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“An idle mind is the devil’s playground.”  Well, that goes double for toddlers on airplanes.

Super Heroes Know How to Party!

It's time to celebrate in superhero-style! This action-packed party is sure to be an event your little crime fighter will never forget.

Invitations
Here are three great ways to summon the crime fighters:
  1. Take a photograph of your child dressed in his favourite superhero costume. Use an Internet-based publishing service (such as snapfish.co.nz) to create and print your invitations.
  2. Use a superhero logo as the focus for your invitations. Your child’s favourite superhero logo can be found on the internet, book or magazine, draw it on the front of the invitation.
  3. Buy superhero party invitations from your local party shop.
Tip: Make sure to have spare superhero capes and masks on hand, in case any crime stoppers forget their costumes!
Decorations
  • Purchase superhero-themed plates, cups, napkins and a plastic tablecloths from your local party store.
  • To make a centrepiece, line up a row of action figures down the middle of the table.
  • Set out comic books or pages from comic books as placemats.
  • Cut cartoon caption bubbles out of cardboard, and write superhero action words on them, such as "POW!" "ZAP!" and "BAM!" Hang them on the walls of the party area.
  • Draw the superhero logos on the sidewalk or driveway with chalk leading up to your front door.

Games
  • Kryptonite hunt: Everyone knows that kryptonite can stop Superman in his tracks. Kids can save the day by ridding the planet of this threat. Coat several large rocks with fluorescent green paint. Hide them around your garden. Have the guests hunt down as many pieces as possible. Collect them all in a tinfoil-covered cardboard "lead" box.
  • Superman muscle game: Blow up at least 30 small balloons. Divide the children into teams of 3 or 4. Have each team choose one player to be "Superman". Place the balloons in the middle of the teams. Have each Superman put on a set of adult clothing (a large t-shirt will work best) over his/her clothes. Set a timer for 1 or 2 minutes. When you say "Go," each team must stuff as many balloons as possible under their Superman's clothes. When the timer goes, remove the balloons from each Superman one at a time, counting to see who had the most muscles (popped balloons don't count). Award a prize to the winning team!
  • Flash tag: Get an adult or older child to dress up as the Flash and hold a game of Tag the Flash.
  • Face and hand painting: Paint superhero symbols on the hands and cheeks of the partygoers.
  • Superhero cake: You can bake a sponge cake and ice it with any colour icing of your choice. Position miniature action figures on the cake or decorate with a superhero symbol.
  • Superhero Biscuits: Use cutters to cut out lightning bolts, bats, or diamond shapes, and decorate the biscuits with the colours and symbols of your child's favourite superheroes.

Food
  • Cut sandwiches into bat shapes or diamonds and cut carrots into lightning bolts.
  • Buy inexpensive capes, or make your own. Hang a cape from the back of each guest's chair before the party. If your guests wish, they can wear their capes during the party and take them home afterwards.

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