We got really messy this week in our Weird Science program. We made three different slime recipes and played around with each one to see which was the gooiest (yes, I just made up that word!). Using household ingredients and a little bit of prep work, you too can have an awesome STEM party! I had three tables setup with four stations at each table with all the ingredients needed, as well as instructions, bowls, and spoons. I made measuring cups for each ingredient or else this wouldn’t have worked with the amount of kids/ages in the program. The children still needed to measure correctly, so I don’t think it really mattered that I didn’t provide teaspoons or tablespoons. I included instructions for each, and a science sheet that you can photocopy for everyone. It was a great success and I would do it again! (I just needed to wipe down the tables a few extra times during cleanup.)

Slime experiments

Slime Recipes

I passed around the three different recipes to show the children what the slime would look like and feel like.

This was a nice, easy program to run for this year’s summer reading program. I asked my coworkers to save some materials:

• cereal boxes
• paper towel rolls
• granola boxes
• disposable coffee trays

I also supplied:

• straws
• paper clips
• Popsicle sticks
• scissors
• tape
• bubble wrap sheets
• cotton balls
• 2 dozen eggs

I found a funny picture book conveniently titled Egg Drop by Mini Grey that I read to everyone at the beginning of the program. I then asked the children to get into teams. I instructed each team that they were allowed to use:

1. one cardboard piece
2. one piece of bubble wrap (I didn’t want them to use too much!)
3. any other materials

Each team had to construct something that the egg would fit into (I wouldn’t allow the eggs to brought out until the very end of the program). Luckily it was a gorgeous day outside and I’m blessed to have an amazing library property. So I took all the kids outside and lined them up. Each team had a chance to secure their egg, then give me their team name and egg name. We counted down from 5 and I dropped the egg from about 10′. The local newspaper came and printed some awesome photos!

For one of my Fizz Boom Read programs, I did a tower building activity. I read The Man Who Walked Between the Towers by Mordicai Gerstein. Then I setup two stations with supplies. It was really cheap and lots of fun! The only thing I needed for myself was a tape measure.

Station One: spaghetti, marshmallows, and wax paper (not pictured: I learned this after the fact! The marshmallows melt to everything, so I would recommend placing wax paper on the floor to save you from mopping!)

Station Two: straws, paper clips, scissors

Give the kids plenty of time to experiment with building. I had them form teams and go to town. Look at some of their creations!