Jedi's Training -7yr- Jedi Tunics

When my son turned 7, he was a Stars Wars fanatic. We did his room in Star Wars, wanted anything Star Wars, and he wanted all the movies. I on the other hand, knew absolutely nothing about Stars Wars so I had to do a lot of research, and got tons of great ideas from this site. 

INVITATIONS: I wanted the invites to look like the movie when the words are rolling across the screen. I made this on Scrapbook Max. I used a galaxy background and added the words. It read: In the year 2000, a baby was born. From the beginning his energy and strength, drew the attention of the Jedi council, who named the child, CHILDS NAME. In the seven years following his birth, NAME, learned the power of the force.  In recent time, the Jedi knights, have felt a disturbance in the force generated by the dark side. The Jedi council have called upon young Padawan NAME to seek out future Jedi. Your presence is requested to complete the very important Jedi training. If you are up to the challenge make your way to the Jedi training academy. ADDRESS. Please inform the Jedi council whether or not you accept this invitation to celebrate with NAME by sending an urgent reply PHONE NUMBER. At the bottom it read, May the force be with you. On one side it said, Galactic security measures require that you leave your own weapon at home. On the other side of the in invite it said, Please join us, you’re our only hope.  It was printed on glossy paper, cut, and put in business size envelopes.  I made a personal label for each child. (example - Padawan Derik) 

COSTUMES:  When the kids arrived we had the Star Wars Theme music playing. I made a Jedi Academy Training Poster on a large piece of Science Project cardboard. Once all the kids are they we welcome them. I said Welcome to the Jedi Academy. We are grateful that you have all chosen to come and train with us as we are in great need of future Jedi Knights as we have recently felt a disturbance in the force generated by the dark side. We will have several tasks that we need to accomplish in order to receive your certificate and title of Jedi Knight. In order to train like Jedi’s however we need to look like Jedi’s so each of you must first get a Jedi tunic.  My Mom made tunics from a light tan material and dark brown sashes. We helped each child get one on. The birthday boy wore a Jedi robe. 

DECORATIONS:  My oldest son’s birthday is in the late winter and because our house is so small we always enclose our carport in plastic sheeting. This year we used black plastic and painted white stars all over it. It was pitch black in there when the lights were off. We hung some black lights to give it a galactic feel. It was so cool; it really felt like you were in space. I downloaded the Star Wars sound track to play throughout the game. The theme music imperial march imperial attack throne room and the light-saber music are the most recognizable.  After the kids were all dressed we were going to start the games. I said Being a Jedi takes a lot of work. We must work together and we must listen to our instructors as we train. We will now head into a secure galactic domain where our first challenge awaits.  We had them walk into the carport and they were so excited. 

GAMES:  1. ASTEROID TOSS:I saidTo begin with we need to test our reflexes as we watch for the giant asteroi” My mom had a large squishy orange ball.  Everyone lined up in a circle. We passed the asteroid around like a hot potato game. We had Star wars music playing. I said Do not be caught with it as the music stops. The asteroid can drain your energy so do not hold it for very long.  We played this game for a while it was real cool because the orange ball fluoresced under the lights.

2. POWER CORE BALLOONS  Next I sad Good job you have all passed the first challenge so let’s move onto the next. These are the power core. (I had blown up white balloons and added small glow things inside some of them. I got them at the $store. They were 6 in each. I think they were the earring ones.)  You need to help each other put them out of commission. You can only destroy the ones with the core loose inside them. The rest are decoys. Use whatever means you can to remove the power core.  We then had a loud alarm go off when the last power core is done (the last balloon was popped.) They have air horns at the $store.

3.LIGHTSABERS: Great!!! You have completed two challenges so you have now earned the right to a weapon.   This (Show light-saber and start light saber music) is the weapon of a Jedi Knight-It is not as clumsy or random as a blaster this is an elegant weapon for a more civilized age. Please line up to receive your Light-saber. (We handed one to each child and wrote their name on it in black markers.  We made light-sabers for every child. We bought pvc insulation it looks like swim noodles but is gray. We got the 2 in. thick. We cut it into 3 ft. pieces. We bought a couple of the 3 pvc insulation and cut them into 4 in. handles. We pushed the smaller one into the larger one with gorilla glue to glue to keep them together. They fit inside pretty snug. We spray painted them in red blue. I used black electrical tape on the handles. I wrapped the handles in black electrical tape. They look awesome were safe to hit each other with and were inexpensive to make. You could use swim noodles if you get them on clearance after summer.

4.LIGHTSABER TRAINING: (Light saber music plays again) I said We will now have an exercise to train you how to use this weapon. You will need all the training you can get for who know when we will have to use them against the dark force. Listen carefully as I tell you the rules. You may not hit ANYONE with the sword-only hit sword on sword unless otherwise instructed to do so. Failure to do so will result in the loss of your weapon- IF there is a time when you must use your weapon against the dark force YOU MAY NOT HIT ABOVE THE NECK- WHICH MEANS NO HITTING IN THE HEAD OR FACE.  (We had blown up lots of 9 balloons so the kids could try and keep them from touching the ground using their light-saber.)  You need to keep these galactic spheres from ever touching the ground as they are very sensitive. Use only your light-saber and try not to use your hands. 

5. DESTROY THE DEATH STAR: We had a death star piñata. We bought a soccer ball piñata (any round one will work. We pushed it in to create the crater. We spray painted it silver and added a ring of black electrical tape around the center. We painted it to look like the death star. I said USE THE FORCE TO GUIDE YOUR WEAPON. A DIRECT HIT WILL TRIGGER A CHAIN REACTION AND DESTROY THE DEATH STAR.  We had the imperial Attack music playing while the kids broke open the piñata. We used my sons real light saber as a piñata stick.

6. ATTACK OF THE DARK SIDE: (We had downloaded some R2D2 beeps that sounded like he was communicating with us a Darth Vader clip and had 2 walkie talkies. I had one with the kids and my husband had the other in the house. The kids were facing away from the door. ) I have a walkie talkie in my hand. The R2D2 beeps come through the walkie talkie.  I say It is an incoming message from R2D2.   I ask R2 what is happening. He responds with a bunch of beeps. I exclaim. Jedi’s R2D2 has been monitoring the Sith communications network. He has recovered an important message. We must listen. My husband then says in a dark voice "Vader! Yes my Emperor. I sense a disturbance in the force. A rebel force has been discovered on the planet Earth. They have been training young padawans to bring up a resistance against us.  Then my husband plays this recording we found online. It is Darth Vader and he says  Leave them to me; I will deal with them at myself! (at this point we have my husband dressed as darth vader and 2 other guy in dark hooded robes and they are walking quietly into the carport) I jump and yell  We must prepare immediately. Grab you gear. Jedi Knights- You are in command.  Behind the kids we hear Darth Vader breathing. (The breathing was part of the mask we had)  I say It is Darth Vader and other members of the dark side we must stop them-use your training Jedi’s -ATTACK THE BAD GUYS! The kids then attack the bad guys with their swords. They had so much fun and their swords didn’t hurt anyone. Once the kids got in a few good hits the bad guys drop to the floor and I say  Jedi’s we have defeated the dark side.  The kids loved this!

7.JEDI KNIGHT CEREMONY We played the Throne room song here. I say Young Padawans you have proved yourself worthy to have earned the title of Jedi Knight. You have proven that you can defeat the dark side. Please line up and kneel as we present you with your certificate of training. We used the light-saber to knight them. I had printed Jedi Knight Certificates for each child. We presented them with the certificate.  May the force be with you!!!! 

CAKE AND PRESENTS:  We then open presents and had the cake. I made cupcakes for each child. I ordered little red star wars figures online and put on n each cupcake so the kids got to had a little character to take home. We made took a round ball and covered it in tinfoil and drew and used electrical tape and marker to create the look of the death star that we wanted.  I took a round tube a small platter and a larger platter and covered them in a silver holographic gift wrap paper. I glued them together to make a cupcake holder tier. We used my sons star wars figure around it to attack the death star. We hooked 4 little light sticks to the sides that looked like light-sabers. We put the cupcakes on the bottom platter. It looked real neat under the black lights. I think it turned out real cool. 

GOODY BAGS:  I bought some 5 a 7 canvas drawstring bags on eBay. I bought some iron-on paper and printed Yoda on them that said May the force be with you and Thanks for coming to my party and ironed them on each bag. They looked so cute. They were filled with misc. candy and toys. "