Activities
We split the activities into various categories. For each activity, we list the items that our included in the kit and any that you must provide for the event.
You are welcome to borrow any or all activities, but some categories are stored in the same containers.
Catapult & Trebuchet
Test your aim with a medieval catapult and trebuchet. Learn how to aim to hit your target, how heavier counterweights increase distance with the trebuchet and how the trebuchet can launch straight or with an arc.
| In The Kit | You Provide | |
|---|---|---|
|
Catapult Trebuchet Paper Target 2 trebuchet balls 2 small bean bags (red and green) 5 practice golf balls 23 yellow foam balls 200 pennies (trebuchet counterweight) Double wood board for mounting catapult (for stability) |
(Nothing) |
|
Mentos Geyser
Drop Mentos into soda bottles and watch the soda shoot up like a geyser! Why does this happen? And which sodas created a more powerful reaction.
Spoiler alert: aspartame is better than sugar and the more carbonation, the better. Seltzer Water produced the strongest reaction, literally hitting the gym ceiling! And cold soda slows the reaction and produces a much smaller geyser.
This costs money for the Mentos and soda, maybe $40 depending how much soda you buy. We buy the Mentos at Costco and generic soda at the food store.
| In The Kit | You Provide | |
|---|---|---|
|
Screw-on cap to drop Mentos into soda bottle 4 different heads to produce different geyser types Plate to put soda bottle in, to catch some falling soda Huge tarp to protect your floor! |
Mentos Soda Bottles (regular, diet, & seltzer water) Tape for securing tarp to floor Disposable tablecloths (or just put on floor) Mop/Towels to clean up soda! |
|
Laser Waterfall
Watch as the laser light (not so) magically follows the water down a waterfall. Works with water and other liquids, but darker liquids block the laser entirely, such as milk, orange juice and dark sodas.
| In The Kit | You Provide | |
|---|---|---|
|
Laser with stand & adapter Extension cord Funnel Wrapped waterproof board 2 Soda bottles with a hole and cork 2 Containers (used to store the items) |
Water Other liquids (optional) Table cloth Towel or rag Electricity |
|
Viking Ship
How did the Vikings manage to avoid tipping over in stormy seas? The secret was large torches in their boat that they would light in a storm. The torches heat up the air above the boat, which reduces the force of the air pushing down on the boat. This made it easier for the boat to rise with the waves instead of being toppled over.
Add water and food coloring to a plastic container. Just put matches in your cork ship. Light the matches and place the cup on top of the ship. Watch as the water rushes into the cup and the ship rises!
| In The Kit | You Provide | |
|---|---|---|
|
Clear container w/lid Four half-cork viking ships Two clear plastic cups Two double magnets (lifts cup off ocean floor) Blue cup (for used matches) |
Food coloring Matches Water |
|
Paper Airplanes
Determine which type of paper airplanes flies furthest, which is best for stunts, which is easiest to throw, etc. Does heavier paper work better? Does the plane fly further if taped together?
We stole plane templates from www.funpaperairplanes.com. They are separated into 3 categories based on how difficult they are to build.
| In The Kit | You Provide | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Airplane templates Instructions for each plane Scissors |
Copies of airplane templates Tape (optional) |
|
Chemistry
Create steam from water without heat! Build a volcano with simple baking soda and vinegar. Build a hand warmer and watch as a blue liquid turns to yellow from simply blowing into it, and then back to blue by shaking!
All chemicals can be bought at Costco/grocery store or online at Amazon. And the fogger is formally called an ultrasonic atomizer. (They are used in humidifiers.)
| In The Kit | You Provide | |
|---|---|---|
|
Test tubes with caps Test tube rack Pipettes Child-size goggles (8) Adult-size goggles (1) 2 glass jars Containers with lids Thermometer Fogger |
Water Baking soda Vinegar Calcium Chloride Bromothymol Blue |
  
|
Energy
Disclaimer: We bought the Hydro Rocket at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. It uses air pressure to launch a water-propelled rocket. But we recommend against using it inside because water spills along its trajectory. More importantly, if not careful when aiming, the rocket can easily hit someone!
| In The Kit | You Provide | |
|---|---|---|
|
Plasma Ball Hand Boiler Newton's Cradle Gyroscope Hydro Rocket Boomerang Wheel Energy Stick Extension cord Snap Circuits Green Snap Circuits Jr CD Hovercraft |
Electricity AA batteries (for snap circuits) |
|
Magnets
| In The Kit | You Provide | |
|---|---|---|
|
Maglev Train The Levitator Magnetic Hourglass Zero Gravity Fridge Rover Magnetic board |
(Nothing) |
|
Light
Create a rainbow. Witness an optical illusion of a floating frog (or any object) using parabolic mirrors. And see in the dark!
| In The Kit | You Provide | |
|---|---|---|
|
3D Mirascope 2 Prisms 2 Night Vision Goggles Brown paper bags |
Non-LED flashlights (cell phones work!) Watch batteries (for goggles) |
|
Hardware
Take apart — and hopefully put back together & laptops, desktop computers, keyboards and even a Roomba!
| In The Kit | You Provide | |
|---|---|---|
|
4 laptops 4 desktops 4 keyboards Screwdrivers Cups for screws |
Gloves (optional) |
|