Pioneer Party -8yr- Monkey Bread Baking

Pioneer Party:  For my daughter's 8th birthday party she wanted a pioneer theme.  At first I thought this would be a difficult theme but it ended up being one of the best parties we have done. 

I sent invitations that I made from quilt-like paper topped with vellum and tied with a ribbon on top. I also made bonnets for each of the girls and an apron and skirt for my daughter. I rented decorations from a local store- fences, hay bails, wagon wheels, cow skull, etc. 

When the girls arrived they each made there own candle. We used clean baby food jars and the wax that looks like sand. These were beautiful with all of the colorful designs the girls created. I had forgotten to buy the wicks so they ended up being like sand art instead of candles. To cover the label on the top of the jar I bought silk daisies to glue to the top. 

Next, the girls each made there own pan of monkey bread (recipe at bottom).  I bought the small disposable loaf pans and gave each girl her own can of biscuits, a bowl of sugar/cinnamon, and a plastic knife.  This was a big hit because 8 year old girls love to cook.  While the bread was baking the girls played "button, button, who's got the button", ate cake and ice cream, watched the opening of presents and hit the pinata. 

Button Game: You sit in a circle on the floor with one person in the middle (eyes closed).  The people in the circle pass the button until the music stops. When it stops the people hold there hands where they can be seen and the middle person tries to guess who has the button.  If she guesses correctly the two people trade places if not the game starts again until she can guess correctly.  This is similar to musical chairs except that nobody gets "out".   

Cake was a rectangle with cacti and horses pulling a covered wagon.  We had a cactus pinata from Party City. The girls went home with there loaf of monkey bread, candle, bonnet, and bag of candy.  This was a great party and much easier than I had anticipated.  

Monkey Bread Recipe: 3 cans refrigerator biscuits, 1 cup sugar-divided in half, 1 tsp. cinnamon, 1 stick margarine, 1/2 cup brown sugar(packed). Cut each biscuit into 4 pieces and roll in 1/2 cup of white sugar mixed with cinnamon.  Drop into greased pan (a bundt pan is best if making the whole recipe, but I used individual loaf pans for the girls.)  Bring margarine, 1/2 cup sugar, and brown sugar to a boil.(I did this as the girls were rolling the biscuits in cinnamon/sugar) Pour over biscuits in pan.  Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes.  (20-30 minutes for the individual loaves-watch closely because they burn easily)  Cool slightly, then flip out of pan onto a plate.  Enjoy!