Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs

This week I received a desperate party planner emergency email from my reader P. Her six-year old has recently become obsessed with the movie Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs and wants to change his upcoming party in a week and a half to reflect said obsession. And he ain't budging. I'm strapping on my utility belt and off to the rescue!

Since this movie is about a scientist causing food to rain from the sky, draw on that for inspiration. How about a Mad Scientist cooking party? Donna Hay Kids' Magazine features a very clever party with a few ideas with scientific bases that you can elaborate on while they are prepared; have them help you make Popcorn Explosions a.k.a. colored popcorn.

Create slimey goo dipping sauce by adding a few drops of blue food coloring to ketchup and mustard. It would go perfect with a for a Build Your Own Burger bar.

Have some fizzy fun with this DIY sherbet from the magazine. Their recipe - take 1 tsp citric acid (can be found in the canning section of grocery stores), 2 tsp. confectioner's sugar, 3 tsp. of any flavor gelatin, and 1 tsp. baking soda and layer in a small bottle or vial before you shake, shake, shake.
Set up a Make Your Own Soda bar and let them choose from a few different flavors.

Another direction is a cooking party. Don't be afraid to play with your food; show them how to roll homemade meatballs and mixing sauce for a spaghetti lunch.

Set up different stations to make fun not-foods like Cashew Chicken Stir-Fry, Faux Fish Sticks and Grilled Cheese or for making ice-cream sundaes or cookie-decorating.

Leftovers are plenty for favors. But if you must, how about filling inexpensive plastic measuring cups with food-related candy like candy peas and carrots, gummy fish, etc. Cover them with plastic and tie with colorful ribbon and personalized tags.

Hit up a dollar store or the dollar section of your favorite box store, there is always some form of play food that would also make great favors.

Yes, those infamous 'Cookies In A Jar' that seem to pop up everywhere during the holidays is another great take-home. Feel free to break out of the jar-box; any clear container will do. Acrylic boxes and deli containers are perfect because they are reusable and kid-friendly.

And no matter which way you go, your party's pièce de résistance are these spaghetti and meatball cupcakes from Hello, Cupcakes! Make them yourself or have vanilla cupcakes ready to decorate as a party activity; check out a great tutorial over at The Junk Drawer. Not Just A Mommy!

Comments

[Mickey Mouse Party Supplies]

.., this is a great idea i must say... is this an easy to made stuff? i am looking out for a activity that they can do with themselves alone... i got 6,7,8, and 9 year old boys... :)

[Corinne]

Finding exciting and unexpected ways to celebrate birthdays with kids is challenging. This was such a great idea for activities around the movie the birthday child adores. Also, I love the spaghetti and meatball cupcakes. So cute!

[Junk Drawer Kathy]

Hi! Thanks for sending people over to check out my spaghetti and meatball cupcakes. Just a word of warning, I didn't include the recipe from the book verbetim, due to copyright concerns. I definitely recommend buying the book. It's inexpensive and what a hoot trying out some of the other cupcakes. Although I have to say the spaghetti and meatball ones were the easiest and most fun to make! Enjoy.

[Tonya]

we did a party a few years ago for my son where the invitations warned that guests should arrive in old playclothes - because the party culminated in each boy leaving via the back door with a bowl of plain vanilla ice cream, where it was raining ice cream toppings from the back porch! Messy? absolutely! 4 years later I still have parents stopping me at school to tell me that their kids loved that party though :)

my daughters are both having birthdays next month and we're planning a "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" party - and are re-using the raining ice cream as well as some other crazy ideas :)

and yes - that Hello Cupcake book is awesome - it's a must have for any serious party mom!