How to Make Kid Friendly Mardi Gras Mocktails

Let's face it; kids can put a damper on your social life, especially for occasions like Mardi Gras.

But it doesn't have to be that way.

With a little thought and effort you can throw your own "kid safe" Mardi Gras party for you and all your "familial" friends, complete with kid-friendly Mardi Gras drinks and mocktails.

And there's no better place to start than the Hurricane.

Hurricane Mocktail:

2 oz passion fruit juice
1 oz orange juice
2 oz pineapple juice
1/2 oz fresh lime juice
1 tbsp Sweet and Sour mix
1 tbsp grenadine

For a simpler drink, mix up some classic Fruit Punch and add some pizzazz with Sprite or extra fruit juices, like Passion or Pineapple. Don't forget to add the dash of Grenadine and Cherry garnish!

If you're having Jello shots, make up some jigglers for the kids. Or make some Jello cups in shot glasses for the kids layering Strawberry, Lemon and Lime flavors, creating a rainbow effect. Be sure you let each flavor/layer set up before adding the next or you'll end up with a scary looking concoction, more suited for Halloween.

Most kids want to feel like they are part of the party and when it comes to the drinks, it's all about presentation. Establish a good base with the cup itself: Buy some plastic goblets, shot glasses and odd-shaped glasses at your local dollar store. Dip the goblets and glasses in lemon or lime juice and dust with sugar, or freeze them to get a frosted effect.

Follow that up with lots of different garnish options. Make sure you have swizzle sticks, maraschino cherries, crazy straws, fruit picks, paper umbrellas, maybe even a sparkler or two! (Be sure kids are supervised.)

If you have kids who want to get involved, put them in charge of making fruit pick kabobs, crushing ice, or decorating coasters. For simple coasters, buy some cork board and have your kids cut out fun shapes. For more color add paint, or adhere colorful fabrics with a little hot glue.

For a younger crowd, invest in some fun ice cube molds (Visit oddee.com for fun molds of guitars, jewels, skulls and bones, stars and more) and make ice cubes from fruit punch or add food coloring to the water to make them stand out even more in kiddie cups.

When you have tweens in the crowd, give them their own alcohol-free bar and let them mix their own drinks, or even have a contest for the best new Mocktail. Put out pitchers of various fruit juices, seltzer water or sprite, fresh fruit, food coloring, and a variety of garnishes. Let their creativity run wild.

Make it fun and fresh and your party will be a hit for all ages.