Are your kids struggling with the Back to School Blues? Turn the blues into smiles of anticipation by celebrating the new school year with a back to school party! Gather some of your child’s friends together and have a blast following these party plans created by the authors of a new book, Parties with Pizzazz.

Let’s Pack to go Back (mixer)
Kids form a circle. Place school supplies such as a ruler, a scissor, crayon, pencil, glue stick etc. in the center of the circle. One child holds the backpack and starts the game by choosing an item from the center. He/she puts it in the backpack and says, “I’m going to school and in my backpack I will pack a ruler.” The backpack is then passed to the next child who chooses another item, puts it in the backpack and repeats the previous sentence adding their own selected school supply. Continue until everyone has had to repeat the entire sentence.

School Supply Surprises (game)
Buy inexpensive school supplies for each child at the party such as rulers, crayons, pencils, erasers, and notebooks etc. Hide the supplies and write clues as to where they are hidden. Along with the supplies place the appropriate clue that will lead the children to the next surprise. Start the game by giving each child a school box (or have them bring their own.) Tell them that they will be going on a treasure hunt for new school supplies. Read the first clue and have the children begin their hunt. Continue reading clues as the supplies are found.

Clue examples:
• A large tree is where rulers should be.
• Look by a front door where crayons are galore.
• Look under the stair for pencils to share.
• Erasers are found by the plants in the ground.
• Search for the notebooks where the griller cooks.

Pens with Pizzazz (craft)
Provide a red correcting pen for each child. Select 4 colors of curling ribbon and cut 8 - 2‚ lengths. Curl them with a scissor blade. Tape one end of the ribbons together and lay the taped end flat against the side of the top of the pen. Secure the ribbons to the pen with brightly colored masking tape. Continue to wrap the masking tape down the length of the pen to its point. Use this pen to put pizzazz in your correcting.

Tongue Twister (team builder)
This team builder will divide the children into two teams for the next game. You will need two different flavors of ice pops such as cherry and blue raspberry. Cut each flavor into an equal number of bite size pieces. Have the children sit in a circle with their eyes closed and spoon an ice pop piece in each child’s mouth. Teams are formed by having the children walk around to find others with the same colored tongues.

Pack Your Picnic Relay (game)
Set up two tables with peanut butter, jelly, bread, sandwich plastic bags, plastic knives, drink boxes, individual bags of chips, and apples. Give each child a brown paper lunch bag with their name on it. Each team stands in a line. The first players in line run to the table, make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, and put it in a sandwich bag. Then the players fill their lunch bags with each picnic item. When done, they run back and the next players run to the table to pack their picnic lunch. When everyone is finished bring out the blankets and enjoy the picnic lunch.

School Bus Snack (treat)
Using a paper plate each child places 1 golden sponge cake (bus) on 4 unwrapped chocolate kisses (wheels.) Cut off the end of another sponge cake and press the cream-filled end to the body of the bus to form the hood. Children can practice memorizing their bus number by writing it with black gel icing on their school bus snack.

This party has been adapted from ideas found in the book Parties with Pizzazz, a unique book that scripts a party from start to finish by including mixers, team builders, games, crafts, and treats.

Parties with Pizzazz is a book that is targeted for elementary teachers and parents. It is packed with over 200 creative ideas to help in planning and hosting unique Halloween, Winter and Valentine parties. Parties with Pizzazz makes party planning exciting, interactive and most of all easy. Parties with Pizzazz can be ordered from Pizzazz Publishing, PO Box 415, Victoria, MN 55386. For more information about the book visit our website at www.pizzazzpublishing.com.
Have fun building memorable parties for children!

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