We absolutely love the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios in Hollywood and Orlando. Because we can’t be there all the time, we have to bring some of the magic home. We came up with a fun way to be in Potions Class in your own kitchen!
Some love Snape and some don’t, but either way, Snape is very good at making potions, and we took a page out of his book.
Snape's Magic Potion with Free Printable Recipe
We made this potion several times and it never fails to deliver an awesome "wow" factor. Kids love adding the creepy ingredients, chanting the spell, and watching the potion come to life before their eyes. It is the perfect recipe to create a little magic in your home!
The potion calls for a list of mystical and magical ingredients. We prefer to keep the "real" ingredient identities a mystery so the spectators can truly immerse themselves in the experience as if we are at Hogwarts. During the presentation, always refer to the items by their "magical" names. Before you begin, collect the following:
Snape's Magic Potion Recipe
Two Cups of Pond Water (White Vinegar)
Six Drops of Dragon’s Blood (Food Coloring)
A Few Snips of Werewolf Hair (Cut Fabric Hair)
Three Spiders (Plastic Spiders)
A Squirt of Bug Slime (Green Dish Soap)
A Sprinkle of Pixie Dust (Glitter)
A Half of a Cup of Bone Dust (Baking Soda)
Tall Clear Vase
Making Magic Potion
We have found that the best way to present this activity is to use a tall clear vase instead of a black cauldron for mixing the ingredients. Kids love to be able to see what the potion looks like. It’s hard to watch the potion mix together and change in a dark cauldron.
You can choose whether or not to add all of the ingredients yourself or let your tiny wizards help. We think it is the most fun when the kids get to participate! They sure love touching the werewolf hair and tossing in the spiders. The more involved they get to be, the better!
Make sure to play it up as you add the individual items to the potion. You could tell the kids that you had to go into the deep dark forest to find a werewolf den and that you snipped the hair off his back while he was sleeping. Or, that you visited a zoo for mystical creatures and found a giant blue dragon. You collected some of his blood after he scratched his arm in a fierce battle with a knight. Or, you flew to Pixie Hollow and Tinkerbell gave you a vile of her special pixie dust. Be creative and make it exciting!
Follow the instructions on the printable Potion Recipe.
Pour the Pond Water into the vase. Add a few drops of Dragon Blood. (You can use any color of food coloring you want.) The dragon blood makes cool shapes as it swirls into the pond water.
Sprinkle in the Werewolf Hair.
To get the hair, trim the fur off of some furry fabric. You can find fur from the link above, or at most craft stores. The fur works best in the potion if you sprinkle it on instead of putting it in as giant clumps.
Add about a Tablespoon of the Bug Slime.
Toss in the Spiders and sprinkle some Pixie Dust on top. Stir and swirl so that all the ingredients are combined.
Magic Potion Tips
Place the vase into a large bowl. Your potion is going to grow quite a bit. It will overflow. Make sure you have something to catch the mess.
Then, you will need to teach the wizards a magic spell. The chant goes like this, "Boil, boil, bubble and pop! Grow, grow, do not stop!" Let the wizards repeat the chant a few times so that everyone knows the spell before you add the final ingredient.
The baking soda combined with the vinegar is what makes this potion active. The bug slime (soap) makes it bubbly. All of the other ingredients are just for fun!
Then, as you pour the Bone Powder into to the potion, say the magic spell together as a group. Chant the spell as the potion begins to bubble and expand. The kids usually get louder and louder as the potion grows and grows! It is so fun.
Let the little wizards inspect the potion after the spell is complete. It is fun to see the hair and the pixie dust in the bubbles.
We hope you have fun with this magic potion! Snape would be impressed with your potion homework and now it is time to put your magic knowledge to the test at Hogwarts! Book your Universal Studios Hollywood package online or call our agents at 855-GET-AWAY.
Join the Conversation!
Leave A CommentGet Away TodayOctober 01 2019
Gaynor- Thanks for stopping by the blog! We're glad to hear this will be helpful for the kids you teach.
GaynorOctober 01 2019
I teach English as a second language to 9-12 year olds. This is perfect. Thank you.
AnonymousAugust 08 2018
mad
AnonymousNovember 04 2016
This looks perfect for a library event I'm planning. Thanks for sharing this!