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Another Original Party Plan
written exclusively for
www.thepartyworks.com
Copyright by Mary Ann Ross
November 4, 2008

"HOW"
TO BE a DINOSAUR DUNDEE...

Create an extra-spectacular
DINOSAUR PARTY

The Dinosaur is an all-time favorite that fascinates 
pre-school to middle school age kids.
This free plan has lots of ideas to make your party special.
Guests arrive at the party as little boys and girls
and leave as dinosaur hunters and explorers
and become a Dinosaur Dundee.

The Party Games
(mini classes) ends with a
Graduation ceremony including a
diploma!

A party with style
And very DIFFERENT…

This is a unique, clever and very different party theme. Mini classes in
Dinosaur fun that are actually short party games which involve all the
guests. An Explorer Repot Card is kept by each Explorer-to-Be and
turned in at the end of the party in order to earn  the official title of “Dinosaur Hunter & Explorer”.

Dinosaur Academy Mini Classes
(party games)

The “classes” are actually party activities and games. Below is a list of game ideas, it is best to only select a few (it is suggested that a party be about 2 hours, including the “Happy Birthday Song, cake and opening gifts). The classes will need a leader, so Mom, you can be the “QUEEN EXPLORER" while Dad can be the "KING DINO HUNTER” to demonstrate each activity and to distribute “Dinosaur Report Cards” to each guest to mark the classes which have been completed. Provide pens to each guest that are take-home party favors by gluing a small dinosaur figure to the top of a colored ballpoint pen that is attached to the report card (use lightweight stock and pre-print on the computer prior to the party).  Use JUMBO Dinosaur Mylar Balloons as decorations AND game prizes!

Please Note:
Smaller children and toddlers are not patient and depending on their age do not understand having to wait their turn.  Modify these game ideas to fit the age-group attending the party.

* How to Discover Dinosaurs
Prior to the party, bury plastic dinosaur figures and bones in a sand box or in pails or a bucket.  Each child gets a turn to stick their hand into the sand to find as many dinosaurs and bones.  There is a time limit and there is only one turn per child.  For smaller children, provide small pails half-full of sand with plastic dinosuaurs they can find and keep.

* How to Walk in a Herd of Dinosaur Noses Parade
Provide each child with paper and crayons asking them to draw their favorite dinosaur "nose" and cut it out.  Poke a hole on each side of the nose and thread with colorful ribbon (use to tie the nose around the child's head).  When it is time, ask the children to line up behind one another with the Birthday Child as the leader.  Start some upbeat happy music and ask the kids to march in the parade, strut their stuff, move their noses and roar, roar, roar.  (Variation:  Draw on inflated latex balloons).

Ready-made rubber noses with partial dinosaur faces are adorable and are available at http://thepartyworks.com/product_info.php/products_id/4392

Also available are foam Dinosaur Masks, a great take-home favor when the party is done!  Take a peek at http://thepartyworks.com/product_info.php/products_id/4398

* How to Recognize a Dinosaur
Each Guest create a Playdough Dinosaur from his or her imagination.  No matter what name the child selects, it is perfect.  While sometimes the figures may not look like dinosaurs to other kids and adults, it is absolutely perfect for the artist who made it.

Take a peek at all the free Edible Craft Recipes we offer, including special Play Doughs you make in your own home.

http://thepartyworks.com/article.php/articles_id/147

Here's how... The day before the party, make or purchase several different colors of Play Dough.  Store as directed by recipe or manufacturer.  At the party, now the fun starts.  Provide each child with a plastic dinosaur as their model.  Either give each child three medium-sized rolls of Play Dough (each a different color) or place each color in a bowl in the center of the table.  Adult supervision and help is a definite for this activity. Ask each child to create a dinosaur and name it.  Now everyone knows how many dinosaurs there 'really' are, just waiting to be discovered some day.

* Dinosaur Backyard Games 
(best to play these games outside)

Create labels or name tags to identify teams (use colors, team mascots, etc.)

* Off to the Races
Divide children by their dinosaur noses they made, such as Short Noses, Ugly Noses, Funny Noses, Long Noses, etc. Set up an obstacle-type course (run around trees, sit-down area, stand-up and run to finish line.

* Dinosaur Spoon Race
Using small plastic dinosaurs, ask kids to carry it on a spoon to the finish line.  This is the typical Egg & Spoon Race game.  Put a childs name on each one and tell them they can only take those dinosaurs that have their name.  For younger children, you can use colors, numbers or the alphabet.

* Dinosaur Scavenger Hunt
Ask neighbors to help out with this one by providing them with your Scavenger List.  This is a game for older children and must have adults accompany them at all times.  Divide kids into 2 teams.  One team is on one side of the block, the other team is across the street.  Neighbors will only have one team knocking at their door.  Neighors can be creative, if they want to be funny.

Sample Scavenger Hunt List

*Dinosaur Picture
*Chicken Bone
*Dinosaur Book (borrow and return it)
*Dinosaur Toenail
*Dinosaur Tooth
*Dinosaur Poop
*Dinosaur Ear
*Dinosaur Food (they are vegetarians)
*Dinosaur
*Dinosaur Choir
etc.

* Feed the Dinosaur
Create a hand-drawn large poster or cut-out of a dinosaur with his mouth open.  Actually cut a hole in the mouth area for this Toss Game.  Using large Marshmallows, each child tosses 10 marshmallows aiming for the Dinosaur mouth.  The one who has fed the dinosaur the most is the winner.  For ties, keep playing.

Dinosaur Stomp
Prior to the party, inflate latex balloons using your breath (NOT helium) and tie with ribbon cut to the length of 2 feet.  When it is time for the Stomp to begin, tie one ribbon loosely around one ankle of each child. When the word is given, kids try to break the balloons of the other children while protecting their own balloon.  When a balloon is broken, the child leaves the game and remaining players continue.  No kidding, the kids will want to do this game over and over again, so have lots of latex balloons on hand.

Dinosaur Hot Potatos
Simply a dinosaur version of the Hot Potato game.  For older children, make it harder and be prepared for giggles and laughter from the kids and all the adults watching.  Prior to the party, collect two (2) empty cereal boxes per child that will be created into Dinosaur FEET and use smaller cookie boxes for smaller children.  Tape close the open end of the cereal box and cut a 4 to 5 inch circle on the front of the box (this is where the child will insert his foot).  Paint the boxes so they are dry.  As an activity, the kids can decorate their Dinosaur Feet with crayons, stick-ons, dinosaur stickers, photos from the Internet, etc.  Variation is adding "claws" (or toes).

Invitations
Some themes, such as Dinosaurs, offer pre-printed colorful invitations with fill-in blanks to make life easier.  If your time permits, make your own invitations by using parchment or onion-skin paper (stationary store), pre-print using a computer.  Hand-write in the blank areas of the printed invitation.

 SAMPLE IDEA

By royal decree of
The Academy of Dinosaur
Explorers & Hunters

(birthday child's name)

cordially invites you to take part in
DINO-MITE
mini classes and graduation ceremony

on
(date and time)

at Dinosaur Rock
(location of the party)

Please let the Queen Archaeologist and King Hunter
know you are just a-roaring to be there,
don't become extinct like the dinosaurs!

********

Enter the Party
Decorations
Prior to the party, cut out huge Paw Prints from heavy cardstock in brown and color in the pads of the feet (look at bear paws for the idea and then make various and large dinosaur-type feet).  Set down on the floor.  Use a talented friend or high school student to paint faces when kids arrive, let each one choose the name of "their" dinosaur and teach them how to roar.  All rroaring to go, the kids follow the footsteps to make a grand entrance into the party room (or at the park or backyard).  Assorted color helium-filled latex balloons, jumbo mylar dinosaur-shape balloons and streamers create instant let's party atmosphere.

Take a peek at this site that has more
Dinosaur names than anyone can ever imagine or perform
your own Internet search:

The Great Dinosaur Mystery
http://www.christiananswers.net/dinosaurs/dinonames.html

Example:
Ammosaurus can be shorted to "Amos the Dinoo"

Dinosaur School
Report Cards
Pre-print report cards by printing onto lightweight cardstock and listing each class that will be held at the party. The top of the card: Add name of the guest, party details and areas to checked (Excellent Performance, Outstanding Performance, Failed, etc.). Provide pens to each guest that are take-home party favors by gluing a small plastic or rubbery dinosaur figure to a colored ballpoint pen that is attached to the report card.

Happy Birthday
Dinosaur Group Song
Ask all the guests to add the word "dinosaur" before the birthday child's name; then... the song is sung to separately to each guest, but instead of “happy birthday”, everyone sings “Happy Dinosaur Day”.
Object: everyone gets the song sung to them individually by the group.

Easy as it gets! 
Dinosaur Cake, Cupcakes & Cookie Decorations
(decorate Jell-O, Brownies, Rice Krispies Treats, even ice cream)

Either make a frosted cake, cupcakes, cookies or buy them already made from the local bakery, Costco, etc. and simply add any or several of these fun and wonderful decorations:

Dinosaur Sugar shaped colorful decorations

Dinosaur Toppers that are toys after the party is over

Plastic Rings & Pics that are actual party favors, too!

Dinosaur-shaped Cake Pan (re-usable)

Dinosaur Cookie Cutters
(great take-home party favor when cookie cutter is filled with candy, wrapped in cellophane and tie with a ribbon)

Candy Rocks and Dinosaur Eggs

Dinosaur Candles

Dinosaur Foods & Beverages
Any foods the children would like becomes fun by "RE-NAMING" the food items with dinosaur names.  Here are some ideas:

• Brontosaurus Nuggets
  ("Dinosaur" shaped chicken fingers in freezer section of the grocery store). 
  Kids love to dip these in Magnosaurus (Ranch Salad Dressing)
   
•   PB&J-asaurus Sandwiches
  Cut shapes from white bread using Dinosaur cookie cutter and spread with peanut butter and jelly.  WARNING:  Some children are allergic to peanuts so please please ask parents before serving PB&J's at your party.
   
• Dinosaurus Bones
  (pretzel sticks)
   
• Pasta-Raptors
  Spaghettio's right from the can.  And oh how kids of all ages seem to like this treat.
   
• Brontosaurus Burgers and Dino-Mite Dogs
• Fossil Fries
  (potato chips)
   
• Triceratops Eggs:
  The day before the party, hard boil eggs, cool in shells, gently crack each egg shell and dip in cold water that has been mixed with Kool-Ade (dry beverage mix) to color them.  Place all the dyed eggs in to a bowl, cover and refrigerate overnight. When ready to serve at the party, the cracked eggshells are colored and look fabulous!
   
• Lava Juice
  Any red-colored beverage works perfectly.  For an added effect, just prior to serving, gently stir in some Orange Sherbet which will thicken the drink up a little and add more color.
   
• Swamp Water
  Any green-colored beverage, such as 7-Up with a little added green food coloring is so perfect and so easy.  For a more attention-getting drink, drop a few pop-rock candies into the glass when serving each child to create a bubbly swamp water effect.
   
• Magnum Jell-O
  Make a red or green Jell-O the day before the party.  Follow directions on package for 'adding fruit' but instead you can add a plastic dinosaur figure ensuring the dinosaur is large.  Hazard Warning: small figures can get stuck in the throat of kids so do not use this idea for pre-school, toddlers or babies.
   
• Ice Age Popsicles:
  Purchase a popsicle mold from a discount store, such as the Dollar Tree, and at least 24 hours prior to the party, fill with lemonade or juice, add a "Gummy Dinosaur" shape candy, add a popsicle stick at one end and freeze completely.
   
• Fruit-a-Saurus Salad  and Veggie-a-Saurus
  (Cut-up various fruits) -- Dinosaurs were vegetarians!
   
• Iguanosaurus Cookies
  Cut shapes using a dinosaur cookie cutter from your favorite sugar cookie dough.  Prior to baking, dust with a teensy bit of water and sprinkle with sparkly colored sugars or candy confetti dinosaur shapes, bake as directed and cool completely before serving.
   
• Oviraptor Pasties
  (Fruit Leather strips)
   
• Vanilla Godzilla
  (ice cream)
   

Dinosaur Take Home
Simple & Inexpensive Party Favors include:

Dinosaur Masks,  Dinosaur Noses, Dinosaur Facts, Dinosaur 3-Dimensional Mini Puzzles, Dinosaur Stickers (decorate lunch bags or colored loot bags as a party activity), Dinosaur Loot Bags, Dinosaur Cello Bags

• Dinosaur JUMBO and 18 inch Mylar Balloons

Film Premier, Cake and Opening Gifts
Select a video or CD that is a dinosaur theme, such as Land Before Time and Jurassic Park. 
This is a good time for quiet while the guests eat cake and the birthday child opens gifts. 
Younger children usually get restless during this part of the party and watching a movie helps entertain and make them happy.

Dinosaur Diploma
The end of the party is Dinosaur Graduation festivities when each guest is individually called by name and stands up.  Everyone congratulates the new Dinosaur Hunter/Explorer with loud dinosaur roars and stoming of their dinosaur feet.  At this time, the Queen, King or Birthday Child presents each child with a diploma that makes them official!
 

Sample Idea

By decree of the Dinosaur Academy of Arts
(birthday child, King and Queen)

officially declare that
(guest name)
shall now be known as

Dinosaur Dundee

Signed by
(Birthday Child, King, Queen or Dinosaur)

Thank You Party Photo
Using a pre-printed Dinosaur party photo backdrop  from a party supply shop, such as www.thepartyworks.com and hang on the wall. While being a fabulously large wall decoration, it can be used in the birthday child's room after the party is over. 

Have all the kids gather in front of it for group photos and individual photos. Include the photo with the Thank You Note as a reminder they are all now Dinosaur Dundees!

Party Supplies… let our family be your celebration destination.  We are a family business since 1998 and we offer Dinosaur party decorations, supplies, party favors, balloons and including OH SO SIMPLE TO USE matching cake decorations in our one-stop celebration area.   
 

Create a Dinosaur Theme:

• We suggest using a variety of Dinosaurs as both party decorations and party games (mini explorer classes).  Dinosaur shapes are made in over-size mylar balloons and ligtweight cardstock cut-outs, which can be used as prizes for games or kept for the birthday child to decorate his/her bedroom when the party is over.  If you want to make your own large-size party decorations, research them on the Internet and free-hand draw them onto butcher paper and color, or allow the kids to color these drawings as a party activity.
   
• Examples of ready-made products to either purchase or free-hand draw onto your own paper to create instant party decorations and game areas.
  
  
  • T-Rex
    http://thepartyworks.com/product_info.php/products_id/4278
    
  • Green Dinosaur
    http://thepartyworks.com/product_info.php/products_id/4399
    

About the authors: 
Mary Ann & Kimberly are a mother and daughter team who love parties. They have five websites -- and considered "THE" Premier Party Informational Site for original kids party ideas and kids cake decorations to match.  They also specialize in baby shower unique party ideas with matching cake decorations and Harry Potter parties and cakes.  Along with QuiltingWorks , they are definitely a one-shop internet shopping experience.  Take a peek at http://www.thepartyworks.com and Enhancing Everyday Celebrations Site http://www.cakeworkscentral.com

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