My Party File - blog

Posts Tagged ‘outer space’

This is space party food you can make ahead, as it will store well in in an airtight container.  Asteroid popcorn balls are simply honey popcorn rolled into balls.   To make them you will need:

• 2 Tablespoons of cooking oil
• 1/3 cup raw popping corn
• 250g butter
• 4 Tablespoons honey
• 1 1/2 cups sugar

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add 2 pieces of popping corn. If the corn slowly turns around in a circle then the oil is hot enough.
2. Add remaining popping corn and cover with a lid. When the corn starts popping, gently shake the saucepan.  When the corn stops popping, remove from the heat. Transfer to a large bowl, discarding any unpopped corn.
3. In a separate suacepan, melt the butter,  add honey and sugar, and stir until sugar dissolves.  Boil, uncovered, without stirring, for 5 to 8 minutes or until light golden.
4. Pour honey mixture over the popcorn and stir until popcorn is coated.
5. Use dampened hands to shape the mixture into balls. Set aside on baking paper to dry and set.

I really love this product - it is so much fun and you’ll be amazed at how creamy and tasty it is!  This “crunchy ice cream” has been freeze dried, so it doesn’t need refrigeration  and there is NO preparation required.  It is such a fun addition for an outer space, alien or astronaut party.  If you are feeling generous, a packet of this stuff would make a great party favour, but at A$4 a bag, you might want to break it up and serve it during the party - either stick it on the food table, or have the guests taste it as part of their astronaut training.

I managed to buy some from a confectionary shop, but you can also order The Professors’ Crunchy Ice Cream online.

Little astronauts will find a surprise toy inside these moon rocks when they tap them with a hammer to split them apart. You can use the moon rocks in a space party game or as a space party favour. You can either hide the moon rocks in the house or garden and send your guests on a moon rock hunt, or include a moon rock in each goodie bag (put one in a ziplock bag, with instructions to tap them with a hammer to split them open and find the treasure inside). If the kids are having difficulty getting them apart, or you don’t have enough hammers to go around, you can put the moon rocks in water and rub the sand off.

how to make moon rocks

materials

• 1 cup clean sand
• ½ cup flour
• Silver glitter
• ¼ cup water
• Small space related toys/trinkets
• Tray
• Baking Paper

instructions

Mix sand, flour and enough glitter to make the mixture sparkle. Stir in water. Mix until all of the sand is moistened and the mixture forms a very stiff dough (add a little more water, one teaspoon at time, if required). Grab a small handful of sand dough (about the size of a golf ball) and flatten it in the palm of your hand. Place a toy in the middle of the dough. Carefully mould the dough completely around the toy. Line the tray with baking paper. Place the moon rocks on the tray. Let them dry and harden in a sunny place for a minimum of 2 days.
Alternative: If you’re short on time, you can wrap small space themed gifts in foil to make them look like moon rocks - not quite as exciting, but a much quicker option!

Musical planets works much like musical chairs, but is a great game for an outer space party.  Print out images of all of the planets and place them in a circle on the floor.  Play music and have the guests moon walk around the room.  When the music stops they must all stand on a planet each.  The child that doesn’t have a planet to stand on must sit out of the game.  Each time you stop the music remove the planet closest to the sun - if you have older kids involved ask them what planet that is.  The winner is the last astronaut left moon walking!

In keeping with our alien and outer space theme, we have matched green plates,  cutlery and napkins and added silver sticker stars to cups.  Sticking to a colour theme is an easy way to make a bold impact at your next party.  You can also add stickers to personalise the cups for each guest.

These balloons will set the scene for your alien or outer space party, as well as being a great take home gift for the guests.  We have chosen a black and lime green theme for this party.

Get some black and green helium balloons with matching strings and stick silver stickers on the black balloons.  We’ve also attached thank-you notes to these balloons in the form of silver star cut-outs.  Buy some silver card, cut into star shapes and personalise thank you notes to your guests.

You’ll also see the planets we’ve hung from the roof.  These are simply foam balls that you can pick up in any craft store.  We’ve roughly painted them green (again, to match the theme) and hung them from the ceiling.

A simple way of creating a magical space setting!

Kids love obstacle courses, so why not make one based on your party theme.  This outer space race has it all - slippery slime, water pistols and lots of laughs!

Set up a large plastic mat in your back yard and cover it with water and detergent (for extra slide).  Break the party into two groups - the aliens and the astronauts.  The aim of the race is for the astronauts to collect alien slime (water with bubble bath and green food colouring) from one end of the mat using a small cup, and fill up a bucket at the other end.  While they are slipping from end to end of the mat the aliens can shoot them with water pistols.  Time the team to see how long it takes them to fill up the bucket.  Then swap teams to see who is fastest.

You’ll have lots of sliding and lots of fun.  Just make sure your guests come prepared in clothes they are willing to get wet and slimy!

There are lots of great things you can put together for an alien party goodie bag.  Here are some ideas:

• space food (from your supermarket)
• alien slime (green slime from yoiur variety store)
• space guns (water pistols)
• glow in the dark shapes
• glow sticks
• stickers
• Milkyway or Mars chocolate bars
• Starburst Confectionery
• Miniature UFOs, rockets or spaceships
• Stretchy aliens

This cake is great for either an alien or outer space birthday party theme.  And the kids will at least enjoy the lollies if they dont eat the cake!

Start with two round cakes.  Cut one cake to an oval shape - this will be your alien’s head.  Place the ‘head’ above the belly on your cake tray.  Ice both cakes with green butter icing.  Place coloured smarties and rainbow mini choc chips on the belly.  Use lollipops for the alien antennae, mint leaves for ears (we’ve put three ears on this one), jelly rings with smarties in them for eyes (again, three) and a jelly ring for the mouth.  Add some extra bumps around the ears using rainbow mini choc chips. 

Very easy and very effective!

Let’s face it - kids love a bit of mess.  This slimy surprise is simple, but fun, and children of just about any age will enjoy it at a space or alien party.

The aim of the game is to find toys in this thick, slippery alien slime.  Put in some spinning tops, glow in the dark stars or glow sticks.  To add to the difficulty you can make the kids wear ‘fumbling alien hands’, otherwise known as silicon gloves.  You’ll have hands everywhere, kids laughing and surprised faces as the toys get pulled out.

To make the alien slime yourself, fill a large pot about 3/4 full with with water and bring to the boil.  Add enough green food colouring until you get the colour you are after (it doesn’t hurt to add a little yellow to get a bright green colour).  In a separate bowl mix together a small packet of cornflour with enough cold water to make a liquid.  Mix well and add to the boiling water, stirring constantly.  When the mixture thickens and clears, your slime will be ready.  The slime will thicken even more on cooling.  Eeew!