How to Plan a Star Wars Birthday Party for Young Boys

Planning a Star Wars themed birthday party for young boys requires out of this galaxy decorations, games worthy of a Jedi knight and enough fun to make a Sith lord smile. There are many great online resources when planning a boy's Star Wars party. Some great sites to check out include the official Star Wars website, Party Supplies World online and Discount Party Supplies online. Party supply retailers and even dollar stores carry various party supplies like plates, cups and invitations in the Star Wars theme.

Decorations

Decorations can be as simple as streamers in the colors of light sabers. Purchase rolls of green, red, blue and purple paper streamers from the discount store, Wal-Mart or party supply store. Twist the colors together and loop the streamers around the edges of the room where the main party action will take place. Streamers can also decorate the dining area where the birthday cake and meal will be. Offset the streamers with matching balloons attached to where the streamer meets the wall or ceiling.

If wall space allows, consider printing out pictures of Star Wars characters from StarWars.com. If you click in the upper right side of the home page on the tab labeled Kids and then scroll down to the word Crafts, you can download fun posters to use as decorations. These bounty hunter posters will excite all the young Jedi attending the party. There are posters of famous Star Wars bounty hunters including Bossk, Cad Bane and Aurra Sing.

For a table centerpiece, consider having the birthday boy arrange a tableau using his Star Wars action figures. To keep this strictly as a centerpiece and to discourage the party guests from playing with the arrangement set it in a small, shirt-sized gift box. Use only the bottom half of the box and have the birthday boy decorate the outside with Star Wars stickers or his own drawings. The action figures can then be set up in the box that is easily removed when it is time to serve food or cake.

Games

Hover Craft Racers

Hover Craft Racers are more a craft than a game. These simple air-powered racers are the perfect starting activity for the party. As the guests arrive, they can begin to create their own Racer. Before the party, you will need to create four-inch-by-four-inch (about 10cm-by10cm) squares of corrugated cardboard. Cut one square for each guest. It is advisable to cut at least three or four extras. Draw an X on the back of each to find the center point. Poke a hole in the center. Each Racer will need a small spool of thread, with or without the thread still on it. You need to remove the paper covering the holes in the top and bottom of the spool. Hot glue one spool onto the cardboard square being sure to line the spool's holes with the hole in the cardboard.

At the party, have each guest decorate the base of the Racer with Star Wars stickers and then give each guest a silver balloon. An adult should supervise and help the children to inflate their balloon. The adult can show the kids when the balloon is attached to the spool and it begins to release its air, the Racer will hover and move. The kids can then race their Hover Crafts.

Pass the Droid

A version of Hot Potato, this game only requires Star Wars music, an R2D2 droid action figure and one wrapped party favor per guest. Star Wars music CD's work great or you can download the music to an MP3 player. The kids sit in a circle and pass the Droid around as the music plays. When the music stops, the guest left holding the Droid is out. He can choose a wrapped favor from the pile and now gets the privilege of supervising the music. Play continues until everyone has a prize.

Starship Relay

This game requires preparation before the party and space to play. You will need to photocopy ten images of a Star Wars X-Wing and ten images of a TIE Fighter. The images should be sized no larger than two-inches (about 5cm) in diameter. Paint two paper plates black and decorate with glitter glue and silver star stickers. Paint two more paper plates space station grey. You will also need one drinking straw per guest, five red balloons and five green balloons.

To create the relay area, mark two racing lanes with masking tape. Each lane should be about the length of the room if possible. You will have to adjust the relay area to fit your space. Space the red balloons along one lane and tape to the floor. Stagger the balloons so the kids have to zig and zag between them. Do the same to the other lane with the green balloons. At the far end of the lanes, tape an X on the floor; this is the turning around point. At the starting end, place the black space plates on the floor. Set the grey plates next to them. Put the TIE Fighters in the black space plate in the red balloon line and the X-Wings in the black space plate in the green balloon line.

Divide the kids into two equal teams. The object is for each child to pick up one of the spaceships from the black space plates by suctioning it to his straw. No hands allowed. He then must carry it by keep it sucked to the straw through the balloon lane. Each child must navigate the balloon asteroids, turn around at the X and make their way back to dock their spaceship safely into the grey space station plate. A good, deep breath will help keep the paper ship suctioned to the straw. The first team to get all its spaceships to the space station wins. Provide a Star Wars themed prized for the winning team like "Feel the Force" Chinese yoyos shaped like red and green light sabers. A set of four can be found for less than $4. The other team can then receive a set of Star Wars stickers.

Starship Toss

Make a calendar on poster board featuring the month of the birthday boy. Decorate it with pictures of Star Wars characters and stickers. Outline the date of his birthday in red and glitter. You can fill in the other boxes with fun sayings like Yoda's dentist appointment, oil change for the speeder, Anakin's day off and International Ewok Day. Secure the calendar to the floor with double-sided tape. Cover white poker chips with a different Star Wars sticker character; one for each guest. Have each child take a turn tossing a chip onto the calendar trying to land it on the birthday boy's date. Each participant gets a piece of candy to add to his treat bag and the one that lands on or closest to the correct highlighted date wins a bigger prize.

Deathstar Pinata

A Deathstar Pinata can be homemade by following the instructions at StarWars.com. For the complete instructions, click on the tab at the upper right side labeled kids. Scroll down to the section marked Crafts. If you are artistic, you can create your own using basic paper mache techniques and the picture of the Deathstar as a model. Pinatas are great fun for kids, but be sure to allow for plenty of space. Adult supervision is necessary during the breaking of the pinata and the mad dash to grab the goodies when it breaks open. Be sure no child is left out when the treats are being divided.

Birthday cake

Many bakeries offer Star Wars themed cakes, cupcakes and cookies. Treats are available in sheet cakes and even ice cream cakes. If you choose to make your own, visit a party supply store where cake and cupcake toppers in the Star Wars characters are available.

Planning a Star Wars themed party for a young boy does not have to be a trip to the dark side. Talk to the birthday boy and discuss what his favorite activities would be. Offer suggestions and collaborate. Awaken your inner Jedi and the force will guide you to the planning the best Star Wars party in the galaxy.