What we have been up to - Summer 2013

This summer has been a whirlwind of parties, holiday events and even a graduation! Read on to find out exactly what we have been doing and how Fun Science has been contributing to the local community.

Summer community events

Fun Science tries to help out local charities and community organisations by running workshops and activities for free or at a heavily discounted price whenever possible. This summer we spent a day running sessions for 150 girls aged 11-18 at a Guiding Event in Huish Woods, Taunton, Somerset. The girls were all given the opportunity to make their own rockets, raise their hair on our Van de Graff generator and learn a little about their own bodies with spirometers, lung capacity bags and blood pressure monitors. The following quote from one of the Guides (all of whom had been working their way around various activities throughout the day) summed up exactly what we at Fun Science are always trying to achieve.

"I was looking forward to the Fun Science least of all because Science is boring but it has been my favorite thing out of the whole day!" - Guide aged 14.

Fun Science were also very lucky to receive funding to work with some of the youngters who have recently started living on the brand new Wyndham Park estate in Yeovil and so Chemical Cress came along to do a couple of outdoor science sessions including rocket launches, illusions and chemical reactions. The primary aim of this event was to give the children on the estate, many of whom have moved to England from various European countries, a chance to get to know each other and to make friends with others in a similar situation to themselves. Fun Science helped to get the children interacting with each other through a range of activities whilst also getting them excited about science - the Mentos and diet coke experiment was a big hit!

Click here to find out more about our workshops.

Graduation!

This summer, Cressida Bullock, the owner of Fun Science and the leader of many of the company's events, graduated from Bath Spa University with a 1st Class Honours degree in Biology. This was a very exciting day and you can see Cressida below, dressed in her graduation robes with a very big scroll!

Lots of new scientists join our team

With the increasing popularity of our holiday events it became necessary to increase the size of our team at these events. We were very happy to welcome back some familiar faces and have also taken on some new members of staff for holiday events. Pictured below are Krypton Katie, Mercury Mali, Helium Hattie and Chemical Cress after working extremely hard at our three summer fun days in Bath.

We have also been very excited to take on a new employee to cope with an ever increasing demand for Fun Science birthday parties. Our new party entertainer Hydrogen Hana has already received some fantastic feedback and, following extensive training, received the following review after her very first party!

"Could you pass on to Hana that she was very good and the children all loved it, I didn't know at the time it was her first time, and I wouldn't have guessed. (my husband told me later, she had told him) she was prompt, confident at talking to the children, and as my 3 year old said 'the science lady was very friendly' !  They all loved making the slime, getting certificates with their science names on and the experiments she did with mixing the household 'chemicals' . Particularly the green stuff that foamed out of the top. My son was delighted at being at the front helping, that was just what he wanted as birthday boy"

To find out more about our holiday events, birthday parties or other services please visit www.fun-science.org.uk or email info@fun-science.org.uk

How to choose a children's entertainer and what questions to ask

Children's entertainers can be a fantastic addition to your child's birthday party as they provide something a little bit different whilst taking the pressure off you as a parent. When it comes to choosing the entertainment for your child's birthday party, it's important to get it right. Luckily, as entertainers ourselves, we at Fun Science know some of the top tips for choosing the entertainment for your child's party!

1) Find something your child is interested in - So maybe your child likes dinosaurs, princesses, science etc.. Try and find an entertainer that specialises in providing parties to suit your child's interests. Children's entertainment has progressed a long way from the times when every child had a juggler or a magician at their birthday party. Of course, there are many fantastic jugglers, clowns and magicians around and so if this is what your child is interested in then my all means book one, but don't be afraid to look around for something a little bit different. 

2) Pick a recommended entertainer - Any good entertainment companies will have a section containing testimonials or comments from previous parties, however if they don't then do not be afraid to ask for one. Also, many companies offering character entertainment may employ a number of staff to act as that character and some may be better than others. Make sure you ask for a review or reference of the specific person that will be leading your entertainment on the day. 

3) Shop around - Cheaper prices do not necessarily mean lower quality - As a company offering prices that undercut many other similar companies in the area, we often hear comments such as 'we paid far more for her brothers party and it wasn't nearly so fun!'. This is because a lower priced company does not necessarily mean that the quality is compromised, in fact it is far more likely to be indicative of the companies costs. For example, our parties are priced fairly low because we have very few overhead costs and prefer to use word-of-mouth advertising. 

4) Communicate with your entertainer - Tell them if you have any special requirements. Perhaps your child is particularly looking forward to seeing a particular magic trick or juggling routine that they saw at a friends party - be sure to let your entertainer know to avoid disappointment.The golden rule here is 'just ask!'. At Fun Science we are always happy to do all we can to cater to size, age and theme requirements, but if we don't know that there will only be 5 children or that your child has invited friends aged from 3-11 - we can't prepare!

5) Make sure the entertainment will be age appropriate - Most entertainers will have age guidelines and it is generally best to stay within these. If they do not state a particular age, it is best to ask or to let them know the age of the attending children so that your party can be altered accordingly. However, that being said, you know your children best and if you think that a party that claims to be suitable for ages 6-11 would suit your 4 year old perfectly then remember the golden rule and 'just ask'. Our parties are recommended for children aged 5-11 yet we have run many successful parties for children slightly younger or older whose parents have let us know their child's age beforehand. 

6) Book a Fun Science birthday party! - Of course, this list wouldn't be complete without a little shameless advertising! If your child is into science, our party packages are engaging, interesting and have received many fantastic reviews. We also cover most of Somerset and Wiltshire so have a look for yourself at http://www.fun-science.org.uk/parties.html