We can have a lot of fun with all types of glow-in-the-dark sciency stuff, while thinking about how God is the source of all light and we can shine his light out.
Here are lots of ideas for a light party with a science twist, such as luminous letters, fluorescent food, and glow stick (naturally) games. There are too many for one post, so use the links to click on to other parts.
- Part 1 (this post) – Food and Drink
- Part 2 – Experiments
- Part 3 – Games
- Part 4 – Crafts
- Part 5 – Extra Info, including The Science!
Kryptonite!
Do this activity under UV light
Many vitamins glow under UV light, and we can use multi-vitamin tablets to make some fluorescing food and drink.
You will need:
- Children’s fizzy multi-vitamin tablets (click)* containing vitamins A, B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin) or B12.
- Lime jelly
- Lemon and Lime squash
Make up a dilute solution with the multivitamin tablet and add lime and lemon squash (this is best for masking the rather sharp taste) for radio-active nuclear juice!
To make Kryptonite, use the dilute vitamin mixture to make up lime jelly, using slightly less water than normal. When it has set, chop it into chunks. It looks really cool when you have a mouthful of glowing crystals!
Please check packaging for dilution, and add extra water if required. Alternatively, use tonic water to make the jellies.
Bright Biscuits!
Do this activity under UV light
Make iced biscuits that glow with this edible fluorescent icing!
You will need:
- Plain biscuits (make sure that they do not fluoresce on their own!)
- Icing sugar
- Tonic water
- Food colourings
- Small bowls and spoons
Make up glace icing as usual using tonic water. Plain icing will have a cool blue glow and you can add food dye for other colours.
Go wild on your biscuits!
- Make self-portraits or draw someone else and play guess who.
- Suggest a theme and have an art competition.
- Make decorated letter biscuits and spell out God is Light.
- Put several biscuits together and draw a large picture over them all, then take it apart and see if you can solve your bic-saw puzzle!
Glow-nuts (or fruit!)
Do this activity under UV light
Decorating doughnuts (or fruit) with edible fluorescing paint! Does it get any better than this?
You will need:
For the paint
- 50g plain flour or cornflour (US cornstarch)
- 30g sugar
- 500ml tonic water
- Food colourings
For the activity
- Paint brushes
- Doughnuts
- Fruit
- Apple slices
- Bread sticks
- etc
This is basically flour and water paste made with tonic water. Tonic water contains quinine, which glows under UV light. However, quinine is quite bitter, so the sugar helps to balance that out.
In a saucepan, mix together the sugar and flour and add a little tonic water, stirring to a smooth paste.
Gradually add the rest of the water, then heat gently and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Continue heating without boiling, and after 10 minutes or so the mixture should thicken.
Remove from heat and allow to cool. Divide the mixture between bowls and add food colouring.
Get creative and decorate those doughnuts (or healthy options, you never know, the kids might even eat them!)
With thanks to Teisha at Instructables
Light Party does Science!
- Part 1 (this post) – Food and Drink
- Part 2 – Experiments
- Part 3 – Games
- Part 4 – Crafts
- Part 5 – Extra Info, including The Science!
* Clickable links
The clickable links will take you to suggested items on Amazon via an affiliate link. If you purchase any items after following an affiliate Amazon will make a small donation to support this ministry. So feel free to splash out on that diamond-studded Porsche. No personal data is passed in either direction, and the price you pay is exactly the same.
Please note: The suggested items are necessarily exactly the same as the ones I use. So while I have linked to ones that are as close as possible to the ones tested so I cannot vouch for their suitability.
The Reflectionary 
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