To fit a birthday party in a tight budget is always a challenge. This year I did my best to make a small party, with a lot of games, recycling as much as I could, making at home and spending the least amount possible.
My son wanted to include Minecraft theme into the party, and he suggested a game of nose in the pig. I had a board for the old science project, that I wrapped in leftover Christmas paper, with the white part on the outside.
I painted the scene with all types of paint I had available: watercolor, acrylic, fabric paint and Sharpies. Then I made a few pig noses, with double sided tape for the game.
I had another trifold board from a school project, that was also covered, painted and with a hole, so the kids can play bean bag toss, and also take a picture with their face on it.
Sticking to the theme, I also filled some old juice bottles with water and food coloring, covered with some printed characters from
Family Shopping Bag. This way I could make a bowling game.
I was lucky enough to go to the store when they were throwing away their boxes. They let me take them, so the kids can use to make a fort, a wall, and destroy it.
I used some boxes to to make a tunnel for them.
Trying to make it a little more colorful, I painted some characters they like.
I couldn't figure out anymore Minecraft related games, so I started making what it looked easy to make. Using pool noodles from the Dollar Store, I glued to a piece of cardborad, so the kids can go under.
I also found these balloons that look like worms, and I hang them in a piece of cardboard tube (the one that goes inside wrapping paper). The tube was covered with the pages of an old sticker book (it is Angry Birds, but I think the kids won't mind).
I figured they can run in between the balloons.
The other games I made using these interesting boxes I found at BJ's. They looked like I could do something with them.
First I glued a bunch of Legos and old toys, and I was going to use marbles to roll through the box. But I found this little monster with a ball under, so it can roll.
So I made the monster roll though the box.
On the other box, I made some aliens, and craters around their planet. So using a lot of marbles, they have to fall in the holes as quickly as they can. There is another box underneath, to catch the marbles.
The last game I made a farm, and a little tractor that is attached to metal clips, so using a magnet underneath, the tractor can move and the farmer can do his chores.
And one game that I found on my research on the internet, called a "punch in pinata". First I cut a lot of holes in a foam board that I found also at the Dollar Store.
Each hole is covered with tissue paper.
On the other side, a little prize is placed on top of each paper.
Then each one has a paper cup on top, glued with hot glue.
This way each child can punch a hole in every paper, and collect a prize.
Hopefully they don't finish playing with everything in fifteen minutes, like it happened in the past, and get entertained before getting their snacks and cake. Which is a hole another story...
But the kids like him/it, and it was an easy project to make.
All I used was a box wrapped in a black table cover from the dollar store. The cardboard from the bottom was cut out and the box was filled with goodies. Then the open bottom was closed with regular wrapping paper and tape, to make it easier to break.
And a hole on top to place a string to hang the box. I used an old name tag that had a string.
Then using the rest of the black table cover, I just cut his long body, arms and legs to attach to the box.
The eyes were cut pieces of white paper, and painted in purple. You can use purple paper too, I just didn't have any available at the time.
Since it was easy to break because of the paper on the bottom, I just gave the kids some foam pool noodles to hit the piñata. The hard sticks to hit scare me, especially with a bunch of boys.
My husband was in charge of this game, and we both forgot the detail of the blindfold.
They had a lot of fun, and it gave me a few minutes to rest and get a snack, until they got to the next game.
