Pokemon Journey Party -6yr- Battle Dimension

My six-year old son wanted a POKEMON Party.  So with his help, we planned the following hit: 

INVITATIONS:  A pack of large colored construction paper helped a lot:  Invitations were made of red construction paper circles ontop of which a white hemi-circle was glued. On the front I hand wrote: xyz I choose you!"  On the back I printed out and glued another circle that read: "Gotta catch them all Gonna have a ball!"  Please join Ash Pikachu and Friends to celebrate xyz's birthday on etc with date site and rsvp info. One guest reported that her daughter kept saying "he chose me he chose me!!!" ;) Guest ages ranged from 3-10.   

DECORATIONS:  We got a 100-sheet pack of contruction paper from Michaels and used the sheets to make Pokemon wall decorations.  We paused DVD's on scenes we liked and traced the images from the flat screen onto the construction paper.  Then I took pictures of the stilled frame with my cell phone for referrence.  Using the cell phone-captured image as guidance we then colored the pictures with crayons and I cut our the silhouette.  This way we decorated our walls with enlarged visions of Ash Misty Pikachu Luvdisc and twelve other pokemons. 

For very large images (Charizard) we made a larger sheet by taping four construction sheets together.  We hung Drifloons from the ceiling using fishing line.  The drifloons were made out of purple baloons permanent marker black eyes cotton for hair and yellow construction paper noses glue-sticked on. The arms and hands were made of construction paper taped to the sides.  If air-filled they can be made several days in advance without deflating. Then I put a sign out saying "Drifloons like to steal children.  Watch out don't get caught!  All entrances to the main party room (sunroom) were decorated with dangling streamers gallore.   

On the front entrance door a big pokeball read: Welcome to the Battle Dimension.  We also got craft supplies at Michael's to make badges and ribbons using hot glue: lots of bows and ribbons were made and costume jewelry faux-stones and colorful rocks were hot glued on.  Again I took a picture of May's collection of ribbons from a dvd episode and used it as guide to make award ribbons.  These were displayed on a velvet base on a table near entrance.  Above it a sign read "can you win the prestigious Middleburg-region Ribbon?"  After everybody got settled I professor Ivy in my white coat used a bell to get everybody's attention.

I described the day's program to them and they got all excited about starting their Pokemon Journey:  They were to put on their name-badge then walk over to Professor Oak's Lab to adopt their first Pokemon.  Then we were going to engage in several battle stations to test their skills as pokemon trainers.  There would be awards for all.  After putting on their name badges (red paper pokeballs with name and title (pokemon trainer breeder coordinator) on them tied to a ribbon to wear around neck).  My husband had set up professor oak's lab in the dinning room with a computer blasting off Pokemon music.  The table was covered in Beanie Babies resembling Pokemon and "pokedex" style birth certificates had been laminated for each pokemon providing picture ability and other information about each pokemon.  The children walked in chose their pokemon and received a birth certificate. 

Then we went outside for games:  In one area the "Sinnoh Region" where water pokemon dwell I layed out a blue cloth on the ground with lots of water pokemon swimming in the 'water'.  Fishing rods made of sticks a string and a magnet tied to the end were made.  The water pokemon were from the 'ABSeas fishing game.' The child who caught the most fishes in 5-min won.  In another station we taped pix of team rocket against glass wall. Nerf-gun dart guns with suckers on ends were used to shoot team rocket and prevent their escape.  The most accurate shooter won.  Girls surprisingly really liked this game!  A coin toss into two plates using pennies was third station. Clear plastic plates were used.  A picture of pikachu and Panphy were glued on the back and showed through the clear plate.  Spray adhesive was used to glue the pokemon to the plate. 

Gotta catch them all: 32 pokeballs were hidden in the yard - "easter egg hunt-style game was played. Styrofoam balls and hollowed-out eggs were colored with permanent markers to look like pokeballs.  A Jiggly Puff Pinata was broken: she was handmade using a punch balloon papier-mache and pink streamers. 

Then we came inside to create our own pokemon: Brown bags were handed out and each child decorated it with pokemon stickers drawing their own pokemon on it.  Their 'stuff' was placed inside.  We played pokemon bingo from cards I had printed.  The website is dtk custom bingo. I showed the pix as I called them out for those pokemon neophytes. Each time someone filled a row they selected a sheet of pokemon stickers. Overstock.com or Barns and nobles sell books of stickers. 

Then we ate: pigs in a blanket chiops & jiggly puff juice followed by cake (pokeball round cake with red/white frosting).  Can you guess how many caterpies are in this jar? Jar filled with gummy worms and pix of caterpie on jar - guessing game played as they were eating.  Who's that pokemon?  Guessing game with awards given also while eating: Basic trivia questions.  Awards were pokemon guidebooks (overstock.com) & paperbacks (Walmart). Pokemon electric toothbrushes (target)were given out to winners of the outdoor games.  On their way out each child chose a ribbon or badge from the trophy table set out by door.    I tried to make sure everybody got a present. 

The children had lots of fun. Starting six weeks ahead made it easy to do each project gradually.  Ebay sells pokemon figurines and watches. However must allot 25 days for s&h time from China.    "