Birthday Experiments

[Dakota Hamill]

Hoping Simon is still around (I forget your website?).  

I volunteered at first in jest to do some simple experiments at a friend's kids birthday party, but the kids holding me to it!

I know making slime from glue and borax and elephant toothpaste with hydrogen peroxide and yeast is pretty common, so I was seeing if anyone else had any success with public type experiments that might be interesting for 8-12 year olds. 

Yes there is google and youtube but, feedback from people that have done things that worked consistently or were extra fun would be appreciated.

Also hoping for some physics experiments as well, not just Chemistry.  I remember Simon had some interesting kits years ago and if that's still around send me the link!

Thanks, Dakota

[Simon Quellen Field]

The website is still around: https://scitoys.com

I shut down the catalog business a while back, so I'm no longer selling anything, but most of the projects can be made with stuff in your kitchen or garage.

I've found the heat engines are a favorite of that age group -- match rockets, steamboats, etc.

The solar projects are also a hit.

If you need some really powerful magnets, drop by the farm:

19395 Montevina Road

Los Gatos, CA 95033

simon...@gmail.com

or

sfi...@scitoys.com

I have some inventory left. Especially hundreds of the steamboats.

Free.

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[Chris Santos-Lang]

When I was 10, I loved sparklers and dry-ice...

For physics, this blows my mind (but equipment is difficult): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjqKv6x8uyc

Center of gravity can be impressive too: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTgNTYy-sXQ

You can also go into math...

https://www.pbs.org/parents/crafts-and-experiments/math-magic-tricks

https://www.thoughtco.com/math-tricks-that-will-blow-your-mind-4154742

I hope those help

Best Wishes,

Chris

Chris Santos-Lang
218 W Church Street
Belleville, WI, USA  53508

cell: (920) 747-0335

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[Dakota Hamill]

Thank you, both replies were great.  I'll grab some dry ice for sure good reminder.

I'll send you an email later Simon.  I'll buy some old inventory if you have it.   I do want some magnets to drop in a copper pipe. 

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[Jonathan Cline]

When I was that age, one thing I built for myself were some "alpha wave" "goggles" using a cheapie pair of sunglasses and a pair of LEDs wired (soldered) into a custom timer-potentiometer circuit.  I had to research the application notes to figure out the circuit...  Nowadays there are specific LED blinkie ICs which do it easier (ie, one chip, a couple components).  Although in other ways nowadays (like sourcing components which arent surface mount) makes building harder, but probably there are kits for such diy now too.   Anyways I had great fun with these goggles trying to "space myself out" by referencing a handy brainwave frequency chart I had dug up from somewhere.   Probably best to ensure the kids dont have epilepsy, or alternatively they will suddenly get a diagnosis the hard way.

The problem with biology experiments is that biology is slow growing.   Still, you can run an electrophoresis gel, which is readily visible over several minutes.  You can grow yeast for the CO2 to make bubbles in a beaker of food-coloring water, which is fairly silly and trivial except that all "mad scientist" movie scenes include beakers of bubbling concoctions, so it is a good rep to project for yourself 😆

Now pondering the original question I am not sure what 8-12 year olds relate to in 2025... if it is not related to Minecraft or the latest tiktok meme.

## Jonathan Cline
## jcl...@ieee.org
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