Kids love Candy Experiments

Well, I've presented candy experiments six times in the last week and a half--at my daughter's class party, my son's preschool, my parents' Halloween party, and here at home. We're planning to have another big bash next Wednesday (with all the people who were going to come last Wednesday and then canceled because they were all sick.) It still amazes me how much fun some kids have with candy experiments. Some of them liked the baking soda acid test, some of them liked sticking candy together, some of them liked experimenting with colors, and some of them just liked throwing candy in the water. None of them tried to eat the candy: after I told them a few times that the candy was for experiments, not for eating, and after they started experimenting with it, I think they mentally transformed it into experiment material instead of treats. Adults were having a harder time with it; one party attendee said "We really can't eat the candy?" and a teacher at one of my presentations was craving candy because she hadn't gotten any for Halloween. Another preschool teacher let her have some, but warned her she'd better eat it out of sight of the kids. So, the candy experiments have been a success all around.