by Pamela Horner and Tobye Cook
Say "Aloha" to this tropical party from FamilyFun magazine
For the *** crowd, this tropical
island theme can be a real hoot--particularly if you challenge arriving
guests to use the 12 letters of the Hawaiian alphabet (a, e, h, i, k,
l, m, n, o, p, u, w) to come up with fun new nicknames to go by. If you
have a pool, you're golden. If not, set up a sprinkler that the kids
can run through to cool off between the party games.
INVITATION
Aloha! Guests will know they're in for a fun ride when they get this
invite. To make one, use a craft knife (adults only) to cut an
8-inch-long surfboard shape out of Fome-Cor (sold at most craft or art
supply stores) or cardboard. Cut an identical shape out of colorful
Con-Tact paper. Stick the Con-Tact paper to the top of the surfboard
and print on a fun announcement with a black marker. Print the rest of
the information on the back, including a reminder for guests to wear
their favorite beach attire.
PARTY PHOTO
Hang Ten Poses Having your photo taken while you strike a
dramatic surfing pose makes a fun icebreaker for this shindig. To set
the stage, put on some inspiring music (any Beach Boys tune will do),
then spread a blue tarp or blanket on the ground and place a folded-up
ironing board on top of it. Guests can then take turns "riding" the
board while you snap Polaroid postcards of them to take home as
souvenirs.
PARTY CRAFTS
Paper Leis It wouldn't be a true Hawaiian celebration without
colorful flower leis. You can either make them ahead of time and have
your child distribute them as the guests arrive, or provide the
supplies so the kids can make their own. First, trim the tops of
colorful cupcake liners to resemble scalloped-edged flowers. Then cut a
bunch of drinking straws into 1-inch lengths for spacers. Using a
wide-eyed embroidery needle and twine, alternately sew through the
centers of a bunch of flowers and string on straw sections. When the
strand is long enough, tie together the string ends, and the lei is
ready to wear.
TROPICAL TREATS
Skewer pieces of
fruit, cheese, and meat with fancy toothpicks and arrange them on a
pupu platter (that's Hawaiian for appetizer!). Blend together tropical
fruits, juices, and ice for smoothies that your guests will go bananas
over. Serve them in pretty glasses garnished with cocktail umbrellas.
Top it off with this beach cake, sure to make a big splash!
ISLAND ENTERTAINMENT
Hula Hoopla
Hawaiian partygoers will get a laugh out of giving this contest a
whirl. Hand two of the kids hula hoops and see who can hula the
longest. Then pose the challenge to two other kids. Once everyone has
had a chance, have the winners of the first round face off against each
other, and so on, until one kid is the victor. He or she wins a hula
hoop!
Aloha VolleyPlayed with a beach ball (or even a balloon), this
game puts a tropical twist on classic volleyball. Set up a net (or you
can string a piece of clothesline between two stationary objects). Ask
each team to come up with a fun name like the Invincible Islanders or
the Volley-canoes. Explain that the object is to hit the ball back and
forth according to standard volleyball rules. But instead of scoring
points, teams are awarded letters to spell A-L-O-H-A. The first team to
complete the word wins!
HAWAIIAN PARTY POINTERS•Make your
place look like a tropical paradise by decorating it with exotic paper
or silk flowers, colored holiday lights, and paper lanterns.
• Set up a beach umbrella to create a shady spot where kids can get out of the sun. And have plenty of sunscreen on hand.
• Hawaiian Party Favors: Send guests home from this party in paradise
with tropical trail mix (just add dried pineapple chunks and macadamia
nuts to your favorite mix), shells, beach balls, or sunglasses.