Made by hands, expressed from the heart.

Wednesday, May 18, 2016

Birthday party cardboard style (aka low budget).

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...

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