The party

Anders wanted a Star Wars party. We talked several times about how that meant we did games that were Star Wars, but not everyone would bring him a Star Wars present.

We started the party with a playdate with his best friend, Abby. He opened her present right away, and was thrilled to get a Lego set and a Star Wars t-shirt!





He and Abby played well for the hour plus before the party started.



Everyone else arrived around 1pm. At first, he was shy and didn't want to be where the other kids and parents were. They started with the Legos (build-your-own ship), while he and Abby started with the art (make your own space ship/picture collage). The kids moved between the two activities until Anders was ready to open presents. I wanted him to wait until the end, but he just couldn't wait any longer.

He loved his presents, including a lot of Star Wars Legos, his very own library book bag and library card application, a shrinky dinks set, a game, The Jungle Book movie, and a science kit.



The kids crowded around to look at the Star Wars sticker book.



Of course, then we had to move on to the cake and ice cream.

These are all Star Wars planets: red is Coruscant, then the orange/brown Tatooine with Jabba's palace; white Hoth with an AT-AT; and green Dagobah with Yoda's hut.





The kids then made their light sabers (toilet paper tubes and colored paper!), then proceeded to make laps around the outside--out the front door, up to the parking lot, climb the wall, run down the hill, up the steps in the back, across the deck, through the sliding door, through the house, out the front door, and repeat. They ran and ran until most of them collapsed with fatigue. Perfect after cake and ice cream!





We then played some red light saber/green light saber (or red light/green light), then came back in the house for "Jedi training". I led the kids in some stretches then obstacle course activities. Somehow (Perhaps all that running) they were willing to wait in line and go one at a time. That's pretty significant for a room full of five year olds!





Me leading the stretches


After that, it was time for the kids to go home (2 hour birthday parties for 5 year olds = perfect!). Anders had a great time, and I pulled it off with very little stress, and very little money.