Survivor Party -10yr- Dirt Cake

Invitations:  On cardstock, copy the outwit, outlast and outplay logo.  Below it, type can you survive Joel's 10th Birthday?  Come be one of 10 castaways marrooned at (address) from 4:30 to 8pm.  PS:  Bring something you couldn't live without if stranded on an island" I burned the edges of the paper for a little extra effect.

For DECORATIONS I didn't purchase a thing!  I always borrow from my church's VBS decorations.  With asking I was able to get a ton of island luau type items.  Before kids arrive cover 10 coke cans with paper and write each kids name secretly on the back.  Also tear two plastic tablecloths into strips 5 of a red cloth and 5 of a blue. 

WHEN KIDS ARRIVE 1st have each kid tell why they brought the "can't live without it" item.  Set those aside and after all the kids have arrived have each one draw a torn table cloth strip out of a bag without looking.  Those teams are now divided.  You may want to at this point describe how the survivor show works.  Send the two teams off to 1)paint their faces with red/white or blue/black facepaint AND 2) come up with a team name.  At this point (30 minutes into it) I had them eat some pizza and coke real quick before the games began to get their energy! 

GAMES/ACTIVITIES:  Gather the boys around a table and set before them each a bowl of cool whip with a bubble gum hidden inside.  Each kid must sit on their hands!  Tell them that on "go" they must find the gum with their mouth and blow a bubble.  The first one on a team to do so wins for their team.  You may need several judges as it is very hard to watch everyone at once.  The winning team receives 5 points the losing gets 3 points. 

NEXT CHALLENGE:  This is one for outwit.  Previously have drawn outside on the driveway a 12x12 chalk grid for 144 spots.  It is so easy to do as squares.  Each player picks a square to stand on.  One by one alternating between each team a player moves to a space either forward backward or either side.  Once they move the square they were on previously is 'X'ed off.  Once a square is 'X'ed that square is out of play.  Pretty soon players get to where they are blocked in and can no longer move and thus out of the game.  The goal is to be the last player on the grid.  Again award points. 

THIRD CHALLENGE:  Make up a fun obstacle courserelay style.  We had each player have to shoot a hoop (and make it) run over where they had to throw a frisbee until it made it into a rubbermaid container.  Next they walked a balance beam (made from a two by eight) while being hosed with water.  If they fell they had to do the beam again.  Last they put a balloon b/t their legs while scootering between a set of cones (actually we used paint cans that we had in the garage; they didn't tend to move like orange cones can). 

FOURTH CHALLENGE: this was an outlast game.  Each player had a paint can to stand on (or use cement blocks).  They could only have one foot on the can; last one standing wins for their team.  If the game is lasting quite awhile you could always give them things to do like swing their arms sing a silly song go up and down etc. 

FIFTH CHALLENGE:  On the balance beam place the covered cans (with no names showing) and pass out a rubber band to each player.  Once by one a child shoots.  If a person's can is knocked down they are out of the game.  A great twist is that you don't know who you are shooting.  After going through all the players have the kids step up a foot each time because these kids can't shoot very well!  You can play again but this time turn the cans so names can be seenand they can get each other back! 

5TH CHALLENGE:  It's the great mystery food!  Cover plates with foil or another plate over them that is numbered 1-10.  Have the kids draw a number and receive the plate of food with the corresponding number.  Again kids must sit on hands!  Here are the foods we used: "rat droppings" (raisenettes) "dehydrated worms" (oriental canned rice noodles mixed w/ black food col.) "jungle grass" (green food colored coconut) "crushed beetles" (chopped black olives) "pigs blood" (corn syrup mixed with red food col.) "pureed ants" (orange baby food) "mushed earthworms" (purple baby food) "bloodied worms" (gummy worms w/ ketchup).  1st player to eat all of it and stick out their tongue to prove it wins points for their team. 

Our LAST CHALLENGE:  I had frozen 2 raisens each in an ice cube.  They had to melt the cube and eat the "tics" to win. They could not drop the ice or they were out.  Award points. 

VOTING:  No one was voted off the island.  Instead one by one in secret they wrote down who they thought was the best sportsman best attitude maybe didn't win but worked hard and did their best. I had them show the names and tell why they voted into the video cam.   Once everyone voted we went inside and I showed the votes one by one.  We all gave them a big clap!  No extra prizes or anything. 

We then had DIRT CAKE for the dessert and opened presents. With the 10 minutes left over we watched the video of the food challenge. It was a riot! 

Their FAVOR BAGS included a flashlight a compass bugs in slime from walmart fake spiders and some candy.  I put each favor in a brown lunch bag and burned the edges of the bag.  I also had the survivor logo on the front.  This party cost me less than $50 including the pizza.  So inexepensive and a blast!  The boys are still talking about a week later."