98

Bowling Party -5yr- Bowling Shirts & Hats

April 2005

Amy Jo in Cerro Gordo, IL USA

Honorable Mention

My son wanted to have a bowling party for his 5th birthday. 

We invited 7 of his pre-school friends using invitations purchased from birthdayexpress.com.    Our bowling alley had birthday party packages which included shoe rental, however many lanes we needed with bumpers, free bowling passes for next time, and use of the party room.   We ordered decorations from Birthday Express.  We had bowling plates, cups, napkins, balloons, etc.  It was wonderful and very festive. 

In order to make the party more special, I made bowling shirts for all the kids.  The colors were purple, turquoise, and yellow, so the shirts were purple with turquoise sleeves and collar.  I used a printshop and iron-on paper to create a picture on back with a bowling ball hitting the pins, then I put "Benjamin's Pin Pals" on it too.  On front I put each child's name on it with yellow puffy paint.  THEY LOVED THEM!!   

I also made "hats" for the kids.  I ordered plastic head bands with the springs on them with stryofoam shapes on the end.  I took off the styrofoam shapes and attached fun foam (sold in craft stores) in the shapes of a bowling ball on one side and bowling pin on the other.  So the kids wore those too.   

We bowled first and the kids had so much fun because many of them had never bowled before.  We had them do regular bowling at first.  Then had them do crazy bowling by making up silly things to do like spin around, close their eyes, etc.  While I was getting things set up for cake, I had a parent helper read them a book I got from the library called "I Can Bowl", which is perfect for young children.  It was a nice transission and got the kids calmed down some.   

Then we had cake which was purchased at Wal-Mart- they did a wonderful job of spray painting a bowling alley lane on the cake.  I purchased candles that looked like pins and a ball which I made look like the were one the lane.   

Next we did presents. Which went quick!!   I purchased a bowling pin pinata from Birthday Express and filled it with eight goodie bags of candy.  It was a pull-string pinata so I didn't need to worry about a stick and small children swinging the stick!!  When the goodies fell each child got a bag and there was no fighting and pushing for candy.   

Then we played "Strike".  I used a yellow poster board and attached white construction paper pins in a 10 pin set-up.  Then each child had a purple paper bowling ball with their name on it.  We blind folded them, and then the children attached their ball to the poster board.  The child closest to the front pin won!  Although all the children got a prize of a small 2" plastic bowling set I got from Oriental Trading.  

As the children left they got a goodie box filled with treats, bowling stickers, coloring sheets, crayons, etc.  Plus their candy from the pinata, the miniture bowling game, their bowling shirts, "hats", and a coupon to bowl free next time. 

Everyone had so much fun and the parents loved the chance for their child to experience bowling.

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