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BIONICLE Party Planning Guide |
2. Plan a safe, comfortable place for the party where the children can have fun, but will not hurt themselves or your home. If planning an outdoor party be sure to have a backup plan in case of bad weather.
3. Limit the party time to two hours or less for children under six years of age. Up to three hours is fine for older children.
4. Prepare more activities than you plan to use in advance. Activities often take less time than planned and you may want to keep the children busy.
5. Include the birthday child in preparations as often
as possible. Let him or her stuff the party favor bags, make suggestions for
games, help with the decorations, set the table, and mail the invitations - even
if that only means putting them in the mailbox.
You’ll need:
paper plates
scissors
selection of colored construction paper
glue
colored markers
decoration materials (pipe cleaners, feathers, sequins, cotton balls, felt pieces, etc.)
plastic spoons (reuse your Party Pak ones!)
Also known as the “Great Masks of Power,” Kanohi are powerful masks worn by the Toa. As guests arrive, invite each to create a mask of any design they wish. Provide paper plates. First they’ll need to hold up a plate while someone marks where the eyes and mouth need to go. Next, kids cut out holes there (with adult help) and decorate plate with colored markers, construction paper, pipe cleaners, sequins, etc. Let set until lunch is over, and glue the back of a clean plastic spoon to back of mask, for a handle.
Mysterious TraitorYou’ll need
disk from Great Disk Hunt game
blindfold
paper clip
set of keys
A mysterious traitor is threatening the peace of Metru Nui. In this game, the Toa Nuju must try to determine who the traitor is.
Invite kids to sit in a circle. Nominate the birthday child as the first Nuju. The Nuju must be blindfolded and sit in the middle. Using a paper clip, attach a set of keys to the disk. Set this in front of blindfolded player. Silently select another child to be the traitor. This player’s job is to sneak up to Nuju, take the disk away as quietly as possible, and tuck it out of sight.
After the traitor has taken the disk, give Nuju 2 tries to guess where the traitor is. (Let Nuju know when it’s time to do this.) If Nuju guesses correctly, the traitor becomes the new Nuju. If Nuju guesses incorrectly, a new traitor is selected, and the same Nuju plays until a correct guess is made. Set a time limit for the game, making sure that every child has had a turn to play at least one part.
Great Disk HuntYou’ll need:
cardboard or cardstock
scissors
markers
Create 2 sets of 6 disks by cutting circles from cardboard or cardstock and decorating with colored markers. Mark “Toa 1” on back of one set, and “Toa 2” on the other. Hide disks in different locations outside or indoors. Divide guests into 2 teams (Toa 1 and Toa 2). The first team to collect all 6 of their disks wins. (If a disk is found by the opposite team, it should be discreetly put back in its hiding spot.)
Knowledge TowersYou’ll need:
tape
several sheets of letter-sized paper
marker
To save Metru Nui, the Toa must master and unify their powers. In this game, everyone works as a team to form the base of the Knowledge Tower.
Before guests arrive, tape several sheets of letter-size paper together so they form one long, scroll-like sheet. Write each letter of the alphabet along the left side of the sheets, and draw a blank line next to every letter. Attach to a wall. Invite kids to take turns thinking of BIONICLE names that begin with the letter A, B, etc. And fill in the corresponding blanks. Set a time limit of 10 minutes. Award prizes if they get 15 right, 20 right, etc. (Hint: see http://www.lego.com/eng/bionicle/lexicon.asp for an alphabetical list of BIONICLE words and names. Note: the list doesn’t have words for the letters X, Y and Z, but perhaps players will come up with something!)
Sculpture FieldPile up a bunch of LEGO® pieces in a designated area and invite kids to build sculptures from the pieces. Take pictures of the artists with their creations, and include copies in the thank-you notes you send out after the party.
Ingredients:
pepperoni slices (Vakama)
mozzarella-stick slices (Nuju)
black olive slices (Whenua)
round garlic crackers (Onewa) -macaroni
red sauce (homemade or store-bought)
This fun concoction features a variety of disk-shaped ingredients in colors that represent 4 Toa (as shown above). Cook macaroni according to package directions. Heat red sauce, then pour sauce onto macaroni and toss with pepperoni, mozzarella and olives. Serve with garlic crackers on the side.
DiskwichesCreate sandwiches using 1 or more favorite fillings. Make disk shapes from the sandwiches by putting an upside-down glass on top (or a biscuit cutter) and pushing it through every layer. Remove disk shape from glass and serve as a perfectly round Diskwich.
Vahki VeggiesIngredients:
cherry tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers, olives and red peppers
salad dressing
You’ll also need wooden skewers.
It’s hard for kids to resist anything served on a stick. First cut up carrots, cucumber and red peppers. Thread onto skewers, along with cherry tomatoes and olives. Pour salad dressing into bowls for dipping. Serve.
Liquid ProtodermisPurchase a light-colored beverage (like white grape juice) and add 1-2 drops of blue food coloring to each glass. Stir and serve.
Toa Disk CookiesIngredients:
sugar cookie dough (homemade or store-bought)
drinking glass
white icing (homemade or store-bought)
food coloring
You’ll also need toothpicks and a BIONICLE placemat.
Roll out cookie dough and cut into circles, using an upside down drinking glass as a cookie cutter. Bake according to directions, then cool.
Make or purchase white icing. Divide into bowls. Use food coloring to create different Toa colors for the frosting. Lightly frost one cookie and, using a toothpick, trace out a Toa. (See the Toa disks on our BIONICLE placemat for color and design samples.) Once you determine correct amount of frosting, etc. for the best design, decorate all disks.
Bula Berry ConesIn the world of BIONICLE, the “bula berry” is best known for restoring health. Give your little guests a BIONICLE boost with this delicious, good-for-you dessert.
Ingredients:
6 cups raspberries, blueberries and/or black berries
1/4 cup frozen tropical juice concentrate
3/4 cup cold water
You’ll also need a food processor and space in your freezer.
Freeze berries, in a single layer, on cookie sheets. (It’s okay to transfer to freezer containers after frozen.) Mix frozen berries and concentrate with water.
Blend in a food processor until nearly smooth. (You might need to divide into portions to process well.) Freeze a few hours until firm (keeps up to 2 days), or serve immediately. Scoop into cones.
Cut several one-to-two-foot-long pieces of curling ribbon. Curl the ribbon by pulling it between your thumb and the blade of your scissors. Lay the resulting curls on your table for added color. Hang balloons in bunches for the best effect. If you choose to fill balloons with helium, wait until the party day to ensure they float well!
Use balloons to mark the party spot; hang them on the mailbox, near the front door, or tie them to the birthday child's chair to mark the seat of honor.
Place balloons anywhere that strikes your fancy. The more the better!
Gather six or eight streamers and attach them to the ceiling in the center of the party room (or over the table). Use a light fixture over the table, if you have one, as the center point for the streamers.
To create colorful two-tone streamers, put two differently colored streamers back-to-back, twist as you walk them to the wall, and attach at shoulder height.