A good Science Fair project involves a journey of discovery, driven by curiosity.  My First Weather Kit does just that.  Learn all about extreme weather with this complete weather station. Explore why we have hurricanes and typhoons, why global warming makes ocean levels rise and more as you become a weather expert! ($19.95)

 Another fun activity for young science enthusiasts is our Volcano Making Kit. Make a volcano with the plaster and mould provided, paint in the lava flow and landscape, then create your eruption by mixing baking soda and vinegar. ($9.95)

For older students, curiosity shines through our Solar Energy Laboratory. Build a solar energy laboratory and conduct more than 25 energy conservation experiments.  Use a solar collector, solar heater and other tools to collect and measure energy. ($9.95)

If your child is a fan of MythBusters, the kits below should definitely peak their interest…

Have a blast working with the Power of Air Pressure Kit and answer questions like, ‘Will your stomach really explode if you don’t belch?’ and ‘Can air alone support a train?’ while witnessing the power of air pressure in action by building a marshmallow launcher. ($19.95)

Take the lead through an exploration of aeronautics with the Forces of Flight Kit. We are surrounded by flying object every day, but can you explain the science behind it.  Learn and experiment to find the answers to questions like, ‘Can a plane really steer itself?’ ‘What would happen if an astronaut didn’t wear a space suit?’ Experiments include flying a model helicopter and launching a rocket. ($19.95)

With the Weird World of Water Kit, you will experiment to learn just how strong a whirlpool is, discover whether it’s possible to walk on water and test the limits of water’s power by building and launching a water-powered rocket! ($19.95)

Come down and visit Planet Fun for an array of these and other activities. We look forward to seeing you and good luck with those science fair projects!

1.  Telescopes. Planet Fun is the perfect place to purchase your first telescope or upgrade to a new model.  Our staff members are trained to answer any questions you have and outfit you with the telescope that best suits your needs.  This holiday season is a great time for your family to look up and enjoy the skies above. Price $279.95 and up

2.  Star Rocket. The Star Rocket uses baking soda and vinegar to create a rocket at home.   This assembly kit can shoot up to 200 ft and is a great introduction to chemistry and physics. Price: $24.95

3.  Newton’s Cradle. This stylish desktop activity demonstrates the fundamentals of Newton’s theory and is a cool gift idea for executive-types, educators and the hard to shop for. Price: $7,95, $16.95

4.  My First Science Kit. Enjoy several fun science activities like a color mixing lab, 10 science experiments, a lab to grow crystals in 24 different hues and a tube that lets you capture a rainbow. Price: $19.95

5.  Puzzleball Earth. Take your geography lesson for a spin with the amazing three-dimensional puzzle globe. Featuring 540 curved pieces that form a solid, smooth globe when assembled.  This puzzle will not just be fun to put together but useful for years to come. Price: $49.95

6.  Santa vs. The Snowman 3D DVD. This classic holiday tale can come home with you this season.  Cuddle up to the TV with your 3D glasses (included) and watch how the Snowman and his minions go to battle with Santa to stake claim on the North Pole. Price: $19.95

7.  Star Theatre 2, Your Own Planetarium. Transform your room into an amazing 360 degree planetarium and listen as you are taken on an audio tour of the night sky. Price: $39.95

8.  Marshmallow Shooter. The sweetest way to wage battle is with this marshmallow shooter that can shoot up to 30 ft.  Great fun for the whole family and you don’t have to worry about shooting an eye out. Price: $24.95

9.  Planet Earth, The Complete Collection. From the highest mountains to the deepest rivers, this blockbuster series takes you on an unforgettable journey through the daily struggle for survival in Earth’s most extreme habitats. Price: $99.95

10.  Clark Planetarium Gift Cards and Memberships. Can’t decide what to get?  Gift cards and memberships are the perfect gift.  Our memberships cater to any family size and have great benefits.  Gift cards can be purchased in increments of $20, $25, $50 and $100.

Guests can get here by broomstick or car……or they can ride the Hogwarts Express (TRAX) to Station 9 ¾ (otherwise known to Muggles as the TRAX Planetarium Stop).  Once here, guests will step into Harry’s shoes and embark on a mystical journey filled with magic, scientific wonder and excitement.

Guest will be sorted into their respective houses using the powerful technology of our Science on a Sphere exhibit.  Guest will receive an acceptance letter and their house crest buttons.  From there, guest will be guided by their class schedule to an array of exciting activities.

Animal experts from Hogle Zoo and Living Planet Aquarium will be on hand for guest to get up close to and learn about some of their favorite magical creatures including owls, spiders, ferrets, birds and snakes.  Wizardry can be found around every corner as guests are mesmerized by fortune tellers and the talents of Century, the magician.  Learn the secrets behind some of the magical elements of Hogwarts with science demonstrations by our education team on air pressure, electricity and optical illusions.  And don’t forget to stop by our Hansen Dome Theatre for short presentations of some of our best Cosmic Light Shows.  Before you end the night, make sure you stop by Honeydukes for snacks made by the house-elves and don’t forget your photo booth souvenir.

Make sure you enter our costume contest for great prizes or enter for a chance to visit the new Wizardry World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida.  Tickets for our Harry Potter Premiere Party of $15.  Show tickets and Premiere Party tickets are sold separately.

After much review, we’re featuring our top 10 gift ideas, complete with a link to video taken at Planet Fun by our friends Fisher & Peggy from Today’s 106.5. Be sure to check out the video to see the shocking good fun they had while they were here.

Come by and test the products yourself; but if you can’t come in, be sure to browse our products at Planet Fun online, then call us to place your order.

Without further delay,  here are our top 10 gift ideas for this season:

10. Hoberman Spheres: These expandable spheres make engineering fun! The original Hoberman Sphere expands to 30” and kids and adults can’t put it down! Price: $34.95

9. Solar System in My Room: Cool Science and fun too! Solar System in My Room goes over the light fixture on the ceiling. You can then remotely control the movement of the planets. Price: $49.95

8. AirZooka: Laugh in amusement as you mess up someone’s hair or ruffle their shirt. AirZooka is the “fun gun” that blows a harmless ball of air towards any person or object.  Price: $17.95- $24.95

7. Science Kits: The perfect gift to spark the interest of a young mind. Our wide variety of science kits lets kids investigate everything from building an FM radio to performing weather experiments. Price: $9.95 – $49.95

6. Hexbugs: These cute little robotic critters are great gifts for the Kids! The Original Hexbug runs away from noise or your touch. The Crab Hexbug runs from the light or sound. The Inchworm Hexbug is remote controlled. Prices: $12.95, $16.95, and $22.95

5. Giantmicrobes: Shown at 1 million times actual size, these plush germs give you an up-close look at germs from typhoid fever to mad cow disease. It’s a great gag gift that provides laughs and learning. Price: $7.95

4. R/C Flying Saucer: This remote controlled copter-like flying saucer is a Planet Fun store favorite! The staff love to fly it and share with customers. With flashing LED lights, it looks like a UFO as it hovers! Price: $25.95

3. Lightning Reaction Revenge: Have a shocking good time with this new version of the Lightning Reaction game. Control who gets shocked, but beware of those who seek revenge. Price: $29.95

2. Telescopes: Let the staff at Planet Fun help you find the perfect telescope for your stargazing needs. With a wide variety of telescopes and accessories, you can find everything you need to view the heavens. Price: $249.99 – $1999.99

1. Clark Planetarium Gift Cards: Can’t decide? Give the gift of flexibility with a gift card. Available in the store or online in $20, $25, $50 and $100 amounts.

Assembly: The kit retails for $19.95 and includes all the pieces you’ll need to create your rocket car. All you’ll need to contribute is some glue to place the fin on the top of the car and the baking soda and vinegar required for the fuel source.

The car is recommended for children ages 9 and up, but children will strongly benefit from having an adult help them with the creation process. Good news is that the instructions are self explanatory and easy to follow. Note: As you move to placing the wheels on the car, you will want to test the car on the ground to see if your wheels are aligned correctly and moving freely (a step I did not fine tune enough for my first car, resulting in it pulling to the left).

Performance: After your car is built, you will want to make sure to read and accurately follow the directions for the baking soda and vinegar mixture. Mike and I wanted our car to go farther and faster, so we added double the amount of vinegar which resulted in too much pressure building up in the fuel module too quickly and shooting it out the back of the car instead of propelling it forward.

When we correctly followed the instructions for our fuel ingredients and adjusted the dial on the back of the car, we had fun watching the chemical reaction bubble and fizz until enough pressure built up in the chamber and shot our car down the sidewalk and street. As we tested the car on the sidewalk outside the Clark Planetarium, we had many interested passers-by that got a kick out of the reaction. We did get some footage of a launch on the street which you can see here:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Pointers: Overall, this was a fun activity to get us outside with a chemistry/physics demonstration to boot. Things you’ll want to pay attention to when creating your own rocket car are, again, testing the wheels to make sure the car rides straight. Launching the car on a smooth surface also helps it go further. And lastly, don’t stand directly behind the car while you are waiting for it to launch. When it blasts off, it shoots a stream of the baking soda and vinegar mixture out the back of the car. We had one of our store staff get splattered with the stuff and while we all got a kick out of it, the mixture is pretty smelly. We got footage of that too as well as some other misfires we had while we were playing around…

Click here to view the embedded video.

Estes Ready-to-Fly Rockets

We have a wide line of Estes brand rocket kits with everything you need to fire off rockets from 200 to 1000 feet into the air. These launch kits range in price from $19.95 to $60.00 and are a blast (pun intended)! NOTE:  Mom or Dad will need to supervise as these use rocket engines.

Dueling Blast Pads

These foot powered stomp rockets are safe and easy for the kids to use. There are 2 side-by-side rockets to launch simultaneously to see who can make their rocket fly higher! The set is $34.95 and comes with multiple rockets.

Ram Rockets

The original Ram Rocket is a hand held pump rocket that can blast a missile up to 100 feet and is just $8.95! Also comes in “Light-Up” varieties. Check out our silly video of us using the Ram Rocket:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Aerobie Flying Discs

If you’re looking for non-explosive fun, try our super cool Aerobie Flying Discs. These easy to throw discs fly really well. Use them in your frisbee golf game and you will totally win! Prices range from $12.95 to $14.95.