Family style BLT Mac and Cheese Recipe

Easy Weeknight Dinner: BLT Mac and Cheese

Who wouldn't enjoy this grownup version of Mac and Cheese Recipe? Our BLT Mac and Cheese Recipe makes enough to serve the whole family, and it is easy to make dinner on a weeknight. Enjoy!

BLT Mac and Cheese Recipe make an easy weeknight dinner.

We loved this Family Style BLT Mac and Cheese Recipe* including the kids, who normally don't like any mac and cheese unless it comes out of a box. Want to make this a well rounded dinner? Add some cooked chicken to it!

How to Make BLT Mac and Cheese

(There isn't any "L", but you could serve it on a bed of lettuce.)

5 C. of Water
10 slices of Turkey Bacon
4 oz. White Sharp Cheddar Cheese 
1 oz, Parmesan Cheese
4 oz. of Cream Cheese
1 lb.  Rotini Pasta
1 tsp. of Salt
1/2 tsp. of Pepper
5 Green Onions
3 lg. Roma Tomatoes 

Bring water to a boil in a 8 Qt. stockpot.

Meanwhile, slice bacon crosswise into thin strips; place in skillet and cook til crisp. Remove bacon and drain on a paper towel.

As the bacon cooks add Rotini Pasta, cream cheese, and other cheeses to pot of boiling water. Cover and simmer vigorously for 5 min. stirring occasionally. 

Cook's Tip: When you add the cheeses at the same time, they get stuck to the bottom of the pot, you have to constantly stir. Maybe wait until pasta is nearly done to add the cheese.

As pasta mixture cooks, dice green onions, and then stir into pasta mixture.  

Cook uncovered 5-7 minutes or until pasta is cooked to desired tenderness and sauce is thickened, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, cut tomatoes in half lengthwise remove cores. Dice tomatoes; reserve 1/4 C. for garnish. 

Remove stockpot from heat; stir in remaining tomatoes and half of the bacon. Spoon pasta mixture into a serving bowl and garnish with reserved tomatoes and bacon. 

Eat, the best mac and cheese ever!

Best mac and cheese ever recipe!

Recommended:

Easy Mac and Cheese Cooker*

More Recipes from Kids Creative Chaos

Mac and Cheese Book for Kids*





ADS DISCLOSURE: We've partnered with some wonderful advertisers who may sponsor blog posts or send us samples to test. Some companies pay us to review their products.

*We also use affiliate links, if you make a purchase we get a tiny commission. Kids Creative Chaos participates in the Amazon LLC Associates Program*, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a mean for blogs to earn advertising fees by linking to Amazon properties, including, but not limited to, amazon.com, endless.com, myhabit.com, smallparts.com, or amazonwireless.com. We also offer Tapinfluence, Google Adsense, SoFab, and Izea ads here. Thanks so much for helping us keep the lights on! :)

Easy Shepherd's Pie Recipe with Turkey

Turkey Shepherd's Pie Recipe Easy

Shepherd's Pie is traditionally made with lamb, hence the term "shepherd". However, this version of Shepherd's Pie uses ground turkey. It also replaces the more expensive Irish cheeses with a mixture of sharp cheddar and Parmesan. This recipe is more kid-friendly than Corned Beef and Cabbage and makes an excellent addition to your St. Patrick's Day feast. Enjoy!

*This post contains affiliate links for your convenience.

Easy Shepherd's Pie Recipe with Turkey.

Easy Turkey Shepherd's Pie Recipe

1 T cooking oil

1 onion, chopped

1 lb. ground turkey

3 T flour

1/2 t salt

1/4 t pepper

1 t rosemary

1/2 t paprika

1/8 t cinnamon

1 T ketchup

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 c beef broth or 1 c water with 1 t beef bouillon

6 oz. frozen peas and carrots, thawed

2 lb. potatoes, peeled and cubed

1 T butter

pinch cayenne pepper

2 T cream cheese

4. oz. shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1/4 c. grated parmesan cheese

1/4 c. milk

Easy Turkey Shepherd's Pie Recipe.

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Place oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Stir in onion and ground turkey.  Cook until meat is browned and onion is tender.

3.  Stir in the flour, salt, pepper, rosemary, paprika, and cinnamon until well incorporated.  Mix in the ketchup.  Add the garlic and cook 2-3 minutes.

4.  Stir in broth or water and bouillon. Reduce heat to low.  Simmer mixture, with stirring, until thickened.

5. Remove from heat and add peas and carrots.

6. Transfer mixture to a 1 qt. casserole and set aside.

7. Boil potatoes in a large pot of boiling water until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain well.

8.  Mash potatoes.  Add butter, cayenne pepper, cream cheese and milk.  Mash until smooth.  Stir in cheddar cheese and parmesan cheese. 

9.  Top the meat mixture with the mashed potatoes, spreading evenly.

10.  Bake uncovered in the preheated oven 30 minutes or until the potatoes are golden.

Mashed Potato Topping on St. Patrick's Day Shepherd's Pie.

Shepherd's Pie Saint Patrick's Day Recipe.

Recommended:

Saint Patrick's Day Activities

St. Patrick's Day Party Decorations

Easiest Mac and Cheese Recipe Ever SIMPLE

Easy, Cheesy Mac and Cheese Recipe

Mac and Cheese is easiest in the microwave, but it isn't the best tasting. If you want the BEST easy macaroni and cheese, we've found the perfect pasta for you! This recipe is simple, and it tastes good. Enjoy!

Barilla® Pronto™ is an amazing time saver.

Barilla® Pronto™ will save you time without sacrificing the flavor or texture you have come to expect from Barilla® Pasta. You can find it at Kroger in the canned and packaged goods section- right next to the regular pasta. Kroger offers Elbows, Rotini, Penne, Spaghetti, and Linguine.

Make your mac and cheese gourmet by mixing in frozen peas and pepperoni.

You can customize Barilla® Pronto™ to your liking. We boiled up a pan of penne and tossed in our favorite ingredients. See the simple mac and cheese recipe below. It is so fast, you won't believe how much time it saves!

Barilla® Pronto™ Penne.

Easy PEAS-y Mac and Cheese Recipe

#OnePanPronto
Frozen Peas
Pepperoni
Black Pepper
Your Favorite Cheese Sauce in a Jar

Here's the tricky part: Sit pan on stove. Add water according to package directions. No need to turn on stove and preboil water! Pour in your favorite Barilla® Pronto™ Pasta variety- we chose Penne. Turn on High heat to boil. Stir to keep from sticking.

• Boil until most of water is gone (about 10 minutes).
• No need to rinse and drain!
• Add your favorite cheese sauce from a jar, sprinkle in pepper, and frozen peas.
• Optional: Toss in Pepperoni. We served it on the side due to our picky eaters.

You can customize Pronto™ to your liking by adding sauce, seasoning, vegetables or proteins for unlimited meal options!

Find Barilla® Pronto™ at your local Kroger in the pasta aisle

Click here for Barilla® Pronto™ recipes.

Recommended:

More Recipe from Kids Creative Chaos

Quick and Easy Pasta Recipes*

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Barillo. The opinions and text are all mine.

Color Wheel Ideas Creative Intro 2D Art Rainbows

Creative Color Wheel Project Ideas

Let's face it, kids don't want to paint a boring color wheel. Change up your color wheel lesson for your intro or homeschool art class with these creative ideas for a color wheel! It's still a basic rainbow color wheel, but when you let students add their own flair, it becomes an art project that they are happy to display.

This post contains Amazon and other affiliate links.

Simply show the students a basic color wheel or grab some prisms to teach the color order of the rainbow and let their imaginations run wild! You can use markers, tempera paint, or water colors. Water colors tend to blend easier for a gradual, visual color change. Use tempera for an exact mixing of primary, secondary, and tertiary colors. There's more to color than ROY G. BIV.

What order do the colors go on the wheel? It depends where you start. Think about a rainbow or use a prism to display the colors in their natural light spectrum order. Allow students to paint anything they want as long as they demonstrate an understanding of the rainbow color wheel order.

Rainbow Activities

                                                 Use Prisms to show the rainbow of light spectrum colors.

How to Make a Creative Color Wheel

Color Wheel Project Supplies Needed:

Mixed Media Paper

Basic Water Color Paint Kit

Brushes

Egg Carton for Mixing and Rinsing

Table Cloth - Use kraft paper rolls like the ones pictured below.

You can find more ideas for a preschool or early elementary basic color wheels on our site. We also have a cool, color theory paper project with detailed information on the various color schemes. 

Classroom Skit about a Rainbow

Recommended:

3 Rainbow Cake Decorating Ideas

How to Make Rainbow Drink Coasters with Pony Beads

Rainbow Fish Construction Paper Art Project for Kids

Recipe: How to Make Rainbow Graham Cracker Sandwiches

Blackberry Pork Chops Tenderloin

Blackberry Pork Recipe

Remember when we used to buy paper copies of recipes instead of looking them up online? This blackberry pork chops recipe was originally published in an edition of, "Cooking Light." We made it and it tasted so amazing, but it called for 1 3/4 cup of fresh blackberries, which are often out of season or very costly. Our version of the blackberry pork tenderloin recipe replaces the fresh blackberries with blackberry all-fruit spread and the pork chops with pork tenderloins. Of course, a garnish of fresh blackberries, if you can find them, makes a pretty plate. For a beautiful Christmas brunch, serve it along side blackberry cobbler. Enjoy!

This post contains affiliate links for your convenience.*

My Trip to the Manatee Viewing Center in Florida

Sea Cows: My Trip to the Manatee Preserve in Florida

Looking for FREE things to do with the kids during a Florida vacation? Mayhem is guest posting. In this article written for homeschool language arts, she tells about our visit to the Florida Manatee Preserve in Apollo Beach, Florida. Enjoy!

This post contains affiliate links for your convenience.

Make Edible Egg Coloring Dye to Use with Your Dudley Egg Spinner: Recipe

Replacement Edible Dye for Egg Coloring Kits

Make your own DIY Egg Coloring Dye with this Edible Egg Coloring Recipe. It is simple, quick, and works just as good! We have a Dudley Egg Spinner, but ran out of coloring dye. So, we made our own. Enjoy!

This post may contain affiliate links for your convenience.

Make Edible Egg Coloring Dye to Use with Your Dudley Egg Spinner: Recipe.

Throw a Birthday Party for Teen Girls with these 5 Fun Ideas

5 Fun Birthday Party Ideas for Teenage Girls

Are you all out of fresh ideas for a Girls' Teen Birthday Party? We searched Pinterest and found some fun ideas that your teen daughter will love. It isn't a party without games, favors, and a fun theme! 

This post contains affiliate links for your convenience.

These kids played soccer with our giant volleyball. Grab a net, a truck load of sand, and turn your backyard into a beach volleyball court!

We found this very stylish Volleyball theme party idea at Kara's Party Ideas. I particularly like the chocolate fuel candy bars!

Throw a volleyball theme party for your daughter
like this one from Kara's Party Ideas.

Volleyball! With this party theme, make sure you schedule time to play a game of their favorite sport, but change it up a notch with giant, inflatable volleyballs. If you're really cool, and really want to impress, truck in a load of sand! Change the sport for an athletic teen boy's birthday party theme.

Afterward, chill out with volleyball cupcakes and healthy (or not so healthy snacks). It is a birthday party, you can take a little break!

Sports and Volleyball cupcakes from Cake Central.

Beach or Pool Party! I know, it has been done before. Really a pool party? But, you can make it your own! You've got leftover sand from last year's volleyball party, so use it! Bring on the sandals and fruity mocktails. Give the girls colorful beach towels in your daughter's favorite beach party colors. To make it extra spectacular, make sand castle cupcakes like these from Confections of a Sugarholic blog.

Sandcastle cupcake from Confections of a Sugarholic.

Give each girl a party favor - fill a sand pail with girly goodies and treats! You can also make some permanent moon sand style castles as a fun birthday party activity for teens.

Use sand from your vacation to make a permanent keepsake sandcastle memento.

Glamping! Oh the fun that the girls can have while camping! S'mores, bonfire, and ghost stories in luxury.  Set up a nail painting tent, a food tent, and a movie tent! The girl's can travel from glamorous tent to glamorous tent. Add a fuzzy rug in each tent and gather your beautician to do their hairs and nails, then visit the food tent and place an order. Let Dad in on the act, he can be a fancy concierge/delivery boy (make him wear a tux). 

We Heart Parties has this beautiful party food setup with an owl theme.
Don't let those hoots scare you when you are sleeping in the tent!

A Night on the Red Carpet! Have the guests wear prom-style party dresses for this Oscar party theme birthday. Roll out a "red carpet" leading to your front door, for party favors the girls can create Oscar sculptures, then practice their thank you speech at a mic stand as their friends present them with a handmade Oscar. Celebrate with a golden slice of birthday cake. For more Oscar Party Ideas visit DesignDazzle.com

Spa! Bring on the sliced cucumbers, body scrubs, nail polish, sleeping masks, and special fruit water. Did you know you can add glow sticks to clear nail polish to make them glow-in-the-dark?

Glow-in-the-dark nail polish.

Spa Fruit Water Recipe 

1 orange

1 lemon

3 to 4 strawberries.

Slice the fruits and put in water. 

Chill for a couple of hours prior to serving.

Recommended Reading:

Slumber Party Wars

The Best Christmas Party Ever

How to make homemade Play Dough Recipe Ideas (Edible) and Pistachio Experiment

Ever wonder how to make play dough at home? 

We love to play with squishy dough. It is great for sensory play, especially when it has a scent. This recipe for how to make homemade play dough (Play-doh) is scented and edible, but not very tasty. Enjoy?

Scented Play Dough for a true Sensory experience.

Homeschool Nature Study Ornithology

Homeschool Nature Study: The Science of Ornithology

My kids have been taking a Homeschool Ornithology Class. They love it! The instructors have great ideas for a Nature Study on Birds. So, in today's Free Online Homeschool Lesson, I wanted to share some of the fabulous things they've done to learn about birds! Make sure you click on all the links for fun, educational videos, games, and free printables.

This post contains affiliate links for your convenience.

If you are in Indiana, discover the world of birds at the Eagle Creek Ornithology Center. Meet a Raptor every Wednesday and Friday at 4:00 pm and enjoy special bird programs Saturdays at 2:00 p.m.

These lessons are meant to be done over the course of week. If you choose to do a science block, you can complete the projects in one day.

Homeschool Nature Study: Ornithology

Define Ornithology: The study of birds, including their behavior, natural history, physiology, ecology, and identification. Can you answer these bird vocabulary questions.

Grab your Journal. Run to a window or go outside on a hike. List 10 birds in your yard or neighborhood. Describe the birds. This free printable is perfect for your bird journal.

For example: 

Small, Red bird with orange beak. Tufted head. 

Seen year round = Cardinal.

If you don't know what type of bird it is, make sure you have a detailed description for your search. If you have access to a camera, snap a photo. If not, draw a simple sketch. It doesn't have to be a work of art. Just good enough to help you remember details about the birds camouflage, beak, size, habit, etc.

Do you know what makes a bird a bird? Is a Platypus a bird? Is a bee a bird? Is an airplane a bird? Is a penguin a bird? Think about why or why not? Then, watch this video.

The Cat in the Hat also knows a lot about that.
Learn to draw: Trace a Bird Printable
(Recommended for ages 2-5 yrs. or everyone who is young at heart.)

Learn about different types of birds. When you click the link, you will see a series of bird videos that include:

Puffins, Eagles, Falcons, Snowy Owls, Snowy Egrets, Condors, Emperor Penguins, and more.

After watching the videos on all of the birds, list the raptors in your journal. What is a raptor? Visit Wordsmyth to find out.

Classify your birds with these Printable Flashcards.

Language Arts Component

Compare and Contrast. Write a paper with 5 paragraphs.
Remember to include a introductory paragraph (tell me what you are going to tell me), 3 detailed paragraphs in the middle (tell me), and a summary paragraph (tell me again).

Topic: Why isn't a Platypus a bird? Why is a Penguin a bird?

In the three middle paragraphs, give supporting details on each animal. You can write more than 3 supporting paragraphs if you need to, but don't forget your summary. Write this in a Google Doc. My kids send these docs to me. 


Arts and Crafts Component

Build a Popsicle Stick Bird Feeder. This is a fun construction project. Use wood glue. School glue may break down when used outdoors.

Popsicle stick bird feeder.

How to Make a Bird Feeder from Popsicle Sticks

First, lay the ten sticks flat, placing glue on the connecting sides.
Then, stack the sticks in a perfect square in layers with glue on the connecting ends. Eight makes the perfect height. Next, cut four pieces of yarn about 2' long. String a piece of yarn under the second stick at each corner as shown. Pull all pieces of yarn evenly and tie a knot in the top. Let dry for 24 hours. After your feeder is dry, paste in some peanut butter and sprinkle in bird seed.

You might also like:

How to Make Origami Birds


Science Lab Component

Try this Fun Science Experiment: How does a bird eat? How does the beak's shape factor in to the equation? Try this fun science experiment.

Graphic Organizer for Science Experiment

You will need the following utensils and supplies:
Eye dropper
Salad Thongs
Nutcracker
Large Serving Spoon
Tweezers

Bag Popcorn (Bugs)
Glass of Water (Nectar)
Raisins and Small Log with holes (Bugs in a Log) You can substitute a cardboard tube for this if necessary.

Click on the link above for the printable companion worksheet.

Start with a Bag of popcorn. Experiment with each utensil. Your goal is to get the popcorn into your mouth or the mouth of your partner using each utensil. Which works best. What type of bird might eat something like popcorn? What does each utensil represent? In other words, imagine a bird with a similar beak. Next, have your science partner toss you some popcorn and try to catch it with each utensil.

Place the raisins in the cardboard tube or log. Use the utensils to remove the raisins. Which works best? Remember, you are a bird. You cannot use your hands. Make a note of your findings on the graphic organizer.

Finally, try to "drink" water from the glass with each of the utensils. Which one allows you easiest access to the drink? Which one takes the longest? Would you get frustrated if you were really thirsty and had to drink water with a nutcracker?

Label the parts of a bird.


Just for Fun

Flight School Game

Birds of a feather flock together? What does this mean? Where does the phrase originate? _____________________________


Recommended Reading:


United States Capitals Lesson

Leonardo da Vinci Design Wooden Ornithopter Model Kit

15 Slumber Party Games and Activities for Teen Girls: Best Sleepover Ever

15 Fun for Teen Girls Activities: A Sleepover, Slumber Birthday Party

A teenage girl sleepover party with fun games, activities, and swag bags is the best slumber party ever! Don't just read these titles and think, been there done that. We've added a little twist to each birthday party activity.

This post contains affiliate links for your convenience.
UPDATED for 2020 with BONUS BIRTHDAY ACTIVITIES.

Slumber Party Sleepover Games and Activities for Teen Girls.

1. Balloon Charades. Grabs some stationary and write down ideas for Charades. What are charades? How do you play charades? You know, when you act something out, pull on your ear for "sounds like", put two fingers in the air to signify two words, but you never speak. Yeah, that game. So, fold the paper up into skinny rectangles, slide it inside a balloon, blow it up, and use it as a party decoration. When you are ready to play charades give each guest a balloon. Have her pop it - sitting on it is the most fun, read it, and act it out for the other guests to guess. Super Fun!

Yeah, you can do this with "Truth or Dare" too, but oh how I loathe Truth or Dare. Shouldn't it be called "Humiliation or Bullying?"



Bonus Activity: Giant Cupcake Balloon for Party
Want a cool photo op for your social media? Make this Balloon Cupcake with your friends and then use it as a backdrop for your photos! Click here: How to Make Giant Cupcake from Balloons!

2. Sleeping Bag Switch. For this game, each girl brings a sleeping bag or sleeping pad to the party. To start the game, the girls unroll their bags and lay them out on the floor. Then, one girl goes out of the room and the remaining girls pick someone else's bag to hide in. The girl then returns and tries to guess who is who or who is where. You can also have only two girls switch, and see if she can tell who switched. Fun times!

5 Fun Ideas for Teen Birthday Party

3. Crazy Makeovers. Time to pull out the make up, and let the girls give each other makeovers. No peeking until it is done. The beautician can choose to make a crazy makeover or a beautiful, glamorous one. The girl getting the makeup has to guess which type of makeover she got before the big reveal. 

Fun Things to Make at Home

4. Spin the Nail Polish Bottle. Each girl takes a turn picking out a color and spinning the bottle. This works best on a table. Who ever the bottle points to when it finishes spinning paints a nail with that color. Then, she chooses the next color to spin. When everyone has 10 nails painted, take a picture and share them with your friends on Instagram. Make sure you have lots of color choices!

Choose a variety of colors for Nail Polish Spin the Bottle game.

5. Make your Own Glitter Body Scrub. Find small jars that seal tightly, fine glitter, (white is nice) coconut oil, (a wonderful moisturizer for the scrub) scented extract, and sugar or coarse salt. Sugar is best. Salt is great for exfoliating, but bad if it gets in your eyes. Choose an extract: Peppermint, Almond (my favorite) Coconut, or Vanilla. Add a few drops of extract to the sugar and glitter to make a paste. Now you have your own moisturizer and exfoliator. When purchasing coconut oil you want this kind, extra virgin coconut oil.

Coconut Oil for Glitter Scrub.

6. Dress Up Divas. Go to a thrift shop and find evening gowns or formal wear and fancy heels the girls can use to dress up. Place the gowns in a large bag. Before you let the girls see the gowns, have them make blindfolds that double as beauty masks. Once everyone is blindfolded, have them choose a dress by touch alone. After they model the dresses, they can trade and have a fashion show or make up a reality show. Don't forget a full-length mirror.

For a blindfold or sleeping mask tutorial visit Henry Happened blog.

7. Pillowcase Decorating Activity. Purchase pillowcases to decorate. Grab fabric makers, tacky glue, and ribbon. You can also find fun, iron on transfers to embellish. If you plan in advance, you can decorate a large gift bag for each guest. Load it up with all that Birthday Party Swag! 

Birthday Party Activities for Teen Girls

8. Pillow Fight. A classic game. As part of the swag bag items, create mini-pillows. You can often find little pillows at the dollar store or use travel pillows. Decorate them as mentioned above. When it is time for bed, be a cool party host. Tell the girls to grab their mini-pillows. On your mark, set, pillow fight! Just watch out for the lamps! You're going to need a big full-body pillow for this pillow fight!

Bonus Activity: Easy Colorful Cupcake Frosting
Make this easy, colorful cupcake icing and decorate cakes or cookies with your friends! Share on Instagram or other social media with #cupcaketime Get the recipe here: Easy Cupcake Frosting.

9. Flip Flop Decorating Activity. Find out the Flip Flop shoe sizes of each guest before the party. Get some yarn, baubles, Sharpie Markers, and cloth scraps. Decorate to your heart's desire. Toss them in that swag bag to take home.

Printable Dorm Supply Checklist

10. Cup Stacking. When you are buying party supplies, get some extra cups for the party guests to stack. Take turns to see who can get the most cups stacked in a minute or who has the most creative tower. Even better, everyone can start at the same time. This makes it more nerve wracking and chaotic! Hey, don't knock my tower down!

Minute to Win it Games for a Birthday Party.

11. Minute to Win it Games. Imagine the possibilities! Just like cup stacking, come up with several activities that can be completed in one minute. Everyone grab one of those cups. Set it in the middle of a table, grab a Ping Pong ball, and with only one bounce allowed, bounce the ball into the cup. Hurry! The clock is ticking. Tick Tock. You can also use the a cup to fill a bucket with water (use a colorful sand pail). 

Bonus Activity: Toothpaste Slime

Trick your friends with this toothpaste slime. You'll need 1 C. Blue Hair Gel, 1/2 C. Cornstarch, Water, Super Fine White Glitter.

Slowly add water to 1/3 C. Cornstarch by the spoonful, stir until all is mixed well and becomes pour-able. Then, slowly stir cornstarch mixture into the hair gel. When it all has a thick toothpaste consistency, sprinkle in the super fine glitter. Voila! You have fake toothpaste. See if you can trick your parents with it. Of course, this toothpaste slime isn’t edible!! 

Did you know real toothpaste isn’t edible either? You should always spit it out after brushing. Don’t forget to brush your teeth with real toothpaste every morning (even at a slumber party!) 

Parents,  if you’ve got one of those kids, who doesn’t like to go to the dentist, ABC Children’s Dentistry offers more valuable tips to help you and your child when it comes to oral hygiene. Dental hygiene is something that should be taught at an early age. Why not make it fun?  Here’s a neat sensory toothpaste activity for preschoolers by Still Playing School.

12. Dance Off. Time for the girls to get their dance moves on and have fun. This is great to play after the Dress up Diva game. She who dances the longest wins. Ha! You thought it was a game of skill. Nope. It is a game of "get them tired so they don't put your panties in the freezer!"  Sweet Dreams. What's that? You're dreaming of popsicles?

13. Board Games. Don't think "bored" games. These board games are fun because each girl makes her own game to play or collaborate on one super, cool game. Cereal boxes, paper plates, and the white side of the wrapping paper are great ways to make a board. Paper plates make game spinners. Old, recycled business cards make excellent playing cards or game cards. Stickers are fun too. Fold paper and cut it into a cube pattern to make your own dice. Still boring? Take those balloons and fill them with game topics. For example, "Make a game about Rock Stars" or "Make a Mall Shopping Card Game" or "Make a game of questions." Let your imaginations run wild. This can be especially fun for preteens and tweens.

Cool Games for Holiday Parties

14. Classic Board Games. Find out who your moguls are when you pull out the Monopoly game or start up the giggles with Trouble. But that's boring, right? Pass around a basket of accessories. Think grandma glasses, nerd spectacles, giant clip-on earrings, men's ties, satin gloves, and cowboy hats. Now, play those games in character with silly accents.

15. Slurpin' for Worms. Gummy Worm Game Grab a bag of gummi worms or gummi bears and a can of whipped cream. Place the worms on a paper plate and cover them with the cream. It should look like a fake pie, you know, the kind you get in the face? Yeah, you might want to wear a raincoat for this one, and Mom might want to lay down a painting drop cloth. Players must keep their hands behind their backs at all times. Dive in. This is a great game for "Minute to Win It" too. Who can slurp up the most worms? Who can eat the most?

Recommended Reading:

Outdoor Beach Theme Party

Happy Birthday Mad Libs

Group Games for Tweens and Teens

Teen Camp Songs

Balloons for Your Party

Minecraft Birthday Party Activities

Marshmallow Party Games and Activities