Month: September 2009 (Page 2 of 2)

John’s long awaited Star Wars Jedi training party was yesterday, and I’m happy to say it went VERY well. I’ll give you the run down just in case YOU someday have a demanding 5 year old who insists on a star wars party.

#1–Jedi training. I gave every member of the family except the birthday boy, of course, a station. At each station the kids had to do some kind of “training exercise” to help them become Jedis. They were actually just things to do, like do a trick on the trampoline, walk frontwards and backwards on the balance beam, crab walk, kick a soccer ball and knock over three stacked #10 cans, go across the monkey bars and down the slide, and fill up a cup with water using a spoon. Don’t ask me what these tasks have to do with the training of Jedis, but at least it kept our little boys busy.

#2–Laser beam limbo. It’s basically just limbo with a fancy name. We used a mop handle and played Star Wars music.

When they got tired of going under the stick, we lowered it and made them jump over the stick. Because sticks are versatile that way.

#3–Borrow some cool costumes. When I was complaining about the elaborate star wars party my son was asking me to throw, a friend volunteered that she had some star wars costumes! She said they had used them years ago for her daughter’s party, and we were welcome to use them. Hello! That is awesome! The queen Amadala costume, she told me, had fit her daughter when she was 5. Hmmm. The only person that would fit around here would be John. But wait! My 13 year old daughter, Megan, also happens to be extremely skinny, and what do you know? She fit into the costume just fine!

Especially if by “fit’s just fine” you don’t care that it’s about a foot and a half too short. She was a good sport and wore the costume, even said the lines I fed to her.

My awesome husband also got into the act. While the boys were limbo-ing, he went inside and put on the Darth Maul costume, and came out in all his scariness. He wielded his fancy double light saber thingy and challenged the young jedis.
Those jedis attacked with vigor when I said, “go get him,” and he was no match for their strength in numbers.

We had to call them off before they did any serious damage.

#4–Get a really cool pinata. My brother-in-law Italo has connections. He has a friend who makes pinatas. And not just ANY pinatas, AWESOME pinatas. When we picked little yoda up, we were amazed at the cuteness. And so BIG!
Who wouldn’t be impressed with a yoda pinata as big as the birthday boy?
I hated to even let them smack him, but that’s what the pinata is for, right? And for some reason, the little boys think a party’s not a party without either a bounce house or a pinata. They whacked with vigor.

Soon Master Yoda delivered up the coveted candy, and was but a shred of his former self.

#5–Feed them. After the pinata, I served up hot dogs, cheetos, and grapes, with special galactic punch (lemon lime shasta with a scoop of lime sherbet). But some kids eat and some kids don’t eat. It’s a party, so we don’t really care if they don’t chose to eat. And after presents, we ate some more.

#6–Easy cake decorating tip. Just get a cake from the grocery store and put some little star wars toys on the cake.

The kids had a great time, John had a great time, and the party was fabulous. I hope so, after all the stressing I did in the weeks leading up to this birthday party. But it’s all worth it when I asked him if he liked the party, and he said, “It’s the best party EVER, Mom!”

So, there you have it. My 6 easy steps to throwing an awesome Star Wars Party. May the Force be with you.