Super Hero Training 4yr - Lasso Throw

For my son's 4th birthday with another friend from daycare whose birthday is a week away, we had a superhero training camp party in the gym of my church.  I use this site for all kinds of ideas. 

First, we made the invitations by scanning our local paper into the computer which was my husband's idea.  We took out some of the headlines and inserted "Villains are taking over the city" and in another spot we put "Calling all Superheroes".  On the inside, we scanned a picture of the Justice League and put a poem about the party.  It said something about come for supper, crimefighting and so much more.  We then included a part about coming dressed as your favorite superhero.  We left copies of easy costume ideas (which can be made out of things we all have around the house or can buy inexpensively at a dollar store) with each daycare teacher.

When the kids got to the party, superhero music was playing. The kids then had several things to do.  They also got a treat at each spot.  Each spot had big signs made out of colored butcher paper and had pictures of the superhero the game was representing. 

First, we had Wonderwoman's Lasso Throw.  We took Justice League Bop it bags, and the kids tried to throw hoola hoops over them.  When they left that station, I had printed a picture of Wonderwoman off the computer and typed Wonderwoman licorice lasso and attached it to individual wrapped pieces of licorice. 

Next, we had web blasting.  Each child got a can of silly string and took turns shooting it against the wall.  At that stop, the kids got to take the rest of the silly string and I had drawn spiderman on red plastic spoons.  I then attached Blow Pop suckers to the back of the spoon and attached them with black pipe cleaners.  This is a really cute inexpensive treat.  Then, it was off to Gotham City.  The friend whose son was also having a birthday put up pieces of lattice and covered it with black butcher paper and put up stars and the words Gotham City.  The top was covered with Christmas lights, and we had a battery powered batmobile in front of it.  From there, it was off to the batcave. 

My husband even took off work to help make it.  We took a gazebo tent then put painted refrigerator boxes around the side.  The whole thing was covered with black plastic that comes in a roll from the paint department and paper that comes in a roll and looks like rock.  We had two entrances the kids could crawl through. 

Inside the batcave, we had bats hanging, a table was set up and on that was a painted piece of cardboard (an opened washer box) and holes were poked through it and we inserted Christmas lights.  We also had a small TV/VCR combo playing a Justice League tape and Batman tape.  The final thing in the batcave was a fog machine.  We gave out Batman fruit snacks and glow sticks in the batcave. 

The next game was Knock out the Villains.  We had six more Bop Its (3 Justice League and 3 Spiderman) that the kids could hit.  Also, we blew up balloons and drew villain faces on them so they could pop them.  My mother-in-law rented a game where you throw balls at cats like at a fair.  We drew villains on lunch sacks and covered the cats.  They really did not get a treat at this stop. 

Finally, we had Superman Strength and Fitness Center.  My husband made a fake set of weights.  He painted a rod black and used styrofoam circles as the weights.  We painted them and put wrote on them amounts such as 1,000 pounds.  The kids looked cute lifting them up.  Also, we had jump ropes, hoola hoops and small hand held weights in this section.  My father-in-law also made a huge three dimenstional Superman and cut out the face and the kids got their picture made when they first arrived.  The kids got Superman's Kryptonite candy at this spot.  We typed up labels with the Superman symbol and the name of the candy and stuck it to pop rock candy.  The kids also got red, white and blue medals (four in a pack-very inexpensive) We then said we had a special guest.  I had rented a batman suit at a costume shop for $40.00.  The shop was not located in our city so I was not sure what it would look like.  I thought it would probably be one like you get at Halloween at Walmart.  It turned out to be like the movies.  It had a large rubber batman mask and heavy vinyl cape, etc. 

My husband was batman.  We did not tell our son it was his daddy.  He had to shave his mustache off, and I do not think our son has ever seen him without it.  Because the mask came over his nose, and he had to breath through his mouth, he sounded different.  Our son still thinks the real Batman was at the party.  Everyone had a fit when he came in.  All the kids mouths dropped.  One little boy had just got glasses and is real self conscious.  My husband bent down and said he had a secret to tell him.  My husband continued by saying that when he is at the Justice League, he wears glasses too.  The boy said "You do? and smiled.  The dad thanked my husband.  Batman then helped with the batman pinata, and we gave the kids batman masks and had a group picture made.  I forgot to say that me and the other mom were wearing Supermom t-shirts (made on the computer) with red capes. 

We then ate pizza.  We had jello jiggler bats and gummy spiders, cookies with superheroes on them and two cakes one spiderman for one birthday boy and batman for my son.  The party area was decorated with Justice League paperplates, napkins etc.  We only used the Justice League table cloth for the cake.  The rest were just solid cloths from the dollar store with confetti on them.  We had superhero action figures on the tables holding the balloons.  As the kids left, they got a treatbag with a superhero launcher, superhero candy sticks and the rest was Easter candy (as the party was the week before Easter). 

We did not put a lot in the bags since the kids got treats at each spot.  Also, we had made them certificates that was like a diploma with Justice League colors showing they had completed superhero training camp.  In one corner, we added a thank you for coming from the birthday boys.  We opened the gifts at home, which I normally do not do, but everyone was exhaused.  We had several kids come up to us and say it was the best party they had been to in their life!  It sounds like a lot to do, but we just did a little bit at a time, then put it all together.  For example, I made the spiderman suckers one afternoon after church, then a sign one day after work.  I would allow myself at least three weeks if you do not want to stress yourself out.  If you are like our family and friends, the adults had as much fun as the kids.  Parents when you think you can't do it, remember you are making memories for your kids. This site gives you all the help you need.  I even tend to look at parties which are not my theme on this site to get ideas which I can change around.