Going to Kindergarten - Letter Hunt

Going to Kindergarten Party  I am so excited for my daughter to start kindergarten that I decided to throw her a Going to Kindergarten Party.  It's really more about family getting together and giving words of encouragement to her and I am hoping this will help ease her into this change in her life (But this could EASILY be a birthday party for a kid thats birthdate is close to school starting!!). She does have a one cousin and two close friends that are also starting kindergarten, so they are invited too.  

INVATATIONS:  I found the perfect invitations at a dollar store.  They are big fold out kind that look like they are written by a little kid and has pictures of animals and balloons. 

DECORATIONS: I am going with School Buses and Apples as the main decorations.  I found some great school bus cut outs and fluffy paper apples a local teacher supply store.  I am also doing red and yellow balloons and streamers.  (I almost did the school colors they are going too blue and gold and panthers but being so young I didn't think they would really grasp the school mascot thing so I went with the apple and school bus colors)

ACTIVITES: First we are just having her favorite dinner of Spaghetti, Salad, and Bread, I will also serve Applesauce to tie in with the theme.  During dinner I am going to get everyone talking about their first day at kindergarten and what they remember.  With all the different age groups of family there I think we should have some great stories. 

For dessert I am making a School Bus Cake.  You bake a cake mix in 2 loaf pans, stack them and cut a portion off the top one to shape as a school bus.  Then decorate with yellow and black frosting, Oreo wheels, and gum drop lights.  I am then going to cut out pictures of my daughter and the others that are going to kindergarten and stick them in the windows so they look like they are riding the bus. 

After eating we are going to do some fun things.  First we are going to go through the alphabet and have them use their bodies to make out the letters and then do an action (R=run) that starts with that letter. 

Next they will do a Letter Hunt.  I will have enough letters to spell out everyone's name hidden somewhere outside.  They have to hunt their letters and bring them to a certain spot to spell out.  Whenever they are done they get their goody bags (which I will explain later).

Then we are going to bob for apples (I am going to have some apples in water and then the ones that don't want to do that I am going to attach some to a string and have them try to grab it with their mouths blindfolded while dangling in front of them) and I thought we might play the classic game of dodge ball also.  We are going to end the evening with a craft which will be apple themed ordered from Oriental Trading Company. 

GOODY BAGS/GIFTS:  They are going to be red gift bags with yellow tissue paper.  Inside there will be a book that I have preordered for each of them telling stories about kindergarten, a T-Shirt from the school they are attending, pencils, school bus stickers and candy.   I think everyone will have a blast and I hope my daughter will remember this party for a long time!