Rockin' Sock Hop 10yr - Yo-yos & Slinkies

THE ULTIMATE ROCKIN' SOCK HOP!  I had this party for my 10th birthday, and all the guests had a blast! I think almost any age would enjoy a 50s-style party, and the below ideas can be adapted to suit you and your age, or your child's age. 

INVITATIONS: Possible phrases to include are: - It's a Rockin' Sock Hop! - Put on those poodle skirts and saddle shoes and come join the fun! - Do the "Locomotion" and head on over to ________'s house for some Rockin' Sock Hop birthday party fun!  2 ideas for invitations are: - A bowling ball        and - A record Both can be cut out of black paper, but remember when cutting circles for invitations, if you want it to open up like a regular card, you have to fold the paper over, and cut the circle leaving an inch or two on the folded side uncut.  Gel pens will work good on the black paper. 

FOOD & SNACKS: -Purchase colored M&Ms at a candy store to match your theme, you know those places that have the M&M dispensers with just about every color there is.  I would suggest hot pink, an aqua-ish color, and white.   - What could be better than hamburgers and cheeseburgers, fries, and milk shakes for your meal?  It's like you're in a 50s café!  - A neat looking, yet simple cake is a record.  But black or a dark colored frosting on a regular, round cake.  Now use a fork to make ridges on the top of the cake, and around it too, if you want, like the ridges on a record player.  You can make the center of the record with bright frosting, like pink and/or yellow, and you can write something like "_____'s (the birthday kid's name goes there) Greatest Hits.  Or, the ever popular "Happy Birthday _________". 

ACTIVITIES - If you have enough time planned for your party, go bowling!!! Make sure everyone wears 50s and 60s attire to the party, and then go bowling in your outfits.  (Oh, and don't forget cat-eye glasses as pre-party favors for everyone!) I'll never forget when we went bowling for my party.  It was all-girls party, and I don't have any brothers, so my dad was the only guy there. 

All the people at the bowling alley were calling my dad "Elvis" and everyone couldn't get over how cute we looked! - Charades:  Today's modern charades is "Guesstures", but if you don't have that game, Charades is still really simple to play.  Have a hat filled with words to act out, and whoever guesses the word of the person acting out gets to draw a word and go next. - Hula Hoop Contest: Oh yeah baby! Buy or borrow enough hula hoops so everyone can join in the fun! 

MOVIE: If you're having a sleepover, party down with "Grease"! Or, although you don't see poodle skirts, a show that takes place and was filmed in the late 1950s through early 1960s is "I Love Lucy".  You're library might have some of the best shows on video tape, or if you can't find any videos, you can tape some of the "Lucy" shows onto a blank tape.  TV Land would probably be your best bet for finding reruns of "I Love Lucy".  The two best and funniest episodes are: "Job Switching" (at Kramer's Candy Kitchen, where they make a mess with the chocolates) and "Lucy Does a TV Commercial". (You know, Vitameatavegemin)  MUSIC: Find a CD or cassette with 50s and/or 60s music.  Or maybe you'll get luck and your parents will play some of their old records for you! 

DECORATIONS: Pink, white, black, and a little aqua are good 50s colors.  Some items that may inspire you are: musical notes, records, bowling balls and bowling pins, cat-eye classes, poodle skirts, saddle shoes, burgers, fries, milk shakes, and don't forget: checks were in back then.  Specific ideas are: -Cut out big black musical notes and tape them in various places on the walls. - Cut a big circle out of a piece of paper.  Now, starting anywhere on the outside edge of the circle, start cutting in a circle, but every time you go around, cut a little closer in to the middle.  You should end up with a cool spiral-like thing, which you can hang by one end from the ceilings or whatever.

Use crepe paper to decorate the dining area or any place in the house for that matter.  This works best if there is a big light fixture in the middle of the room that you can tape crepe paper onto.  Tape a piece of crepe paper on with a strong tape, like packing tape or something, then, as you gently twist the crepe paper, move out to the corner of the room or out to one of the four walls.  Tape the other end of the crepe paper to the wall now.  Continue doing this, alternating colors of crepe paper if you want. 

FAVORS: Think 50s. Ask your parents or other adults you know who lived in the 50s and 60s what toys were popular.  Some suggestions are: yo-yos, slinkies, silly putty, and Nickel Nips. (You know, those little wax "bottles" with the juice like stuff inside.  You know why they're called "Nickel Nips"? I don't think that's how they spell it however.  Well, the reason is because a pack of them only cost a nickel!  What a deal!)  And don't forget to hand out cat-eye glasses at the beginning of your party. 

THINGS TO REMEMBER / TIPS - Make sure your guests know to dress 50s style! - Unsure of something?  Ask your parents or grandparents! They're veterans of the 50s and 60s- they experienced it! - Get your mom and dad in on the fun, and maybe even grandma and grandpa! =)  My mom borrowed an outfit from my grandma for my party that my grandma actually wore in the 50s.  It was hilarious!  An orange top with a skirt (the same style as poodle skirts) with orange and yellow flowers!  What a sight!  It was a lot of fun though!  AND MOST IMPORTANTLY: HAVE FUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  THIS IS YOUR BIRTHDAY PARTY, SO MAKE IT GOOD, MAKE IT THE BEST EVER! =)