4 Ways to Incorporate Dry Ice into Themed Birthday Parties

Are you planning a themed birthday party? You can make your party unique and way more fun by incorporating dry ice NYC into the party. It doesn’t matter if the birthday party is for an adult or a kid. Dry ice will spice up any kind of party. You should, however, understand that dry ice is frozen carbon dioxide gas and it can be quite dangerous when mishandled. 

If you are throwing a birthday party for your kid, ensure that they (and you) have the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE). These include thermally-insulated gloves, closed shoes, and goggles or face shields. No one should touch the ice with bare hands and, most importantly, there must be adult supervision whenever you incorporate dry ice into your kid’s birthday parties. 

With that in mind, here are 4 ways to incorporate dry ice into themed birthday parties:

Create dry ice fog

If your kids love winter wonderland, Halloween, or Christmas, creating a fog at their themed birthday party is a sure way of earning their trust and respect forever. Making an ice fog from dry ice is easier than you’d imagine. For small areas, all you need is a few pounds of dry ice and a container half-filled with hot water- not boiling.  Also, remember to open the doors and windows in order to optimize ventilation and minimize carbon dioxide build up in your small space. Carbon dioxide is heavier than Oxygen, so it easily pushes the breathable Oxygen towards the ceiling and then builds up near the floor. That can cause suffocation and even death. 

How it works:

Dry ice sublimates into gaseous carbon dioxide when exposed to high temperatures. That quick transition from solid to gaseous state causes a mist effect that can last for more than 5 minutes. If you want a more billowing fog effect, increase the amount of dry ice and heat up the water a little more. 

If you want to create a fog effect in an open space, you will need a dry ice fog machine. Small pellets of dry ice in hot water won’t cut it.

Create a dry ice cauldron 

This works best for people who are crazy about the spookiness of Halloween or if the birthday is close to Halloween. A foggy cauldron will help you nail an eerie party theme without blowing your budget. 

How it works:

Start by pouring punch in a small plastic or metal bowl, up to about ¾ full. Place the punch bowl in a larger cauldron –metallic or plastic- such that there is an even circular space between the two containers. Into that circular space, drop a few golf-ball-sized chunks of dry ice. Remember to wear gloves, use a hammer to break the ice, and tongs to transfer it to the cauldron. Using a pitcher, slowly pour warm water on the dry ice. You have to do it slowly because you don’t want small pellets of dry ice to jump into the punch bowl. If you want the fog effect to last the entire party, you will need to keep adding more dry ice chunks and warm water to the circular outer space.

That is not all. You can inject some color into your setup by squeezing some food coloring on the dry ice. You can also add dramatic lighting to create a magical, memorable dry ice cauldron.

Magical Potion 

Is the birthday boy or girl a fan of the movie Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them? Or is it Harry Potter that they like? If you answered yes in any of the two questions, then your birthday theme should transport you back to Hogwarts. You should brew magical potions in the same way Harry did. The procedure for making the magic potion is identical to that of a dry ice cauldron. The difference is in the fashion you choose for you and your guests- it should be inspired by Harry!

Dry ice snow floor 

This is another one for people who are ravenous for winter wonderland and snowy effects. To make your floor snowy with dry ice, place about 5 buckets of hot water around the room and then drop a few golf-ball-sized chunks of dry ice. The fog from the buckets will create a snow-like effect across the floor.  Remember to keep kids and pets away from the “snow” as it can cause severe frostbites when touched.

Don’t run out of creative ways to make birthday parties in your household unique, fun, and memorable. Incorporate dry ice NYC into your next themed birthday party and you won’t regret it!