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Around The World Party -7yr- Suitcase Cake

June 2009

Jackie in Weston-super-Mare, England

Special Mention

I have just had an around the world party for my seven year old daughter. What a fantastic party we had. The kids just loved it. I had 13  seven year old girls, plus 3 of my eldest daughter friends who were 12 years old. A thank-you to this site who gave me some fantastic ideas. This is how I did the party. 

Invitations - Printed myself in photoshop to look like an airline ticket. Just two thick  orange lines one on top ticket and bottom Heading - XXXX Birthday Airlines Gate Number - house number,Terminal - street name, Airport - Town name Date , Checkin time, Pick-up time, Destination - Around the world. In a grey box at the bottom I stated Inflight meal will be provided. Please confirm seating : xxxxx Dress : Tourist or costume from a country. Please bring favourite dolly. I printed them on glossy photo paper which gave a professional look.  The 12 years olds were my staff and they became the air hostesses. I bought them a little airhostess hats from online party shop, and cut them yellow triangle scarves from a disposable party table cloth and they wore their school uniform (black skirt and jumper). They looked  fantastic and really professional. They took their role  very seriously  and decided to research the safety speech on airlines and took charge a lot of the party. 

When the children arrived I had already made passports for all the children - luckily I have photo's of all the children from previous parties so just made up a little passport in photoshop. The other pages I wrote the countries we would go to: Japan, China, Treasure Island, Italy and Africa. I printed clip art on each page for each country. The airhostess also stamped them when we arrived in each country. The downstairs hall was check-in. Two of the hostesses checked in the passengers -they gave them their passports, boarding card (which had a seat number) and a little plain white party box which was their hand luggage (the kids loved this box and some never put it down the whole party). The other hostess then checked each passenger with a hand help metal detector that beeped. (my husband had this in his workshop). They then went to waiting room and decorated the hand luggage with stickers and flag.

When everyone arrived we went upstairs to the plane.  I have a long hall hallway so this was ideal. The entrance was a long glitter curtain and inside there was six rows of 3 little plastic chairs. I arranged seat 1A against the wall and seat 1B,1C next to each against the other wall so there was a corridor down the middle for the air hostesses to walk. I printed of an airline safety card and put it in a plastic pocket and taped in to the chair in front. I made a pretend life jacket for everyone (which we would use in party). This was made from a cutting out a life jacket shape from a yellow disposable party table cloth (This is more harder wearing than paper). The circle from the head cut-outs were pined to the walls as airline windows. I also put a top of straw at the bottom of the life jacket and a tied on a party whistle to the life jacket, I rolled the jacket up and put in inside and empty toilet roll holder and taped it to the arm of the chair. This meant they could get it out in an emergency. When the kids were all seated the air hostess gave the safety speech etc , then they announced they would be landing in China , and would also cross the sea to  visit to Japan. 

China - was in the dining room - I had various hanging decorations Chinese lanterns and dragons. I had Chinese music playing as the kids entered. The room was filled with red balloons , and when popped there were sweets inside. They next game I gave them chopsticks and they tried to eat mashmallows with them. Most of the sweets went in the hand luggage. We crossed over to Japan. I explained that in third of march in Japan they had a Doll Day where all the girls displayed their dolls. So to celebrate this I rolled out a red paper catwalk and each girl walked down holding their dolls to music. Each girl voted for the winning doll and we had a little podem so all the dolls got diplayed there. Winners got a fortune cookie and everyone got a sovenier of a fan to put in hand luggage with chopsticks. Back on the plane! 

Funny - Suddenly we shouted EMERGENCY we are landing on water. Hostess told them to get life jackets on and go in brace position. We had a toddler tunnel which was the emergency exit, and when they ran down stairs there was a flattened cardboard box which was a life raft. The blew their whistles for help. Suddenly my husband come out dressed as a pirate. He told them to sit in the corner  and he was going to take them prisoner. He pretended to fall asleep and my seven year old showed the others he had a treasure map and they stole it. It took them all over the house to find the clues, and eventually it took the to under the stairs where the treasure was. I had covered under the stairs in gold paper and put in fairy lights, a skeleton  and spider webs and a treasure chest filled with gold coins, and plastic jewels. They were amazed and the more forward kids raided the chest, a little quiet girl then went and had a look when all the others had their fill. She found a ring in a plastic bag and she gave it to me. I told her she got the hidden treasure and when I took it  out the bag it and turned it on, it  flashed red - her face was a picture! 

We then played musical islands ( had painted palm trees on backing paper and cut 17 circles out) Each girls took an island and when music stopped they had to stand on an island. Just like musical chairs. We then had lunch - not too exciting as I was too busy with all the other things to deal with food. I gave them a treasure chest lunch box - with a sandwich, fruit, cheese, Fromage frais and a cake.EASY!. They sat outside on grass and ate it.

We then had Birthday Cake. My friend made it. Shaped as a suitcase  with pink straps. On top was a little girl just like my daughter in a sun hat with a suitcase with clothes bulging out.  Back on the plane we went to Italy. This was in a canopy outside decorated in red white and green and some wall hangings. This was the craft activity to make Venetian masks. I got the basic mask from hobby craft and I painted it myself. (I just did not want paint around too messy). The girls were left to decorated with feathers, and jewels , they were lovely. Had Italian music playing in the background.  Back on the plane for Africa. (I actually thought we would run out of time and not reach this so my prep was not good for this country). We had 30 mins left so we played what am I . One person put on a head band and then  paper clipped an animal from Africa. The person with the headband  asked questions but the other girls were only aloud to answer yes or no. They loved it!. The last 5 mins put African music on and they danced and did the elephant walk. Gave then African animal sticker for their hand luggage. 

Party cases - managed to get little suitcases for each of them - got them from a homeware store which they were selling them as a storage case for £1.50 - Perfect ! I put in the birthday cake, balloon, and some sweets, They also had their hand luggage so they left arms full and smiles on their faces.  It took time this party to plan but well worth it.

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