by Jo Ann Wentzel

Created on: June 05, 2009

Create a different type of birthday party for elementary aged children.Let's plan an aviator theme party for the younger set. This theme takes to the skies. Gather up your little "Flying Aces and Acettes" and give them a taste of what it is like to be a pilot.

Invitations should be plane-shaped and flight number will include a time for arrival and departure, destination will be your address, pilot -the host or hostess. Include a request to dress in costume or bring goggles. You might want to supply the goggles or a white-fringed scarf like the Red Baron's.

Decorations are simple. Transform the main room into blue skies with billowy clouds and hang planes from the ceiling. You can make planes from cardboard; buy cutouts, or use blow up or plastic models. Clouds from cardboard can be covered with cotton batting, fluffed up to look just right.

Add a game to your flight plan. Put a large world map on the wall. Play a game where every guest is a plane and must get his cargo to a certain place first. Use a spinner for the moves and a brown wrapped package for the cargo. Arrange map shaped cardboard pieces to represent countries on the floor in a circle or some other pattern. Place two or three blank pieces between the map pieces. The spinner you make must contain a number of spaces and some spaces indicating trouble and lost moves. The problems could be storms, forced landing or hijacking to another country at the opposite end of their destination. You can use stickpins or tiny flags to chart each person's position after each move. Use a separate color for each 'plane', moving their flag after their turn. Whoever reaches their destination first wins. Make up appropriate rules for your age group, keeping things simpler for the smallest children.To make the spinner, just cut out a large circle from heavy cardboard, draw your spaces for moves, and attach a cardboard pointer with a fastener such as the one on an envelope. These are available at office supply stores.Prizes can be small die cast planes, models for older kids, coloring books, puzzles or stickers with planes, or story books about flying.

Reading stories about the Wright Brothers or famous flights or pilots may be appropriate depending on the age level. Want to add a real fun element to your party, haul your guests to a local airport for a tour. Sometimes they can even walk through a plane.

Plain party food could be used, but decorate cakes, or cupcakes according to your theme. Some desserts or salads could be fluffy as clouds. A dessert called pudding in a cloud consists of pudding in a bed of Cool Whip. Hearty foods like burgers with the trimmings or sweet, mild chili for older ones might be just what they need before their flight. And of course Pizza, like the Red Baron recommends. Cookie cutters are available in almost every shape imaginable if you look. Use them to cut out bread for sandwiches, cranberry sauce, Jell-O, or cookies. Be imaginative to your approach of all food for theme parties.

This party is fairly simple and easily prepared. So take time to enjoy your flight along with the other passengers.

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