If you’re planning to host a Potion Making activity for a group of children, this article will help you optimize the event. Here, you’ll find tips to extend the fun, simplify cleanup, and ensure everything runs smoothly. Organizing a Potion play event for a group requires good preparation, but it’s definitely worth the effort. I assure you, your young wizards will be thrilled with the activity—and often, the parents will be too! I’ve often seen parents sneak in a spoonful of "magical dust" into their child's potion...
Preparing the Potion Table
To ensure a successful Potion play session, preparing the play area is essential. Not only does this add to the magic of the event, but it also extends the fun for your young wizards. Here are some tips for setting up an enchanting Potion Kit table:
Since potion-making can be messy—especially with eight kids brewing potions simultaneously!—protect the play area with a waterproof tablecloth or brown kraft paper. If the weather permits, set up outdoors! This way, kids can enjoy making a mess (a big part of their fun) without worry. Afterward, simply hose down the play area for easy cleanup.
Ideally, each child should have a potion bowl, a container of water, and a small spoon. A 3-4 inch diameter bowl works best, while small mason jars are perfect for holding water. For spoons, use the smallest ones you have, as only a small amount of ingredients is needed to trigger a magical reaction. Larger spoons will lead to faster ingredient depletion. To simplify things, pre-divide small ingredient bags among the children so that each has their own "magical territory" to experiment at their own pace.
In addition to the ingredients in the Potion Party Kits, you can add your own to extend the activity. Place 2-3 additional water containers (e.g., pitchers, bowls, or glasses) in the center of the table. You can color the water with food coloring to transform it into "troll slime" or "vampire blood." For more bubbles, add 1-2 drops of dish soap to these containers. You can also include extras like beans, dried flowers, rice, pine cones, etc. You could even involve the kids in collecting magical ingredients from the garden beforehand! Arrange these ingredients in various containers on the table to capture the children’s interest. Lastly, provide an array of utensils and tools (e.g., whisks, pestles, ladles, funnels, strainers, etc.) for the children to explore during the Potion play.
Conducting the Activity
To ensure the Potion Kit activity runs smoothly, your young wizards will need clear instructions. I recommend that a “wizard instructor” guide the first part to ensure a good start. Here are a few important guidelines:
Adult supervision is essential for a successful Potion play session. From my experience, one adult for every four children is recommended to maintain control. Children often get excited, and spills happen quickly. To limit spills, instruct them to add only one or two spoonfuls of water or ingredients at a time.
One of the most important rules is not to eat the ingredients. While non-toxic, they might taste awful, and we wouldn’t want your young wizards turning into toads! You can also let them know that the ingredients in the center of the table are for the second part of the activity, keeping their focus on the Potion Kit instructions to start.
For the initial part, have the “wizard instructor” lead the activity using the mini instruction cards. For an extra touch of magic, have fun dressing up in wizard or fairy costumes! Once the Potion Kit instructions are complete, let the kids continue to play with the remaining ingredients. The more they add, the more powerful the potion becomes! They’ll love transferring their concoctions to different containers, crushing ingredients with the pestle, or whisking the mix to create more bubbles.
After the Potion Activity
The Potion making session doesn’t have to end once the potions are finished! Here are a few ideas for what to do with the mixture after the activity:
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Attract Fairies: Pour the potion outside to attract fairies and other magical creatures to your garden. The strong magic and enchanting scent will surely draw them in! The ingredients are 100% biodegradable, making them safe for the environment. Let your child choose a favorite tree to pour the potion at its base. Guests can also take their potion home to invite fairies to their own gardens.
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Freeze and Reuse: Strain the liquid and freeze it for use throughout the summer. It can make a wonderful base for a "fairy soup," thanks to its bright and vibrant colors. Your child can have fun adding garden finds like flowers, mud, or small rocks.
And there you have it—I believe you now have all the information you need to organize a fantastic Potion play session. I hope your young wizards have a magical time, and feel free to share your feedback once the activity is complete!
Emilie
