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Birthday Parties & Field Trips

Ready To Plan Your Next Party or Class Trip?
Look no further than The Science Center!

We at the Science Center offer birthday parties for both members and non-members.

Curious as to what is in a Birthday Party Package at The Science Center? Look Below for more information on our Birthday Party Packages!

Included in Our Birthday Party Package:

  • Access to Our Private Party Room for Two Hours
  • All Day Access to the Museum for You and Your Guests
  • Freezer & Refrigerator Provided
  • Party Fees Cover up to 20 Children (Adults are Free!)
  • Enjoy an Activity of Your Choice Lead by Our Popular Program Director
  • A 15% Off Coupon for Party City
  • A 15% Off Coupon for Larry’s House of Cakes

Pricing & Fees

Wanting a birthday party with more than 20 children? A small fee of $6 is added per child.

$50 Non-refundable Deposit is required to reserve your date
(The $50 will be applied towards your total package cost on the day of the party)

Adding an additional program is a $35 fee.

Having an After-Hours Party is an additional $25 per half hour, and $50 per hour.

Our Birthday Party Programs

Wow! Science

Wow! Science

A Science Show where staff will show your group a series of “tricks” that seem like they are magic, when in reality, they are all explained by science!

*MESSY SCIENCE

*MESSY SCIENCE

Hands-On Program- For this messy program, you can choose one of 3 substances to make and explore! Slime, Cloud Dough, or Oobleck. (Party go-ers are able to take slime and cloud dough home.)

Investigating Volcanoes

Investigating Volcanoes

This program allows each attendee to make their own volcano with our home-made salt dough. Then the party moves to the museum to watch our own Mt. Boom erupt!

ANIMAL MEET & GREET

ANIMAL MEET & GREET

We host a meet & green with 5 to 6 of The Science Center pets. Party-goers will learn about how our staff cares for the animals, facts about them, and even are able to pet the animals!

Catapults

Catapults

With the use of common household supplies, party go-ers are able to make a catapult and use mini marshmallows as ammo!

*Oil and Water Painting

*Oil and Water Painting

Express your creativity with science by using oil and water to create works of art!

*Dinosaur Egg Party

*Dinosaur Egg Party

Each party guest gets to make their very own dinosaur egg! Which even comes with a surprise small dinosaur inside! Guests are allowed to take them home, but make sure to let them dry before cracking them open!

*Fossil Casting

*Fossil Casting

NEW Create your own fossil bed impressions of seashells and dinosaur footprints! Mix and cast the fossils to then take home. This activity is recommended for ages 5 and up. (Due to curing time for the plaster, this program has to be done at the beginning of your party.)

Solar System Sun Catchers

Solar System Sun Catchers

NEW Design your very own solar system in a sun catcher! Take your solar system home and hang it in your window, allowing the glow of the sun to reflect around your room!

Painting with Crystals

Painting with Crystals

NEW Paint a picture with crystals! The best part is watching it shimmer once it has dried!

Excavation Rocks

Excavation Rocks

NEW Start your own unique collection by extracting polished stones and beautiful shells from our special “sandstone rocks”!

A Science Show where staff will show your group a series of “tricks” that seem like they are magic, when in reality, they are all explained by science!

Hands-On Program- For this messy program, you can choose one of 3 substances to make and explore! Slime, Cloud Dough, or Oobleck. (Party go-ers are able to take slime and cloud dough home.)

This program allows each attendee to make their own volcano with our home-made salt dough. Then the party moves to the museum to watch our own Mt. Boom erupt!

We host a meet & green with 5-6 of The Science Center pets. Party=goers will learn about how our staff cares for the animals, facts about them, and even are able to pet the animals!

With the use of common household supplies, party go-ers are able to make a catapult and use mini marshmallows as ammo!

Express your creativity with science by using oil and water to create works of art!

Each party guest gets to make their very own dinosaur egg! Which even comes with a surprise small dinosaur inside! Guests are allowed to take them home, but make sure to let them dry before cracking them open!

Create your own fossil bed impressions of seashells and dinosaur footprints! Mix and cast the fossils to then take home. This activity is recommended for ages 5 and up. (Due to curing time for the plaster, this program has to be done at the beginning of your party.)

Design your very own solar system in a sun catcher! Take your solar system home and hang it in your window, allowing the glow of the sun to reflect around your room!

Paint a picture with crystals! The best part is watching it shimmer once it has dried!

Start your own unique collection by extracting polished stones and beautiful shells from our special “sandstone rocks”!

*Activities with this symbol indicate a messy experiment!
Smocks and old clothes are strongly encouraged

Is your class looking for its next field trip? Look no further than The Science Center

Schools in the Carbondale, IL area are welcome to have field trips at The Science Center any weekday of the year. We have a hands-on museum that has a wide variety of exhibits available for all ages. Build tall skyscrapers in our Creation Station, learn how to fly an airplane, or check out one of our numerous other exhibits. These exhibits explore the topics of magnetism, air power, sound, anatomy, food, weather, and so much more! We also have a variety of critters such as Rosie the Tarantula, Tom Cruise the Chinchilla Rabbit, and Reptar the Iguana! With the wide variety of activities available, The Science Center is the perfect spot for your classes next field trip!

We offer programs that allow your visit to the museum to be enhanced. Schedule a WOW Science show where kids can participate in the show! The show includes our famous Air Cannon or our popular Hovercraft! If you are looking for a more hands-on experience, we also offer activities including making slime, exploring volcanoes, and even creating their own paper.

science center field trip carbondale il

We at The Science Center are also able to create custom programs, with a small fee and prior notice.

Guidelines for Field Trips

We require that school groups have an adequate number of adult chaperones in order to maintain the safest possible environment.  Factors considered are the nature of the trip, age of children, and location.  Field trips require a minimum of 10 children.

Elementary Field Trips: The Science Center requires that all Elementary trips (Grades Pre-K through 5th) have a minimum of a 7 to 1 student to chaperone ratio.
science center elementary field trips carbondale il
Secondary Field Trips: The Science Center requires that grades 6th – 8th have a minimum of a 10 to 1 student to chaperone ratio. For grades 9th-12th we require a minimum of 15 to 1 student to chaperone ratio.
science center secondary field trip carbondale il
Chaperones are required to remain on-site to actively supervise ALL students in their care.

We do ask that your group arrives on time, as we do have other groups utilizing The Science Center so we must maintain a timely schedule. Late arrivals may result in the inability to accommodate certain programming for your group. Also, no food or beverages are allowed in The Science Center. The only exception is water in a spill-proof container.

Due to the large volume of field trips that come to The Science Center, the lunchroom/classroom may be unavailable for eating. Arranging a reservation prior to your visit can help ensure that you have access to the classroom.  Due to the large number of requests, we receive, we may not be able to accommodate all requests. In addition to our rules mall management no longer allows eating lunches in the hallway outside of The Science Center. At this current time the mall does not have any available dining facilities.

FIELD TRIP $3.00 PER STUDENT

FIELD TRIP + A PROGRAM $6.00 PER STUDENT

Chaperone admission to The Science Center is free with field trips. Please bring the proper number of chaperons for your group’s specific size.

Disciplinary Procedures

Sometimes, it is necessary for our Science Center staff to step in and ensure the safety and welfare of all our guests.

1st Offense: Asked to stop the inappropriate conduct.

2nd Offense: Reminder of The Science Center’s rules.

3rd Offense: Asked to go sit on the “time-out” bench, which is located in the front of The Science Center.

Repeated Violations: Our staff reserves the right to refuse service to you and your group.

science center field trip admission carbondale il

Field Trip Programs:

“Wow! Science” Science Show

“Wow! Science” Science Show

Our staff members will show students a series of “magic tricks”. All of these tricks can easily be explained by science! Also, they can experience our Hovercraft and Air Cannon in action!

“Messy Science” Hands-On Program

“Messy Science” Hands-On Program

In this program, students get to learn about “Non-Newtonian” fluids. Our staff helps students make their own slime and Oobleck. As a bonus for doing this activity, students get to take their own slime home! We do recommend old clothes be worn for this program, as it can get messy.

“Investigating Volcanoes” Hands-On Program

“Investigating Volcanoes” Hands-On Program

This hands-on program gives students the chance to make their own mini volcanoes. The volcanoes are made out of our homemade non-toxic play dough. After the students have mastered the shape, we will fill their volcanoes with red vinegar and baking soda, which leads to their own eruption! Once everyone’s personal volcanoes have erupted, we will erupt our own large volcano, Mt. Boom! For Mt. Boom, we use a super-secret lava recipe that gives us unique results!

“Paper Making” Hands-On Program

“Paper Making” Hands-On Program

Recycling and conservation are important things that young people should know about. Our staff walks your students through the process of breaking down used paper to make new paper. Each student will take home a piece of homemade paper. This program may also include adding seeds to the paper. This makes the paper printable once the student is finished with it! (Seed paper can depend on the availability of seeds at The Science Center. If you want more information, just give us a call!)

* “Meet and Greet The Science Center Pets”

* “Meet and Greet The Science Center Pets”

This program gets your students up close and personal with some of the most famous members of The Science Center. This includes “April” the Box Turtle, “Daisy” the Bearded Dragon, “Bonnie” the Leopard Gecko, and “Shredder” the Dwarf Rabbit. Students may get the chance to pet the animals and may get a look at how we care for all of our Science Center animals!

Our staff members will show students a series of “magic tricks”. All of these tricks can easily be explained by science! Also, they can experience our Hovercraft and Air Cannon in action!

In this program, students get to learn about “Non-Newtonian” fluids. Our staff helps students make their own slime and Oobleck. As a bonus for doing this activity, students get to take their own slime home! We do recommend old clothes be worn for this program, as it can get messy.

This hands-on program gives students the chance to make their own mini volcanoes. The volcanoes are made out of our homemade non-toxic play dough. After the students have mastered the shape, we will fill their volcanoes with red vinegar and baking soda, which leads to their own eruption! Once everyone’s personal volcanoes have erupted, we will erupt our own large volcano, Mt. Boom! For Mt. Boom, we use a super-secret lava recipe that gives us unique results!

Recycling and conservation are important things that young people should know about. Our staff walks your students through the process of breaking down used paper to make new paper. Each student will take home a piece of homemade paper. This program may also include adding seeds to the paper. This makes the paper printable once the student is finished with it! (Seed paper can depend on the availability of seeds at The Science Center. If you want more information, just give us a call!)

This program gets your students up close and personal with some of the most famous members of The Science Center. This includes “April” the Box Turtle, “Daisy” the Bearded Dragon, “Bonnie” the Leopard Gecko, and “Shredder” the Dwarf Rabbit. Students may get the chance to pet the animals and may get a look at how we care for all of our Science Center animals!

* This program is not always available as we treat our animals with the best possible care. If one of our animals is shedding, we may not bring that animal out to reduce stress on the animal. Feel free to ask us any questions involving our animal program. Also make sure to let our staff know of any allergy or health concerns for your students. We will try out best to accommodate your group!

Ready to Plan Your Next Party or Field Trip?

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