23667

Camo Party -5yr- Marshmellow Shooters

March 2012

tawn in springboro, oh USA

Runner Up

This is what I came up with for my son's 5 yr old camo party.

INVITATION: I found an inexpensive pack of camo stationery at Hobby Lobby for invites (used 40% off coupon for extra savings).  I used the extra camo paper for the Thank you's (or in this case TANK YOU" notes).  Invite said - Ready Recruits?  Sound off!  I don't know if you've been told Kent XXX is turning 5 years old Your mission should you choose to accept it is to report to basic training at Fort(our last name) Military Base Address date from 1100- 1300 HOURS (11:00 to 1:00 civilian time). Dress code: Camouflage Uniform is not required but would be appropriate. Please be prepared to run basic training drills and get dirty! Lunch and Military Birthday Rations will be served. Please RSVP ASAP to Base Commmander: Mom’s name at xxx-xxx-xxxx before this message self destructs.  Punched 2 holes close together in invite and wove flag toothpick in the 2 holes. I put the invites in yellow manilla envelopes and stenciled "top secret" on the outside.  My Thank You notes said:   BIG TANKS! You are my Hero! It was great that you enlisted in my platoon. Congratulations in graduating from Fort (our last name) bootcamp with honors. You even saved the day with your gift of __. Tanks again (my son signed his name).

DECORATIONS:  I made a big banner that said "Fort (our last name)" I used camo wrapping paper for the letters and cut them out to look like stencil.  I made smaller stencil signs that said "Mess Hall" "Latrine" "Ropes Course" "Target Range" "Drop Zone" "Search & Rescue" for each game.  I found camo table covers napkins etc. at Walmart party section for less than $1 each.  Used (dollar store) army guys & toothpick flags as table scatter.  At thrift store I picked up cammo & army green shirts for me and my party helpers to wear.  Purchased 1.5 yards of camo fabric & cut into 1.5" strips for "rambo" headbands for all attendees & helpers. Put up a cammo tent we had and put the gifts in it.  Hung camo table covers on walls and covered various places with them to give added military feel all around.

ACTIVITIES:  Enlisted help from older neighbor kids to act as "Captains" and put them in charge of subsets of kids (recruits).  I gave each captain a dog tag with their name on it whistle (dollar store) clip board w/tally sheet pencil and timer. FYI I had captains arrive 20 minutes before party and reviewed game & party rules w/them.  Captains wore camo (or used mine) rambo head bands & a little face paint.  When kids arrived they got a dog tag with their name on it face paint military tatoos and "rambo" head bands that they could put on.  The captains took their recruits to each game station.

GAMES: "Ropes Course"=obstacle course that used the climbing wall & slide from our playset.  After coming down the slide, recruits had to crawl under 4 swim noodles arched and anchored into the grass w/popsicle sticks, put an inflated swim ring around their knees, and run around a cone take it off, and balance on a line of string on the grass and sit down. 

They played "Seargent Says" called out by each captain. 

"Drop zone" = parachute guys launched off deck onto a target below.  I wrote each kids name on the parachute but didn't unwrap bc I was afraid they'd get tangled.  These parachute guys were not ready to be used bc chute wasn’t tied to the guy.  Captain had to assemble - I didn't expect this and b/c this took too long so we ended up scrapping game. 

"Target Range" Got grenade water baloons (cheap at walmart).  Had kids throw them at big handmade paper targets tacked to fence.

"Search & Rescue" hid (dollar store) army guys like you would for an easter egg hunt around yard.  Each kid had to find. 

Played "Tug O War"

Grand finale was "PVC marshmallow shooters" I made w/directions off internet and decorated with military stickers - shooters were easy to make and only cost about $1.25/kid.  Note:  I used a table saw to cut the PVC b/c I had to make a bunch of them. Glad I made extra shooters for the captains and parents at party (it was fun for all ages) note: the lawn was covered w/marshmallows.  I did this very last after all party activities were done b/c it let kids run get sticky etc at the end.  Plan about 3 kids/bag of small marshmallows - $1/bag at Aldi. 

While opening gifts had captain tally the winners of the games.  After gifts called up each kid to pick a prize from the prize bucket.  They were called in order by how they did in the games.  Not very PC but each kid did get a prize. 

COSTUMES:  Each kid came in army green and/or camo plus they each wore a rambo band dog tag face paint and tatoo.  Captains were dressed the same way except they also had a whistle. 

PARTY SNACKS & CAKE: "H2o" Pizza and pretzel rations were served.  Had Cake bombs (cake pops and cup cakes).  Cake bombs had camo icing (white chocolate tinted green and brown) and cupcakes were iced green with yellow stars and flag toothpicks. Used sparkler instead of candle in the cake bomb.

FAVORS: I had green lunch bags decorated with military stickers in them were camo bouncy balls compass grenede (dollar store) army guys from search & rescue game & extra tatoos.  Each kid also went home with their rambo headband dog tag marshmallow gun and prize.  The kids are still talking about party.  Everyone had fun and my favorite part was that it was all outside!"

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