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Explosive Fun

A science birthday party from FamilyFun

by Rani Arbo

From a secret formula to rocket launches, this birthday plan has all the elements for a good time.

Science Party Pointers
•Have a few quick backup experiments you can add to the agenda if time permits. For ideas, check out Bill Nye's activities at www.nyelabs.com.
• Place a pile of science-related Trivial Pursuit cards at the lunch table.

THINGS TO MAKE

Optical Illusion
This tricky beaker is filled with all the facts about a certain upcoming birthday, but to see them, you have to pull the invitation out from behind the mystery solution that makes the words invisible.

To make one like it, cut out a 4- by 5-inch white card stock rectangle and trace around it with a pencil onto a clear report folder. Cut around the tracing through both layers of the folder 1/4 inch out from the pencil line.

Keeping the two transparent beakers stacked with the edges matched up, trim a 1/2-inch strip off the tops, then tape the sides and bottoms together.

Next, trace around the paper shape onto one layer of a red plastic folder. Cut out the red tracing on the line, then trim an inch off the top, making the edge slightly concave. Slide the red solution into the clear beaker and staple through the bottom center of the three layers to hold it in place.

Now use blue and red crayons to print an invitation on the white card. Keep in mind that red words will be invisible once you slide the card behind the red plastic, so be sure to draw an arrow and the word "Lift" in blue at the top. Lastly, use a permanent black marker to add measurement marks along the side of the beaker.

Rubber Blubber
A fun way to kick off this gathering is to invite young scientists to see what happens when glue molecules interact with a borax solution--you end up with a rubbery substance that actually bounces!

Lightbulb Piñata
Science Party guests are sure to light up when it comes time to test the strength of this giant candy-filled bulb.

Bunsen Bow Ties
Q: Why do scientists wear bow ties? A: So their ties don't get caught in petri dishes, singed on the Bunsen burner, or nibbled on by lab rats.

GAMES TO PLAY

Fingerprint Lift
Here's an amazing trick that lets birthday guests try their hands at a little forensic science by lifting their own fingerprints. Individually, have each kid press his or her fingertip on a pocket mirror. Cover the entire print with graphite dust by rubbing a soft pencil with sandpaper. Blow gently to remove excess dust. Now carefully stick a strip of tape to the print and slowly peel it off. Stick the tape to a piece of white paper, and the print should be distinct.

Rocket Balloon
This party activity lets visiting scientists turn balloons into rockets and learn about Isaac Newton's Third Law of Motion (for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction) in the process. That's because the balloon gets its lifting thrust from air rushing out of the neck.

What you need:
Long, torpedo-shaped balloons
Drinking straw
String
Tape

For each rocket, securely tape one end of a long string to the ceiling. Thread a drinking straw onto the string, then stretch the string taut and tape the other end to the floor.

Have each kid inflate a long, torpedo-shaped balloon and keep the neck pinched shut while you tape it to the straw.

While everyone holds their balloons near the floor, count down to takeoff and see whose balloon goes fastest and highest.

What Am I?
Get birthday guests' minds spinning with this scientific version of a classic party game.

What you need:
Index cards
Pens
Tape

Inscribe index cards with science words, such as atom, constellation, electricity, magnet, microscope, or test tube. Then tape a different word to each guest's back without letting him or her read it.

Now everyone tries to figure out their identities by walking around asking fellow scientists questions that can be answered with a yes or a no. For example, someone might ask, "Do you need a microscope to see me?" or "Do I move around?"

The first person who says the word on his or her back wins the game, but encourage the group to keep playing until everyone has guessed correctly.