Pokemon Party -7yr- Decorate Pokeball Cookie

My son has recently become a huge Pokemon fan as a result of seeing the cartoon on Cartoon Network.  Unfortunately, being only 6, he kind of missed the boat on Pokemon stuff since Pokemon is not the huge fad it was 10 years ago or so.  As a result, when he announced that he wanted to have a Pokemon theme for his 7th birthday, I was really happy to find this site, because Michelle in Mullins, SC had posted tons of ideas for her son's 7th birthday Pokemon party.  I have found some more resources for you Pokemoms" out there. 

First of all eBay is a fantastic resource for party supplies stickers Pokemon action figures backpacks lunchboxes etc.  I got great personalized candy wrappers to wrap around Hershey bars for the kids' treat bags as well as personalized Pokemon coloring books. --Visit www.crafts.kaboose.com/pokemon for ideas on Pokemon crafts and party games. There are directions for Pokemon bingo pin the flame on the Charmander etc.  

Dollar Tree had red blue and yellow plates and napkins balloons and crepe paper.  I went with these instead of buying Pokemon plates and napkins off eBay--the boys really don't care what they eat off of but they do like to play the games and win the prizes so I used most of my budget on those types of items.

You can find Microsoft templates online for ideas for formatting birthday invitations and if you do a Yahoo! Or Google search under "images" for Pokemon you can import some cute images onto your invitations.  I used a template that showed the format front and back for a "mailer" invitation--you just fold it over seal with a Pokemon sticker and mail.  I used Michelle's wording for the invitation: (Child's name) I choose you!  (Here I put an image of Pikachu and a Pokeball).  On the inside I put the details for the party.  I printed the invitations on yellow paper.

I bought red and white craft foam at Michael's then traced and cut out circles 3" in diameter.  Each circle was cut in half then I glued one red and one white half onto a cardboard circle adding black outline with a Sharpie.  Thread a black yarn through a punched hole and there you have a perfect Pokeball nametag for each child.  I wrote (Child's name)  Pokemon Master on each Pokeball.  I had Pokemon stickers (from eBay) and as each child did an activity he got a sticker to place on the back of his Pokeball.

Here are the activities the boys did:

1.  Draw a Pikachu.  From Yahoo! Images I found a 9-step set of directions for how to draw a Pikachu.  I drew the steps on a large white poster board as a guide for the kids to look at as they drew their Pikachus.  This kept the boys occupied as we awaited each guest's arrival.

2.  Apon hand-hunt (just like an easter egg hunt).  My husband had some powder-free gloves that he uses when he paints--I've seen them at pharmacies for people to wear when they give injections.  I bought a few bags of those variety-type candies that lots of people get for halloween--tootsie rolls sweet tarts bubble gum now & laters etc.  Then I filled the gloves with candy and tied each with curling ribbon.  These were hidden in the backyard and the boys went on an Apon hand-hunt.  I made 30 for 10 boys so each could find

3.  Pin the flame on the charmander.  At the craft.kaboose.com website I found directions for this game which is just like pin the tail on the donkey.  The website shows you an easy version of charmander which I drew with a black marker on red poster board.  I then cut out flames from yellow paper and wrote each boy's name so that we knew who "won."  We decided not to give prizes for winning but rather each boy got a sticker for participating.

4.  Pikachu stomp--this was Michelle's idea too.  Put a Pikachu sticker in one balloon then blow up lots of them and put them in the backyard.  The boys stomped and popped the balloons and the one who found the sticker got to keep it.

5.  Decorate a Pokeball cookie.  I baked some ready made sugar cookies from the refrigerator section of the grocery store.  I bought white and pink icing and added red food coloring to the pink icing to make it red.  I also bought black icing "gel".  Each boy frosted his cookie one half red and one half white then added black outlining to complete his pokeball.

6.  I made a homemade cake this year.  I found 206 Pokemon 2" figures on eBay shipped from China about $90 total.  This was my son's big present but before I wrapped it I took out 3 figures to put on his cake.  I made a 9 x 12 sheet cake and frosted it with green "grass" and blue "sky" and placed the 3 figures on the cake.  It turned out cute although you can also find cake decorating kits for Pokemon on the web.

7.  When the boys left each received a yellow lunchbag I found at Dollar Tree filled with the Pokemon coloring book and crayons the personalized candy wrapper candy bar and other small toys I found at Dollar Tree. The party had a good mix of activites active and not-so-active. 

Also the boys swam in our backyard pool and had a great time just using their imaginations and having pretend Pokemon contests.  I would never have had such an easy time of planning if it hadn't been for this website and many thanks to Michelle in SC!!!! "