If you have a Harry Potter enthusiast in your house, you’ll want to try your own Harry Potter Potions Class and Experiments, either for a birthday party or just for fun. I’m thrilled to be joining Rae Gun’s annual Harry Potter blog hop. Go here to see all the posts about Harry Potter from bloggers around the web.
Don’t miss this list of more books to read if you love Harry Potter books!
Harry Potter Potions Class Experiments
Gather your supplies. Cover your table with a plastic table cloth.
Print out the directions, slide into a plastic sleeve, and distribute to the students in your potions class.
Wear safety goggles just in case. (And because they look smashing.)
Get started with your experiments!
Exploding Polyjuice Potion
(NOT edible!) aka. Elephant Toothpaste
½ cup wolfsbane
squirt of worm guts
4 drops dragon blood
3 Tbspns dream fluid
Veritaserum
(NOT edible!) aka. basic vinegar eruption with extras just for fun
inspired from Potter Party Mania
2 pieces of Mandrake Root
1 cup of Basilisk Venom
2 drops Dragon blood
a pinch of Gillyweed
2 shakes of unicorn horn powder
What is the number of Harry Potter books you have read? This is the number of eyeballs from a blind cat you must add.
1 scoop of bat dung
Chant “Weasley is our King” 4 times and stir potion 3 times
a squirt of worm guts
1 scoop of crushed Dragon Bones while you say “Veritaserum” using your best British accent
Harry Potter Potions KEY
Vinegar = basilisk venom
Baking soda = crushed dragon bones
Hydrogen peroxide = wolfsbane
Dish soap = worm guts
Food coloring = dragon blood
Any spice = gillyweed
Glitter = unicorn horn powder
Yeast = dream fluid
Pretzels = mandrake root
Any small and round food = bat dung, eyeballs from a blind cat
Go to a beauty supply store to get the hydrogen peroxide that hairdressers use – it will make the experiment (Elephant Toothpaste) more intense!!
Use sunglasses or science goggles while you do the experiments for safety.
Download the potion class PRINTABLE here.
more Potions class experiments from Mrs. Nespy, My Kids Adventures,
Bonus Experiment:
Make Your Own Butterbeer!! (EDIBLE)
We tried several Butterbeer recipes — taste tested and voted which was best. It was YUMMY fun – but don’t drink too much of these all at once, they are VERY sweet.
#1 Butterbeer Recipe from Wizarding World Park
- 1 quart vanilla ice cream
- 1/4 cup butterscotch syrup
- 32 oz of your favorite cream soda
Directions:
- Place glasses in freezer and chill.
- Mix ice cream with cream soda in a blender.
- Pour into glasses.
- Top each glass with whipped cream.
- Serve with spoons and straws.
#2 Homemade Butterbeer from OffBeat and Inspired
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tbsp. salted butter
2 tbsp + 1 tbsp. pure maple syrup
1/2 tsp. fine sea salt
8 oz. cream soda per mug
Chill your mugs in the freezer.
Melt butter and 2 tbsp. maple syrup in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly until lightly bubbling. Remove from heat.
Add heavy cream, salt and remaining tbsp. of maple syrup to a bowl. Beat with a hand mixer until a smooth. Slowly add the heated maple butter mixture to the whipped cream continuing to mix until combined.
Grab your mugs from the freezer and add 1/4 cup of maple butter cream to the bottom of each. Stir cream soda to almost fill each glass. Skim off the soda bubbles, top with maple butter cream.
#3 Homemade Butterbeer from Design Lively
– Root Beer
– Half and Half
– Imitation Butter extract
– Fluff
First, add about half of the container of Fluff and 1 cup of half and half. Stir it with a mixer until it’s foamy!
Fill your glass with root beer and add butter extract.
Stir. Add a few spoonfuls to your glass.
5 MORE Butterbeer Recipes HERE
Delicious and FUN!
More Ideas for Your Harry Potter Birthday Party
HARRY POTTER & THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS Spells & Potions Science Activity Kit Sounds Of HogwartsHarry Potter Party Supplies for 16 Guests – Plates, Napkins, Cups, & Cutlery
Harry Potter Magical Acitivity Super Set for Kids — 2 Coloring Books and 3 Science Magic Kits (Herbology, Optical Illusions and Creatures)
12 mini cauldrons + 12 broom pens – Harry Potter party or Halloween Party set!
Harry Potter Sorting Hat, Brown
HARRY POTTER and the Chamber of Secrets Spells and Potions Kit #SH703
The Unofficial Guide to Crafting the World of Harry Potter: 30 Magical Crafts for Witches and Wizards―from Pencil Wands to House Colors Tie-Dye Shirts
Harry Potter Magical Creatures Coloring Kit (Miniature Editions)
ONEVER Retro Wax Seal Stamps Kit | magic school badge | Wax Stick Spoon | Gift Box Set
Welcome!
Download my "Can't Put 'Em Down" book lists for your kids ages 3 - 13.
Also, I'll send you a bonus "23 Reasons to Read" printable poster!
Sara says
Hi. Did you use dry or liquid yeast for the exploding poly juice potion?
Deb Whitten says
I’m getting ready for my daughter’s 9-3/4 birthday party next week. Do you mind sharing what the potions do? I have so many to choose from and am not wanting to test each and every one to decide which I’m going with. Thank you!
Melissa Taylor says
I think this group’s favorite was Veritaserum.
Jenna Dixon says
Does it matter what % of hydrogen peroxide you use for the polyjuice potion?
Martin Rusek says
I find this rather unfortunate way of teaching Chemistry. It further deepens the illness of the school subject when almos every experiment is more magic then a way to verify a hypothesis. We need to lead to students’ own observation, verification of expectations and measurement then doing magic.
Of course there is a potential in a lesson described above, I’m afraid it hasn’t been used here.
MG says
The point of this went completely over your head. As someone who pursued science and has become a scientist working amongst other scientists the monotony of the scientific method is a means to find the truth. In the eyes of a child it can be torture. Most of us became scientists by FIRST being fascinated with things we couldn’t explain, this includes works of pure fiction. You’ll be hard pressed to find anyone in the space industry that’s not a Star Trek or Star Wars fan or Asimov fan or some other kind of fiction. Many biologists fantasize about imaginary druidic herbalism long before they begin the study of botany.
This is about silly fun for children. Keep it real homes.
Erin @ Nourishing My Scholar says
These were a big hit for our Harry Potter themed day last week! Thanks so much for these fun activities, The kids also loved the butterbear recipe. 🙂 I’m writing a blog post about our day. Is it OK to link back to your site?
Melissa Taylor says
of course! Thanks, Erin. 🙂
Catherine says
My favorite thing about Harry Potter books is how you are swallowed up in the fantasy world so it becomes real. 🙂
Jennifer C. says
My favorite thing about Harry Potter is that is has my son reading and rereading the series for hours each day. I actually have to force him to stop reading to spend time with us and go outside. He loves the series. Thanks for the giveaway. He would be in heaven with these treasures!
William Medina says
This is awesome – going to share it with teachers at my school. We have a few Harry Potter fans and they would probably love to do something like this. Thank you.
Jennifer R. says
I am so thankful for Harry Potter! It has sparked my kiddos imagination, and has gotten him to enjoy books. This reading mama couldn’t be happier about that. Thank you for the experiments. We are going to have a HP Halloween this year, and these will be perfect. 🙂
Melissa Taylor says
Have fun!
marissa | rae gun ramblings says
These are so so awesome. I can’t wait to do them with my nieces.
Marlene Markard says
Hi Melissa – As a fellow mom who believes imagination is key, I love your blog and your fabulous ideas for getting kids enthusiastic about learning. This is why I’ve nominated you for a One Lovely Blog Award and also tagged you in Love/Hate Tag. I hope you’ll accept the award and participate in the love/hate tag. By accepting awards/tags and nominating others, I’ve found that I’ve met some other wonderful bloggers doing incredible things! To accept the award, please check out my blog at http://www.1sttimemomat42.com for the rules (I set them out in my own nomination acceptance, which I posted today) and to participate in the love/hate tag, all you need to do is to put up a post in which you reveal 10 things you love, 10 things you hate, and tag 10 other bloggers you admire. Best, Marlene
Melissa Taylor says
Marlene,
You are so awesome! Thank you so much for the nomination. I’m afraid I can’t participate at this time but send you virtual hugs and love for thinking of me.
xx
Melissa
Teddy eleana says
Hey Melissa! I tried butterbeer before, and I didn’t like it, so I am going to make some polyjuce potion. You are so smart to think about this!😀😀😀