Space Party -5yr- Flying Saucer Sandwiches

Space Party  My son selected a space theme for his 5th birthday.   

INVITATIONS:  I purchased an astronaut suit and then took his picture in the suit with a digital camera.  I digitally edited it to give it a blue space with yellow star background.  Then I inserted it into a desktop publishing program to make the invitation.  The picture was on the front with and the wording was Blast-off to a Good Time!  Join Astronaut Neal for an Outer Space 5th Birthday Party.   Inside included all the details and some space graphics. 

DECORATIONS:  Purchased glow in the dark stars, planets, and space ships.  Attached around the room to the wall and ceiling.   Purchased Black posterboard and glow in the dark space stickers and made posters to cover windows, etc.  Used glow in the dark paint to make a Happy Birthday Astronaut Neal sign.  Found glow in the dark, blow-up stars and moons (Oriental Trading) that we hung from the ceiling and  Blow up Astronauts (Oriental Trading) that we positioned around the room. 

Found a Twist and Fold USA Space Shuttle play structure on QVC.  This was great for decoration and play since six could fit inside.  Also found a Mars and beyond Tent (www.rightstart.com).  We hung a space shuttle piñata for decoration and to break later. 

I found space tablecloths at Kopp Drug Store that had space ships, planets, and flying saucers on it.  Also purchased matching paper plates, cups, napkins, and Mylar balloons, etc.  I also painted rocks with fluorescent green paint for decoration and to hide for the children to hunt. Had a glow in the dark 12-inch moonball and a 12-inch blow up ball that had glow in the dark stars on it.   

FAVORS:  Purchased Space goodie bags the matched the tablecloths.  In them we included - small glow in the dark moon balls, Astronaut pens, Mini Star Glider airplanes, Glow in the Dark space shapes to trace, florescent pixie sticks, space ship water game (Dollar Store), some packets of pop rocks, and chocolate earth globes.  Also found some 12-piece puzzles at the Dollar Store that featured different planets.  They also glowed in the dark.  They were too large to fit into the bag, so I used them for prizes for the game, but gave one to every child. 

FOOD:  Flying Saucer Sandwiches - mini Pita Bread filled with a variety of items from chicken spread, ham spread, PB & J, cheese spread, lettuce, tomato and lunchmeat. Made different things because kids are sometimes picky.  Cosmic fruit salad - tropical fruit salad with pineapple in star and moon shapes (Dole brand).  Sugar cookies shaped like stars and moons, sprinkled with yellow sugar. Little dippers - chicken nuggets with dipping sauces (everyone loved these) Munchies, relish tray and Cake. 

We had two cakes.  One shaped like a rocket - an ice cream cake roll standing on end, frosted with white icing, and decorated.  The other cake was a sheet cake trimmed in blue.  I bought blue and yellow rock candy and put around the top of the cake.  The kids all thought it was great.  At the candy store I purchased edible flying saucers filled with edible beads in a variety of colors.  I laid these around the cake and the kids loved them.  Since the astronauts drink Tang, I served it to the kids. 

GAMES:  When they first arrived I gave them a picture of a space shuttle to color.  We cut it out and glued it to black construction paper and added a few glow in the dark stickers and wrote their name in glow in the dark ink.  Playing in the space shuttle and tent occupied them most of the time.  Had to pry them out to play the games.   The piñata was filled with little toys and candy, also Saturn balls (oriental trading).   We played some games with the glow in the dark moon ball and I had the children hunt for the hidden space rocks. 

They each got to take some home, which parents tell me are treasured items.  Also gave each a glow stick (Oriental Trading) and we turned off all the lights.  Between all the glow in the dark items around the room and their glow sticks it was awesome.  We pretended we were on the moon and taking a moonwalk. 

THANK YOU CARDS:  I took a picture of each child with the Astronaut helmet on.  I printed the picture on the front of the Thank you card.  The party was a huge success; both adults and children had a great time.  Parents are still calling to tell me what a great time their children had.