School Lunch Bag Ideas

Fun Ideas for a Cool School Lunch Bag

Pack a lunch for school everyday? What to pack in the school lunch bag is tricky. Will they eat it? Do they need something for bartering? Is a fancy lunch box necessary? Sometimes, like field trip days or summer camp days, you need to pack a sack lunch rather than a lunch box. We're sharing fun ideas for the coolest sack lunch ever. Enjoy!

This post contains affiliate links for your convenience.*

Fun School Lunch Bag Ideas with Pepperidge Farm® Goldfish Crackers.

We headed to Walmart for a great value on pack-able lunch items. All good school lunches deserve Pepperidge Farm® Goldfish Crackers! These are always are go to snack for after school snacks. Their back-to-school bins are full of things you'll need from school supplies to fun snacks to hand sanitizers. So, we grabbed some Wet Ones® Individual packs too. They make it easy for kids to clean their hands after messy food, and they kill 99.9% of germs.

Shopping at Walmart for our lunch items.

As a fun surprise, we like to draw games on the lunch bags. This week, we played Fish Tac Toe and Jumping Jellyfish with our Pepperidge Farm® Goldfish Crackers (Cheddar and Pretzel). You can also play with the multi-color crackers, you only need two different colors and a friend. To play Jumping Jellyfish download the free printable instructions, and pop them in your child's lunch bag with their favorite lunch item and Wet Ones® Individuals.

Lunch Bag Ideas: Draw Fish Tac Toe or Jumping Jellyfish on your child's lunch bag.

Print out these instructions for how to play Jumping Jellyfish, and place them in the lunch bag with a fun note.

Go here for the free printable instructions for the game.

We found this fun idea to print images or notes on your lunch bag at Cottage Hill. They even share a fun way to make an egg basket.

Print images or notes on school lunch bags.

You might also like these Peanut-free school lunch ideas or Creative Lunch Ideas for kids.

Quick Breakfast on the way to School:
If you are in need of Fast Food before school, but don't have the time or money to make a run to a restaurant- make your own! If you are running late or heading on a road trip, pack a fast breakfast.

We grabbed a lunch bag and filled it with individual Wet Ones, a banana, fruit snacks, juice pack, and a pancake on a stick (you can also use corn dogs). The corn dog or walking pancake microwaves in less than a minute. Wrap it it a paper towel, and toss it in the lunch bag. The kids can enjoy "breakfast" on the way to school.


Recommended:

Lunch Bag Crafts

Pinkalicious: School Lunch*

Paper Bag President Puppets

The Best Homemade Kids' Lunches on the Planet*



This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Wet Ones® + Pepperidge Farm® . The opinions and text are all mine.

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! :)

Circle Activities for Teens Middle School Age Youth

Circle Games and Activities for Youth: Camp Songs and More

Camp Songs always bring back the best memories! Circle Time isn't just for preschoolers! Circle Activities and Games are fun for teens too. If you're planning activities for an after school program, summer camp, scouts, or youth group, these school-aged circle camp activities make nice icebreakers. We've used these group circle games and songs to welcome kids to camp, introduce each other, and as a way to make attendance and head counts fun. 

Things to do in Indianapolis in Summer: Great Times

Have a Great Time this Summer in Indy

This summer has taken forever to get here, but we see the signs, and we're following them! If you are looking for things to do in Indianapolis this summer, we've got a fun activity for you. Don't forget to bring the BANANA BOAT® Sunscreen, you'll need it with all of the great, summer, outdoor activities. Indiana weather changes minute by minute. You never know what kind of weather you're going to get! We decided to spend the day exploring all of the fun things to do at Great Times in Indy. The best activities are the outdoor ones. That's why we stopped at Walmart to get some BANANA BOAT® products.

BANANA BOAT®  Sunscreen has products for swimming, sporting, and lounging on the beach.

BANANA BOAT® has a tons of products for kids. Whether you are sporty, swim in a pool, or on the beach, BANANA BOAT® has you covered. If your kids are like mine, they hate being covered in sunscreen, especially if they aren't swimming. The spray on sunscreen from BANANA BOAT® is perfect for kids in a hurry to get to the fun activities.

What is the best sunscreen for Summer Activities for kids?

So, you need to make it as fun as possible. We made up a song to sing while applying sunscreen. You've heard you are supposed to sing your ABC's to brush your teeth, why not sing to apply sunscreen too! Each time you reapply, be sure to sing the sunscreen song! The lyrics to our song are shared below. Make it a part of your sunscreen routine.

• Sunscreen, sunscreen, protect my skin while I play.
• Sunscreen, sunscreen keep me safe all through the day.

Did you know that sun protection requires 1 oz.every 2 hours in the sun? I didn't. Be sure to apply about 2 tablespoons of sunscreen to yourself and your kids' entire bodies 30 minutes before going outside and then reapply every two hours or immediately after swimming or excessive sweating.

So, now that we're all prepared for a great time in the sun, let's talk about Great Times Family Fun Center. We went on a Thursday and to our delight, all activities were all inclusive from 11-6 with the purchase of an $11.50 per person, three hour wrist band. Yep, we spent 3 hours in the sun! And guess what... You guessed it! No sunburn.

First, the bumper boats!

Bumper Boats in Indianapolis at Great Times.

Their favorite thing to do was ride the go-karts, the ride is nice and long. These are on an all concrete track in full sun, so don't forget to reapply your sunscreen.

Go karting at Great Times is a fun thing to do in Indy in the sun!

There's also a very cool miniature golf course.

Things to do in Indianapolis in Summer: Great Times.

After all of the fun in the sun, you can go inside for a bite to eat, play games, or climb through the maze room. We'll be spending a lot of time here this summer. Good thing we have our trusty BANANA BOAT® SPF 50.

Banana Boat® Sunscreen SPF 50 Kids Free.

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

Recommended:


Things to do in Indy with Kids


Summer Camp Games to Play Outdoors


Summer Games to Play Outdoors*

Kids Games that get You Moving: How to Play Disc Golf

Disc Golf is a Game that gets Kids Moving

Frisbee Golf or Flying Disc Golf isn't very complicated, but the professionals take it very seriously. Since we blog about kids' activities, we've adapted this fun, family game into an easy to play (and explain) game to get children moving. If you're lucky, you have a disc golf course at your local park, but you probably don't even realize it. Enjoy!

This post contains  Amazon and other affiliate links for your convenience.

Eagle Creek Park Earth Discovery Center and Bird Sanctuary: The Perfect After-School or Summer Camp Activity

Eagle Creek Park in Indianapolis has a lot to offer when it comes to Things to do in Indiana

TwitPintGoogle PSeptember 14, 2011

Take a scavenger hunt and find animals hidden in the mural.

One of of my favorite things to do in Indianapolis is to visit Eagle Creek Park. The park is full of fun, free (or nearly free), educational things to do with kids. The activities are spread out, so ask for a map when you enter the gate. I say free, but your car is charged a small fee to get through the gate.

Eagle Creek Park Earth Discovery Center offers educational activities.

We enjoy bird watching at the Bird Sanctuary, Friday Night Frog Watches for Families, Swimming at the Beach, and visiting the Earth Discovery Center which is full of science and nature programs. You can visit the air-conditioned Earth Discovery Center and do a self-guided tour to learn about turtles, frogs, and other creatures that inhabit the park. We especially like the scavenger hunt room. They also offer summer camps and afterschool programs. If you are adventurous and want to spend some money try the Go Ape experience.

Eagle Creek Bird Sanctuary:
The Perfect After-School or Summer Camp Activity

When you visit the largest park in Marion County and one of the largest city parks in the nation, you will discover many treasures hidden among the 3,900 acres of land and 1,400 acre reservoir. The Ornithology Center or Bird Sanctuary is accessed by two main gates, which charge $3 per bicycle, $5 per vehicle, and $50 for a season pass.

Homeschool activities at Eagle Creek Park

Need to unwind after-school? The Eagle Creek Park Ornithology Center is the perfect place. On most Wednesdays and Fridays at 4 p.m. you can take your children to 'Meet a Raptor.' Park Staff will introduce you to a live bird of prey and even let you get up close and personal in an intimate setting. It is a great opportunity to sneak educational programming into an afternoon of fun.

Eagle Creek Ornithology Center: 

Field Trip Info or Homeschool Groups

The Center is nestled between the reservoir and a fun frog pond, which offers many opportunities for bird and frog watching. Check the special events calendar for "Friday Night Frog Watches" where you can learn to identify the various sounds of frogs vs. birds. Also, outside the center, (weather permitting) rescued hawks and owls are exhibited in special cages. A rustic deck, perfect for outdoor picnics, overlooks the reservoir.

Inside, boasts two bird viewing areas complete with binoculars and reference materials. One area overlooks the reservoir. Here, you can challenge your children to a game of eye spy that focuses on the various bird species flying over the water.

On any given day, you will spy a Great Blue Heron, Loon, or one of the two-hundred and sixty other species of Indiana Birds that call Eagle Creek Park home. Kids won't need binoculars to view the circus of squirrels that have taken over the manmade bird sanctuary fighting with Blue Jays and frightening Cardinals.

The indoor exhibit is filled with Indiana wildlife in their natural habitat and interactive computer kiosks with fun facts. The best kept secret is the kiosk which allows you to listen to various bird songs, match them with the appropriate picture, and even compose a little tune of your own. All of this is included with the park's general admission. For an additional fee the park offers after-school programming at the Earth Discovery Center.

Programs and Activity Calendar

Make a day of it in the summer and visit the beach too. Swimming is $3-4 per person, they have lifeguards, and life jackets are available on request. Yes, there is acutally sand on the beach. Enjoy!

Recommended Reading:

Beginning Birdwatching for Kids

Things to do in Indiana

National Geographic Kids Bird Guide of North America: The Best Birding Book for Kids from National Geographic's Bird Experts

Birds, Nests and Eggs (Take Along Guides)

Things to do in Indianapolis Indiana: Downtown Central Library for Kids

Central Library's Learning Curve in Downtown Indianapolis, Indiana has Free Things to do that are Fun for Kids

Recently, we took a trip to the downtown Indianapolis Central Library. I've been meaning to do this for sometime, but after several years of summer day camp and kid's misplacing books or videos, we have quite a hefty library fine. I plan to chip away at it slowly. If you also have a library fine and are under 18, keep reading. We found out the library has a program where you can "pay off" your fines with good behavior! More info about that later. In the summer, we are always looking for FREE, FUN, and EDUCATIONAL things to do in Indianapolis or other parts of Indiana. This futuristic architecture, in the form of a public library, fits the bill perfectly.

Central Library Funnel in Reading Nook. It plays a little movie.

This year, my goal is to treat each week like summer camp with my own kids - Less the getting up at 5:30 a.m., the toting 12 other kids everywhere we go, the need for epipens, a change of underwear (and a bag for the previous soiled pair), the waivers, the checklist, and the stress! We are on a mission of discovery. Anything within 2 hrs. of our home is up for an impromptu field trip. 

In this Futuristic Library, you can lounge and read, listen to a story, or watch one.

The Central Library is very cool. If you are looking for a futuristic library, you've come to the right place. You enter the library through an old, historic building with an incredible view of the American Legion Mall which is really just a large, green space with war memorials. Be sure to turn and enjoy the view as you enter. Then, you enter a breezeway where you'll find the info desk and a small, reasonably priced cafe. Keep going, and you'll be whisked into the children's area, better known as The Learning Curve. 

The Learning Curve: A Children's Area at the Central Library, Downtown Indy.

The Learning Curve is housed in the modern, glass, curved building directly behind the main entrance. Don't be intimidated, just keep walking. The librarian help desks are mobile carts that float throughout the large children's area. Don't be shy. They are happy to help. Don't have a library card, (or have one you can't use) but you want to use the computers? Ask the librarian for a guest pass. No pressure, they don't try to upsell to a library card :) The passes are good for 1 hr. from the time you log in, but you can get another passcode as long as computers are available. This is a safe internet zone. The kids can play and share games with other kids within the library.

Study Pods, Think Tank, Kid's Activity Wall for Preschoolers, Pacer's Rent a Bike Program, and See-a-story spinning seats at The Learning Curve, Downtown Indianapolis, Indiana in the Central Library.

We went to see a FREE DISNEY MOVIE in Clowes Auditorium, Tinkerbell's, "The Pirate Fairy". It was awesome. During summer camps, we visited our local branch of the library and watched the movies in a large room while sitting on the floor with a bunch of sweaty kids and little or no air conditioning. At the downtown Indianapolis, Central Library, we sat in comfy, purple seats in an acoustically correct, air-conditioned theatre.You can rent the 300 seat Clowes Auditorium space for special events too.

After that, we headed to the children's theatre. When they aren't having puppet shows or reader's theatre, the kids can jump up on the stage and enjoy some creative play in front of a large green screen. While bouncing around, they can watch themselves on one of the video screens. They might walk on the moon or climb a mountain!

On the opposite end of the Learning Curve, you'll find the Think Tank.This is an enclosed space (it's stuffy in there) with whiteboard walls and a table full of dry-erase markers. Brainstorm an idea, solve a math problem, or just draw a cartoon. You can be noisy, because it is somewhat soundproof. 

There is also a tinkerlab, a preschool activity area, a techlab, a wall to learn braille, study pods, futuristic, spinning chairs where you can listen to a story, and (my favorite), a super comfy reading lounge with a central animated funnel. I sat down and did not want to get up. Next time, I'll work in this area while the kids enjoy the library. They couldn't sign up for the summer reading program or check out books because of those nasty aforementioned library fines. The library now offers an amnesty program. I need this too, dear Indy Library. 

So, what is the take away? Don't stress, get cool, stay out of inclement weather... Wait, there's more. The library has a parking garage- find the rates here. We parked in the street at the fancy, modern parking meters that accept credit cards (now there's a learning curve) and walked. At the front entrance of the library, you can rent yellow, Pacer's bicycles- but they are all adult size, no kid seats, or tandem bikes... hint hint.

There are so many fun things to do in Indianapolis! We hope you'll join us (virtually, of course) as we discover the wonderful things downtown Indianapolis has to offer. We will feature some of our favorite things soon:

Mass Ave. 

Toy Store, Flying Cupcake, Hot Dog Cafe, Fair Trade Market

The Circle

Ride or climb to the top of the Monument, Candy Store, Chocolate Cafe

Recommended Reading:

Things to do In Indiana

Architecture: The Art of LEGO Design

12 Patriotic Crafts and Games for the Fourth of July: Independence Day Activities for Kids

Hey Kids! Celebrate with these Games and Patriotic Activities for the Fourth of July

America likes to celebrate her Independence. We celebrate many holidays with fireworks and patriotic activities. If you like to craft or need activities for summer camp or a family reunion party, you've come to the right place. We are sharing a round-up of our favorite Fourth of July holiday activities for preschoolers, school age, teenagers, and adults too. Enjoy!

Fourth of July games for children from Better Homes and Gardens.

Some of the best Summer Games from the list below include an Uncle Sam Patriotic Hat competition. This is fun for a family reunion.

Lay out the supplies needed to make a paper hat: Construction Paper, Paper Plates, Tape, Glue Sticks, Scissors, Glitter, even Cheap Birthday Hats to decorate, and Star Stickers. Then, have the party guests (at their own leisure) sit down at the crafting table and make a cool hat for the Fourth of July. Explain it is a decorating contest.

Guest wear the hats while playing games, eating barbecue, and enjoying the party. Pass out squares of paper (post it notes work great) and have everyone vote for their favorite hat. For example, "Uncle Mike's hat is the best" or ""I like Johnny's hat". The winner of the "best patriotic hat" gets a tiny flag to celebrate the win. Don't forget to share all the fun hats on Instagram and Pinterest!

• Patriotic Fruit Kabobs from Pinterest
• Fourth of July Games for Preschoolers
• How to use Sparklers and other Fireworks Safely
• Patriotic Games for Kids to play Outdoors
• Simple Fourth of July Projects for Preschoolers
• Independence Day Games to Play at Summer Camp
• Make your own Firework: Candy Rocket from Cardboard Tube
• Patriotic Party Games for Adults
• How to Make a Patriotic Hat for Independence Day
• Make a Star Spangled WhirlyGig to Hang from the Ceiling
• Free Printable American Flag

Click the image for Patriotic Party Games for Adults from Reader's Digest.

Recommended Reading:

Other Holidays in July

History for Kids: The Fourth of July for Kids - The Incredible Story of Independence Day - Including an Interactive Fourth of July QUIZ! (History for Children)

A Catered Fourth of July (A Mystery With Recipes)

14 Circle Time Activities and Ideas for Preschoolers

Preschool Circle Time is for Group Lessons, Games, and Interaction

Running out of ideas for Preschool Circle Time? Every preschool program needs circle time for group interaction. This is a time to build structure into the program, so the children know what to expect each day. It is great to offer circle time at least twice a day- once in the morning, and once just before time to go home. These ideas will help build a sense of togetherness, (community) a time for sharing, and a fun learning environment for the kids. Enjoy!

This post contains affiliate links for your convenience.

Elementary Circle Time Games, Activities, and Ideas for Preschoolers and Toddlers.

 14 Ideas and Activities for Circle Time

1.  Dance Freeze - Play some music or sing a song. Everyone dances willy nilly. Suddenly, stop the song, but don't sing to the end of a verse, that is too predictable. Everyone must freeze in their position. Is one leg up? Are they doing the worm? If they move, they must sit frozen in that spot, criss-cross applesauce and wait to see who can freeze the longest. No blinking or twitching allowed.

50 SIMPLE GROUP GAMES for CIRCLE TIME

2.  Bug in a Rug - This is an oldie, but a goodie. Everyone sits in the circle. Before you begin to play, explain EXACTLY how the game works. Grab a blanket or a big beach towel. Now, pick one child to leave the room or wear a fun blindfold. Teacher picks a student. Shh! Just point at the child, grab their hand and take them away from the group. Now, point at another child and then to the "rug". Hide the child under the "rug." Bring the other preschooler back. Can they guess who is missing? 

3. Pass the Movement - I played this for years with preschoolers and school-age children in summer camps, but I didn't give it a name. I found the name at Preksharing Blog. She says it is adapted from a book published in 2011, but we used to do this years ago in summer camp and afterschool programs. Just goes to show, great minds think alike! It is simple to play. Teacher starts with a movement. Perhaps, you wave your hand in the air. Now, the person sitting to your right must wave their hand and add a movement like wiggling their nose. The next person to the right, does those movements and adds one of their own. It is a "WAVE" of different movements.

4. Shake the Sillies Out - Need a game to get kids' moving?  Find some Dragon Tunes from the cartoon, Dragon Tales, and every morning, "Shake the Sillies Out"! Just play the song, and follow the instructions. Kids love this one!

5. Circle Time Collaborative Painting - I like the idea of painting circles in collaboration like the one from Art Project Girl in the link. You know, where Teach lays out a big sheet of paper and painting supplies and everyone paints concentric circles? What if we do it as a part of Circle Time? Pass the painting, and make a PROGRESSIVE PAINTING. 

This idea teaches patience. Everyone must wait their turn. It builds excitement too. Lay out a large painting tarp, sit the children in a circle on the tarp, give each child a cup of paint and a brush. No painting unless it is your turn. To make it less frustrating, pass two large poster boards around starting at opposite ends. Children are allowed to paint only 1 circle or shape of their choice per turn. While they are painting, teacher shares an art lesson on shapes!

Collaborative Concentric Circle Painting from Art Project Girl.

6. Click, Clack, Moo Story Starter - You know the story about the unhappy cows in the barn? They have a typewriter. They are making demands. An electric blanket would be nice. What else might the farm animals want from the farmer? 

Click Clack Moo Story Starter Circle Time Game.

Play a Circle Time Game where each child is given an animal. Before the game, print out cards with farm animal pictures on one side and their name on the other. Each child draws a card from a hat. Give this example to the kids: What does the (insert animal here) pig want? "Dear Farmer Brown, the barn is smelly. Please send air fresheners." Have each child come up with their own idea for what the animal on the card might want from the farmer.

7. Animal Movement Game - Take the game above one step further. Get the kids moving like the animals. Ask, "What does a pig say?" Now, "How does a pig move?" The children take turns walking around the circle like the animal on their cards. 

8. Quiet Mouse, Still Mouse - When Circle Time is done, keep children in a circle to release them to the next preschool activity. The teacher explains, the child who sits as quiet as a mouse (the quietest) get to line up first. Continue until everyone (or almost everyone, I don't like to single out those who can't sit still or quiet) is in line.

9. Calendar Time -  Sing "Sunday, Monday, Tuesday Wednesday, Thursday Friday, Saturday. Suunday, Munday... TUUESday" Emphasize the current day of the week. Sing the song and then check the calendar. Who can find today on the calendar? Here's another days of the week song sung to the Addam's Family theme. 

10. Alphabet Shopping - Using the first letter of each child's name, pretend to go shopping for an item that begins with that letter. For example, “Jake will buy a jump rope.” Go around the circle until everyone has had a turn. This helps with letter recognition. For more ideas like this visit Early Childhood News.

11. Talking Stick - Bring in a cane, or recycle a cardboard wrapping paper tube. The kids can help decorate the "Talking Stick" with Washi or Duct Tape, Glitter, or Feathers. During Circle Time, grab the stick. Now, explain to the group that this is a talking stick. Only the person who holds it may speak. This is a great tool to use for Show and Tell or other situations where children take turns sharing. More lessons in patience and turn taking.

12. Birthday Day of the Week Bags - PreK Pages Blog has a fun idea for Day of the Week Bags. Make a brown paper bag for each day of the week. Give it a colorful label, and fill it with the names of classmates who have birthdays on this day or other special things that happen on this day of THIS week.

   13. Pictures with Facial Expressions - Hold up magazine pictures of facial expressions. Ask, "What is this person feeling." Have the children take turns making the face. After you play this game, have the kids draw themselves like this emotion art lesson.

14. Play Duck, Duck, Goose? - This old standby might be boring to you, but it is likely new to the toddlers and preschoolers in your class. Change it up each day. After they get the hang of the game, add a creative play element by acting it out. Have the kids act and walk like the animal as they toddle around. Walk and Talk like the animal. For older or school-age children, change the theme to pig, pig, cow or ghost, ghost, vampire.

Recommended Reading:

50 Easy Group Games for Preschoolers

Rugs for Circle Time

Circle Time Handbook with Reproducible Pages

Teen Group Games for Camp

Preschool Circle Time Activities

Chicken Art Project for Preschool

Preschool Circle Time Songs

Nature Based Circle Time Activity

How to Play Four Corners Group Activity

Follow us on Instagram for more fun ideas every day!

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?

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Happy Birthday Mad Libs

Group Games for Tweens and Teens

Teen Camp Songs

Balloons for Your Party

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Marshmallow Party Games and Activities