Back To School Party -10yr- Red Rover

When your child hits the double digits, she/he is off to middle school, and feeling very grown up about it too! These ideas will show you how to throw the perfect send-off party for your son/daughter & their friends, as well as a esteem-boost before starting a new year of school!

INVITATIONS: Take colourful cardstock (purple, orange, green, blue works best) and fold it in half. Next, take a red piece of cardstock and cut out an apple. Use other coloured cardstock to cut out books and pencils. Glue your cute school cutouts to the front in an attractive pattern. On the inside, cut out a long rectangle of black cardstock and glue it on the inside of the card to resemble a chalk board. Write the party info on the inside with a white marker or gel pen to resemble chalk! Mail off the invitations about 2 weeks before the party.

DECORATIONS: Pick a large, open space for the party room. Decorate with colourful streamers and balloons. Paper part of the wall in black poster board to represent a chalkboard, and draw cute little sketches on it with white chalk. Put down an alphabet carpet in front of the chalkboard so all the guests can sit on it. Write a list of party games on the chalkboard.

ACTIVITIES: Set a certain time frame for all the guests to arrive. Seat them all on the alphabet carpet and take attendance" using the guest list as an attendance sheet. Mark anyone not there "late" or "absent". If a guest comes in late write them a "pink slip" or a "late slip" with their reason for being late. Next head over to a classroom to do "arts and crafts". Set out a fun craft like decorating picture frames with fake jewels and glitter or little colourful cut outs. Let them decorate plain lunch boxes with stickers and paint or make little keychains for their backpacks by shaping playdough. Make sure all crafts are dry before the guests leave for home.

GAMES: You can play a large variety of games though they don't have to be school-related. However you can get them to play school-yard games like "Tag" "Freeze Tag" "Red Rover" "Ring-a-round-a-rosy" "Catch" and any other ball games.

COSTUMES: Tell the kids they can come dressed up like they will on the first day of school OR if they want to they can dress up like a teacher!

PARTY SNACKS: Finger foods for 10 year olds are best! Serve things like cheese and crackers veggies and dip cookies popcorn fruit gummy snacks and sandwiches for lunch. OR if you're feeling really creative you can host a "school yard B.B.Q.". Set up the kitchen like the school cafeteria with different food choices. Give the kids trays and lunchbags for their food to get in the mood. This party is totally fun and affordable for your little one before starting school! Make sure to snap lots of pictures and cherish these once-in-a-lifetime moments with your children. Happy partying!"