Witches and wizards potion class

What it is

A school of magic for an afternoon. Kids are sorted into houses, make their own wands and brew potions in a classroom, earning house points as they go. The potions are simple kitchen chemistry that looks like real magic.

Plan ahead

• Two weeks before: send acceptance letters as invitations with a wax seal sticker.
• One week before: buy wands or chopsticks, potion bottles, food colouring, cloaks or hats, and ingredients: baking soda, vinegar, red cabbage, glitter.
• The day before: make red cabbage potion base (see below), print potion labels and set up the classroom.

Set the scene

Hang floating candles (LED candles on fishing line), house banners in four colours, and old books stacked on tables. Write the potion menu on a chalkboard. Use jars of coloured water and plastic spiders on shelves.

Activities

Wand making

Hot-glue swirls along a chopstick (adults do the glue), then kids paint them brown, gold or black and add beads and ribbons.

Potions class

• Colour-changing potion: red cabbage water (purple) turns pink with lemon juice and blue-green with baking soda.
• Fizzing potion: baking soda, glitter, a drop of washing-up liquid and colour, then add vinegar.
• Lava potion: oil and coloured water in a bottle; drop in half a fizzing tablet and watch the blobs rise.

Spell games

• Broom relay: run with a broom between your legs to the finish and back.
• Floating feather: keep a feather in the air by blowing only.
• Spell freeze: an adult casts “Freezio!” and everyone freezes; anyone who moves loses a house point.

Food and drink

• Pumpkin juice (orange juice mixed with apple and a dash of cinnamon)
• Chocolate frogs (made in a frog mould)
• Sandwiches cut like lightning bolts
• A cake shaped like a spell book or a sorting hat

Tips

• Give points generously to all houses so it ends close.
• Avoid licensed names on invitations; the magic theme works on its own.