
Pro-tip: If you can’t find science-themed tableware in the shops, fall back on space/spaceship theme for decorations. They’ll blend in perfectly… and technically it’s science.
Plan the food
The two most common timings are to start the party early afternoon and have cake before the presents or to start the party (very) late morning and have lunch and cake. It’s up to you and your preference.
For some general party food ideas, you can check out our dedicated article on the topic.
If you want to go the extra mile, you can serve science-themed food. For example, serving juice in beacons.
Don’t forget the party bags
Party bags have become a staple for kid’s parties.
For some ideas of what to put inside a party bag, you can check out our separate article on the topic.
If you put a souvenir of the science experiment, we recommend you let the other parents know… especially if it’s something gooey like slime.
Also, if you’re based in Ireland, we provide pre-filled party bags for all occasions. You can find them listed in our store.
Send the invitations
Now it’s time to craft the invitations and send them out. Ideally, you want to have them sent 3-4 weeks before the party. From experience, we feel that it’s the sweet spot.
You can either stick to digital invitations, which is the easiest option or send out physical invitations, which can feel more special.
Regardless of what option you choose, we recommend you stick to digital RSVP’s. It will make your life a lot easier. For small groups, WhatsApp (or any other messaging tool) is fine. For larger groups (10+) you might want to use an online RSVP tool.
When it comes to making the actual invitations, we recommend using Canva. It’s a free drag and drop tool for creating designs and they’ve got a great selection of pre-made templates you can use.
For the wording of the invitation, we’ve dedicated an entire article on the topic with multiple examples you can copy and paste.
Have a schedule
It’s not a business meeting (far from it) but having a schedule/outline will help with your peace of mind on the day. You don’t need anything exact. Here is an example:
- 11:00 – Welcome the guests
- 11:30 – Science activities
- 12:30 – Lunch
- 13:00 – Cake and presents
- 13:30 – Free play
- 14:30 – Parents arrive, and perhaps stay for a cup of coffee
Depending on the duration of the activities, you’ll want to adjust the schedule. You might also want to have the activities after lunch. It’s entirely up to you.
Note: We’ve allowed 30 minutes for lunch and 30 minutes for the cake and the presents. We usually feel that’s plenty of time.
That’s a wrap
We hope you have a great party and you have lots of fun.
If you’re based in Ireland, and you want to book a science party entertainer, check out our website. We pride ourselves in only partnering with the best kid’s entertainers in the area.
