Decorations

In addition to inviting friends and neighbors, consider also inviting a few of the kids who will be in your child's classroom this year, to help them get acquainted. You might even ask the guests to wear their new school clothes and to bring something from the previous school year to share.

These ideas will help you set an appropriately themed, yet not-too-serious, table for the party feast:

Set a fun and personalized
party table.

• 18x12-inch sheet of storybook-ruled newsprint
• 18x12-inch sheet of construction paper
• 42-inch-long shoelace
• Paper punch

1. Fold construction paper in half. Round corners.

2. Trim newsprint to measure 10-1/2x16-1/2 inches. Fold in half.

3. Slip folded newsprint, centered, between folded construction paper.

4. Punch five holes, equally spaced, 1/2 inch from the folded edge.

5. Open up pages. Lace together as you would lace a shoe.

6. Allow children to write and illustrate their own stories.

Apple Place Card and Slate Centerpiece

• Tracing paper and pencil
• Red and green construction paper
• Permanent black marker

1. Download the free patterns for this project. (Downloading requires Adobe Acrobat software.) Trace patterns onto a piece of tracing paper.

Apple Place Card patterns

Download Adobe Acrobat

2. Place each pattern along the fold of a folded piece of construction paper and trace.

3. Cut out and unfold to form full shape. Cut slit between leaves.

4. Print child's name on leaf.

5. Lay apples flat and stack three together. Machine-sew up the center.

6. Open apple sections so it stands.

7. Slip leaves on top.

Apple Place Card and Slate Centerpiece

• Pencil
• Fabric paint pens
• Small chalkboard

1. Print alphabet around edge of chalkboard using a pencil.

2. Draw over letters with paint pens.

3. Write a note on the chalkboard, if desired.