Space Mission
Birthday Party Planning Guide

Activities

Create-Your-Own Solar System Mobile

Supplies:

• 8-12" round pieces of cardboard (Clean cardboard from a frozen pizza works well)
• Compass (for making circles)
• Scissors
• Colored card stock (for making planets)
• Fishing line
• Tape

Find the center of the cardboard round and punch out a hole with the sharp end of the compass. This is where the sun goes. Next, use your compass to draw the orbits of the 9 planets. Punch a hole in each of the orbit paths, using the sharp end of the compass. Now begin making the sun and planet shapes out of construction paper (make sure that the sun is the largest!). Write the name of the planet on the back of each. Using the sharp end of the compass, punch a hole at the top of each planet and tie on a piece of fishing line. Lace the string through the coordinating orbit hole (remember: My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nine (Pizzas, if you're a rebel!) – So Mercury is in the innermost orbit, followed by Venus, Earth, and so on). Tape each planet's fishing line to the top of the cardboard round. Don't forget to create a fishing line hanger for your model! Place each guest's name on their model and hang them from a clothes line or coat closet until the end of the party – send them home as a very memorable favor!

Man on the Moon

Supplies:

• Space-themed props (i.e. space shuttles, toy astronauts, alien props, astronaut costumes and accessories, planet props or cut-outs, containers of Tang juice drink, etc.)
• Star Backdrop (black fabric or butcher paper decorated with glow-in-the-dark stars)
• Camera

Let your crew take a leap for mankind! Set up a spot where guests can showcase their best space faces! Take a few shots of each future astronaut, with his favorite shuttle essentials, and choose the best one to send inside his thank-you note.

Meteor Shower

Supplies:

• Rock candy
• Space shuttle treat box

Before your spacemen arrive to the party, hide wrapped rock candy around the yard. To play the game, give each guest a space shuttle treat box and send them on a hunt through the solar system. The one that finds the most "meteorites" is the winner! Let your guest keep the rock candy favors as his prize!

Moon Landing

Supplies:

• 22" x 28" Poster Board
• 2 – 8 ½" x 11" sheets of card stock
• Scissors
• Double-sided tape
• 3" astronaut-shaped stencil
• Blindfold

Draw or paint a simple moon-in-space scene on your poster board. Use your astronaut-shaped stencil to trace 4 astronauts on each sheet of card stock. Cut out the astronauts and stick a piece of double sided tape on the back. To play, have your guests form a line. When it is their turn, place the blindfold over their eyes and give them each a chance to "Pin the Astronaut on the Moon". The one who is the closest is the winner!