Include make-it-yourself lei kits in your goody bags.
Imagine how much fun your kids will have when you throw a luau just for them. Whether it's a break from winter weather, a birthday party or any other special occasion, a luau theme offers many possibilities for music, decorations, games, food and everyone's favorite -- the goody bag. Choose goodies that will be fun and remind kids of the party long after it's over. Does this Spark an idea?
Bags
Instead of plain bags, consider one of these options for your luau goodies. Purchase green plastic wrap, often available around Christmas, tear it into squares and wrap gifts inside, tying the top with a colorful piece of yarn or a twist tie. On your home printer, produce colorful titles containing "Welcome to Our Luau" or "Happy Luau Birthday," plus luau or Hawaiian clip art images. Cut them out and stick them to brown or white paper lunch sacks. Embellish the sacks with glitter, stickers, markers or crayons. Or, print the letters and images coloring-book style and let the kids color and decorate their own bags. Slightly more expensive but longer lasting, decorative tote bags make great goody bags that kids can use for trips to the beach or swimming pool later.
Luau Crafts
Tie colorful pieces of wireless chenille on the shoe for a lasting luau accessory.
Make a craft kit ahead of time, bag it with instructions and put one kit in each goody bag. Two ideas are make-it-yourself leis -- suitable for boys and girls -- and decorated flip flops for girls. For the leis, include a length of elastic string and enough fabric flowers to string into a lei. Purchase flip flops in the average size of your party guests. Add 40 to 50 4-inch to 6-inch pieces of wireless chenille stems in luau colors and instructions to tie each piece around the strap of the flip flop, alternating colors. Small kids can make sandy footprints: include a small bag of colored sand, a piece of colored card stock and a little bottle of white glue. Include instructions to spread the glue on a paper plate or newspaper; have the child step in the glue and then place her foot firmly on the paper. Remove her foot and sprinkle the colored sand over the footprint. Let dry and decorate with markers or crayons.
Luau Souvenirs
Stuff goody bags with fun luau reminders: maracas, jungle-design pencils, flower and pineapple stickers, paper drink umbrellas, small blow-up beach balls, dollar-store sunglasses, sand shovels and buckets, sunscreen, beach towels, bubbles, grass skirts, bathtub squirt toys like ducks and fish and candy necklaces.
Girls' or Boys' Goody Bags
Label the goody bags with party guests' names ahead of time and tailor them specifically for boys or girls. In the girls' bags, add pretty barrettes and hair combs, bright scarves, wrist leis, plastic jewelry in colors that match the grass skirts, colorful ankle socks, flowered hair scrunchies, small lip gloss or nail polish bottles and ring pops. For the boys, add a beach hat, a small fish or monkey key chain, shark or fish-shaped squeezable stress balls, surfboard or shell necklaces and small toy cars shaped like beach vehicles or boats.
Tags: ahead time, bags with, boys girls, colored sand, flip flops, goody bags