American Girl Party -6yr- Scooter Egg Relay

My little girl turned 6 in June and she loves her American Girl Doll-Kit.  I decided to go with this theme and it turned out incredible. The story of Kit is based around a girl's life in The Great Depression so I wanted to make sure that everything centered around this time period. I watched the movie many times to get ideas as well as using some ideas from this website as well. Invitation: For the invitations, I was pleasantly surprised when I found vintage inspired invitations at The Dollar Tree, and then I included a paper that explained they were to bring their favorite doll and a picture of themselves with them to the party.

Decorations: I created a dining space for the girls and then a separate dining space for the dolls.  In the main dining area, I covered two long tables with white lace table clothes that I already had.  I also used two different china sets that I own and set them at each spot for the girls to use.  My sister found a vintage floral napkin and placed them next to the china.  Also, my sister created place cards for each girl out of vintage looking scrapbook paper.  She wrote their names on their with a silver sharpee and we decorated them with a bow made from twine and a button in the center.  My mom loaned me vintage vases and I purchased various flowers and arranged them in these vases.

Also, in the center of the tables were depression glass pieces that I already owned, and I placed candy and snacks in them that were specific to the 1930's. (I had researched online candy and snacks from the 1930's and was surprised that many of the candies we still have originated during that time-Lifesavers, marsh mellows, chocolate rice-which I used chocolate rice Krispies)We found this box of pink paper flowers at Michael's and we used them for so many things.  We spread them down the center of the table. I also took 2 rolls of pink and purple tulle and tied it around the back of the chairs. I also took a king size white sheet that I found at a second hand store and cut it from the bottom to three-fourths of the way up.  I hung it up behind the entrance to our dining room and pulled each side over with a ribbon to give the room more ambiance.

I also made a pendant banner out of twine, mini multi-colored clothespins, and vintage scrapbook paper. In the doll dining room, we made the same pendant banner, just doll sized.  I took four hat boxes and covered them with pink pillow cases we already had and fluffed them at the bottom to create miniature tables with table clothes.  I found small 2 inch paper doilies and placed one at each place where a doll would sit.  I also found at Michael's these erasers that were in the shape of small desserts and placed them into the center of the doilies-the erasers also doubled a one of their party favors. We also spread those pink flowers around the doll tables. Upstairs in our house, we created it to look like Kit's Tree House.

Over the ledge of the stairs, we had dropped a basket with a rope tied around it with a stuffed dog inside like on the movie. We have a homework station counter upstairs, so I set a plant on it and then took a quilt and hug it up and pulled it to one side to make it look like you were looking out a window.  We had set various kid like options on the ledge.  We also had printed out vintage pictures and hung them around the space. We used my daughter's table and chairs as part of the scenery as well. Also, I draped another quilt across the ceiling and laid another one on the floor as shown in the movie. Then we created the Member-O-beilia wall.

Activities: As the girls arrived, we asked them the name of their doll and quickly made a miniature name plate for their doll to put on the tables. Then they came into our living room and they all placed their dolls on the love seat. Then all of the girls told everyone the name of their doll.  Once everyone arrived, we went upstairs and I had all the girls sit on the quilt. They all stuck their hands in a bowl of water and recited the tree house pledge-Wanga,wanga galooie I promise to be true Then they each stuck their picture on the member-o-beilia wall.

For another activity, the girls made bracelets for their dolls out of beads and bracelet stretchy twine(I bought all of that at Michael's. They also made ice cream sundaes for their dolls. I gave each of them a plastic communion cup (which can be purchased at a Christian bookstore) and they put craft glue at the bottom of it and put yellow, pink, or brown pompoms down inside. Then they took a cotton ball and glued it on the top.  For sprinkles, they glued the tiny colored beads on top and one bigger red bead for a cherry. I had already pre-seperated out all of the supplies for these activities. These also went in their take home bags.

Games: I divided the girls into two teams and they ran a relay race. Each team had a scooter (because Kit road her scooter to sale eggs) and they had to drive down to one spot and put all the eggs"-golf balls-into the egg crates and then drive back to the next person. I gave each girl a prize. All of the prizes were candy from the 1930's. The next game was a hobo sign scavenger hunt. I had looked up hobo signs on the web and written down several of them. I split the girls into several teams and I made sure each team had a couple of older girls. Each team was given a list of the signs and had to go around the house and find the sign which would tell them what it meant. I had hid these signs and meanings before the party started. Each girl received a prize but the winning team received a bigger one. Food and

Cake: Each girl then took their doll to the doll dining room and then went and sat down. I had researched parties in the 1930's and gave them food that would have been served a party then: small sandwiches marsh mellows chocolate rice and orange drink. Then we made chocolate and vanilla cupcakes and a friend had a icing tips and she made a great design with yellow icing and then we hot glued buttons to the paper pink flowers (the box I found at Michael's) and placed them on the side of the cupcake to add decoration.

Favors: We used the white lunch sacks and decorated them with button the pink flowers and twine. And wrote their names on them.  They were left open during the party so that they could take their prizes and creations to their bags. Each girl took home a dessert eraser bracelet and sundae for their doll as well as the prizes they received for the games and various candies from the 1930's. I spent just at $100 for this party.  It was an amazing party.  I hope this is helpful to you. "