Crafts & Activities

Choose two or three relatively calm activities for a two-hour party. Have a few extra ideas ready just in case. Alternate crafts and other sit-down activities with active games to keep the pace of the party moving.

Reading is great between activities such as a game and cake time. It can be used to keep children occupied while a parent sets out the tableware and cake. Also, reading can be effective at the end of the party, when children are waiting for their parents to arrive. Some suggestions:

• The Grouchy Ladybug by Eric Carle (Harpercollins, 1999)
• The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle (Putnam, 1984)
• Miss Spider's Tea Party by David Kirk (Scholastic, 1994)

Having a craft activity set up as guests arrive is a good way to corral the excitement in a positive way, since each person can start working immediately.

Ages: 6 and up

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Playing time: 20 minutes

Players: Any number

What you need:

• Polaroid camera (optional)
• Cowboy hat, leather vest, large-brimmed bonnet, frilly dress; all clothing can be adult size; (optional, to use with instant camera)
• Sturdy off-white paper (such as 65- or 80-lb. cover stock)
• Markers
• Tape or glue

 

Before the party:

1. Onto sturdy paper, write "Wanted!" across the top in big letters, and underneath that, "Big Reward!" At the bottom, write in smaller type: "If you have any knowledge of whereabouts of this despicable criminal, please call the Local Sheriff." Make at least one poster per party attendee; for a large group, you may want to make just one and have it photcopied.

At the party:

2. If you have a Polaroid camera, dress children in western garb (optional), set up a "Sheriff's office," and photograph the "outlaws". Tape or glue the pictures to the center of the posters.

3. If you do not have a camera, have children draw their own pictures in the blank space in the middle of the poster.

4. Have guests color their poster, write in the name, and make up a goofy crime such as "Suspected of stealing his sister's cornflakes" or "Accused of watching too much TV."

Ages: 3 and up

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Playing time: 10 minutes

Players: Any number

What you need:

• Posterboard (if you can find silver or gold posterboard, you don't need aluminum foil)
• Aluminum foil (the heaviest you can find)
• Pin backs or paperclips (pin backs are available at craft stores)
• Toothpicks
• Colored glue or glitter paint OR
• Crafts glue and glitter

Print out our pattern and
use it to cut out badges.

Before the party:

1. Cut out the badge patterns from posterboard and from aluminum foil. Glue the aluminum foil to the poster board (to make a silver badge).

At the party:

2. Hand each arriving guest a badge, explaining how to decorate it by writing his/her name with glue or paint. You may want to lightly draw each name with a toothpick so that younger children have a pattern to follow when applying paint or colored glue. (For older kids, you can suggest they do this themselves.)

3. Let the badges dry during the party, and pin them on departing guests.

4. If you want guests to wear the badges at the party, use poster board and markers, or make up the badges with the children's names ahead of time.