Are party favors passe, gift bags gauche? Celebrating a friend’s birthday isn’t about the stuff, but it’s not a fete without a fun, easy and inexpensive activity that little guests can take home. Get back to basics: Entertaining expert Colleen Mullaney offered these crafty ideas to please petite party-goers:
Make-Your-Own Play Dough
You’ll need:
2 cups flour
1 cup salt
2 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
2 cups water
Food coloring
Put all ingredients in a saucepan and cook for 5 minutes over medium heat. Stir constantly. Divide into batches and add food coloring. Store in an air-tight container.
Give each child a batch of play dough, cookie cutters and a rolling pin. If time allows, let them mix the ingredients themselves and pick a color. Give them a few minutes to roll shape and play with the dough before moving on to the next activity. Put each child’s dough in plastic containers clearly marked with his name for a take-home gift.
Dinosaur Fossil
You’ll need:
2 cups salt
3/4 cup water
1 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup water
Plastic dinosaur figurines
Mix salt and 3/4 cup water in a saucepan over low heat for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add cornstarch and 1/2 cup water. Stir and heat again on medium heat until smooth and thick. Refrigerate for a few hours.
Break clay into small mounds, about golf-ball size. Let each child pat in down into a flat disc. Take the dinosaur toys and make impression with the foot of the plastic toys. Let dry. Have each child paint the fossil if time allows.
Heavenly Headpiece
You’ll need:
Length of decorative jeweled garland (available at craft stores)
Faux blossoms on wired stems
Ribbons
Scissors
Cut lengths of the jeweled garland to fit each child’s head. Wire the ends together. Lay out an assortment of faux blossoms and have the children decorate. Tie ribbons on the back to finish.