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Make-Your-Own Cupcakes

Vanilla ice cream

Milk, juice, punch

DECORATIONS

Spread newspaper on the table for easy cleanup later. Put a paper plate at each child's place. Put one ingredient on each plate. As soon as all the children arrive at the party, have them go to the table and stand at a place. Starting with the birthday child, go around the table, letting each child add his or her ingredient and stir the batter. Put the cupcakes in the oven and play games until they are baked and cooled. Have the children come back to the table to frost and eat them.

FAVORS, PRIZES, ITEMS FOR TREAT BAGS

Measuring spoons, measuring cups, wooden spoons, paper chefs' hats, homemade aprons, cupcake decorations (nuts, raisins, sprinkles, miniature marshmallows)

INSIDE GAMES, NONCOMPETITIVE

1. Sneaky Pete. Put measuring spoons under the chair.

2. Seven-Up

INSIDE GAMES, COMPETITIVE

1. Who can make the highest tower of cupcake papers? To do this, put the first one open-side down. Put the next one open-side up. Put the next one open-side down, and so on.

2. Hot Egg. Play like Hot Potato but use a hard-boiled egg.

3. Pin the Candle in the Center of the Cake. Play like Pin the Tail on the Donkey.

OUTSIDE GAMES, NONCOMPETITIVE

1. I Spy

2. Kick the Can

3. Red Light, Green Light

4. Cook's Scavenger Hunt. Play like a Scavenger Hunt. Have the children hunt for food and cooking items.

OUTSIDE GAMES, COMPETITIVE

1. Red Rover

2. Relay Races. Try to think up some good ones that involve food. For example, ask children to walk while carrying a cup of water on their heads or to walk carrying a hard-boiled egg on a spoon in their mouth. See also Potato Races.