The Perfect Party!
Congratulations on booking a Fab Science party! We’re looking forward to wowing your young scientists with awesome experiments! We’ve got nearly a thousand parties behind us so we’d like to share our top tips for a perfect science party…
Should parents stay or go?
Parties always go better when parents are asked to drop and go! It may sound scary to be left with lots of children and no grown-ups but it really does work better. You’ll always get a few parents who will stay anyway if their children are nervous or are likely to need more support. Then you can enjoy the party without having to make teas and cater for everyone. And chatty parents (and little siblings) at the back of the room are the biggest distraction at any party!
Should we have a bouncy castle or facepainter?
No, you really don’t need them! We fit around 6 different activities into an hour so there’s plenty of fun stuff without adding anything extra. An hour of experiments (plus 10-15 minutes to allow for latecomers), a bit of time for food and cake…then there’s hardly any time left. Just bring some music for dancing afterwards and it will be the end of the party before you know it.
If you do choose to book a bouncy castle, we ask that it is deflated during the science. Facepainting really doesn’t work as the children wear goggles for the experiments and they smudge the designs. If you do go for facepainting this shouldn’t start until after we finish (usually 75 minutes after the party start time).
Balloons!
Balloons are great for decorating and creating the party atmosphere. If you are having loose balloons on the floor for playing, it’s best to keep these bagged up until after science. They are a big distraction and if any get popped early on, there can be tears before the party even gets started!
Food and science don’t mix!
Sweet tables and snack stations are very popular with children (and adults!)…but please keep them until after the experiments. As we all remember from school…no eating in the science lab! We don’t use anything toxic for our experiments but we still recommend that everyone avoids touching any food until they’ve washed their hands at the end.
Setting up for science
If you are hosting the party at home, we usually just move the chairs out of the way and get everyone stand around the dining table. They can see the demos and have a go at the experiments themselves. We can bring folding tables if you prefer (and have space). It’s always best to use a room with a hard floor. If you have a larger group, please bear in mind that we need enough space for them to watch demos and do their own experiments. Give us a call if you want to discuss how best to make it work.
In a hall, we’ll need a table or two for demos at the front and room for the children to sit on the floor to watch. Then a few tables for the children to use for their own experiments (no chairs needed).
Your presenter(s) will be there around 30 minutes before the party starts to set up. They will move tables around as needed.
Setting up for the rest of the party.
Think about places for…
Eating
Putting presents and cards
Hanging coats
Displaying the cake
If at home, are there any spaces that are off limits? Tell the birthday child beforehand if you don’t want them taking everyone upstairs to show them their bedroom!
What do I need to provide for the experiments?
Nothing! We bring everything! We just need somewhere to park (science doesn’t travel light), access to a sink and hot water. We bring bowls and towels for the children to wash their hands, trays to catch spills, stickers to make name labels, goggles to keep everyone safe, activity sheets and pens to keep early-birds occupied while waiting for late-comers…and lots of awesome experiments!
What else do I need to bring?
The guest list
Food (or get a pizza delivery)
Drinks (and jugs)
Plates and cups
A Sharpie to label cups/bottles/party bags/anything!
Napkins (plus extras if wrapping cake for party bags)
Tablecloths (for food tables)
Decorations (and blu-tack, Sellotape, string, scissors)
Cake
Candles and lighter or matches
Cake knife
Party bags (we can provide these, see options here)
Speaker/music – download a playlist in case of signal problems and bring a charger. Also Alexa can refuse to connect to your phone if it’s not on Wi-Fi!
Bin bags, tea towels, kitchen roll, wipes
Big bags for carrying presents home
If making teas…don’t forget the milk!