Friendship Blossoms

Here is something sweet and pretty for your gives to give at Valentine's Day. It's easy, fun and tastes good!

Materials
• Scrapbooking paper or card stock
• Scissors
• Lollipops
• Tape

1. For each, cut three heart-shaped petals, two leaves, and two flower centers from scrapbooking paper or card stock.
2. Poke a small hole in each, crease the petals as shown, and slide the pieces onto a lollipop stem. Tape the bottom to secure.
3. Poke a small hole in each leaf and slide them onto the lollipop stem. Tape the Bottom to secure. (Hint, you might want to write your message on the leaf first.)

Always Make It Fun!
Rebecca Hurt
Sr. Party Leader
Noah's Ark Animal Workshop

Balloon Sandwich

This race, a feat of cooperation, works on the premise that two back are better than one. This rowdy romp is best held outside or in a spacious room.

Supplies:
-Balloons

Directions:
-Begin by choosing partners and lining them up back to back at a starting line. Place a balloon (not a helium one) between their backs so that they must hold it there and not let it fall to the ground (emphasize no hands!)
-At the sound of a whistle, the pairs must take off in this position, shuffling their way toward a finish line. If the balloon pops or drops, they must return to the starting line for a replacement.
-The first sandwich to cross the line wins.

Always Have Fun,
Rebecca Hurt
Sr. Party Leader
Noah's Ark Animal Workshop

MVP Popcorn Balls

These snacks are great for any party but are perfect for sports themed parties.

Ingredients:
2 1/2 quarts popcorn
1/2 cup corn syrup
1/3 cup water
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup butter or margarine

Supplies:
waxed paper
food coloring (optional)
clear or colored cellophane
ribbon
paper
pen

Directions:
Pop 2 1/2 quarts of popcorn and set aside. Combine 1/2 cup corn syrup, 1/3 cup water, 1 cup sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium sauce pan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until sugar dissolves and mixture comes to a boil. Continue cooking until the mixture reaches a medium-boil stage.

Quickly whisk in 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1/4 cup butter or margarine. If desired, add food coloring. Pour mixture over popcorn and toss until well coated. Spread mixture on large baking sheets or pieces of waxed paper and let it cool slightly before forming it into balls. Lay popcorn balls on pieces of clear or colored cellophane. Gather excess at the top, and tie it with a ribbon. Add special MVP tags or draw lines on each to look like a basket ball. For fun, let your child autograph the outside of each ball just like a pro ball player.

This would even be great for kids to do as a craft.

Always Have Fun!
Rebecca Hurt
Sr. Party Leader
Noah's Ark Animal Workshop

Flower Cupcake In A Cone

Ingredients:
1 box of cake mix, any flavor
Flat-bottomed Ice-Cream Cones
White Frosting
Large gumdrop disks, such as Sunkist Gourmet Fruit Gems (one 14 oz bag can decorate 5 cupcakes)

Directions:
1.Prepare the cake batter according to the directions on the box. Fill the narrow bottom of each ice-cream cone with the batter. Set the cones in a baking sheet and transfer them to the oven, being careful not to tip them over.
2. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Let them cool, and then frost the tops.
3. To make each candy flower, cut 6 wedges from the edges of a gumdrop disk and cut a green gumdrop disk into slices for leaves. Press the wedges into the middle of the cut flowers for flower centers, then arrange the candies on top of the frosted cupcakes. One box of cake mix yields 34 cupcakes (or make fewer and use the remaining batter for a small cake.)

Monkey Pops

Ingredients:
- Bananas
- Popsicle Sticks
- Plastic Freezer Bags
- Yogurt or Warm Chocolate Sauce

Directions:
Peel the bananas and cut in half (across the middle). Push a Popsicle stick into the flat end of the banana, until it's at least halfway through. Place in freezer bags until party time. Dip frozen banana pops into yogurt or chocolate sauce and serve to your eagerly awaiting party guests.

Frog Face Pizzas

You will need half an English muffin for each child. Split muffins and top with prepared pizza sauce and shredded American or mozzarella Cheese. Let each child decorate their won pizza. Use pepperoni, mushroom, olives and peppers to make funny faces. Bake on a cookie sheet at 375 degrees for 5-10 minutes, or until cheese melts.

Always Have Fun!
Rebecca
Sr. Party Leader
Noah's Ark Animal Workshop

Pretty-n-Pink Punch

Ingredients:
-ginger ale or lemon-lime soda
-raspberry sherbet
-fresh flowers (optional)

Fill a large punch bowl with ginger ale or lemon-lime soda. Add raspberry sherbet at serving time and watch it fizz. Serve in cups garnished with a fresh flower on the rim.

Always Have Fun!
Rebecca
Sr. Party Leader
Noah's Ark Animal Workshop

Pincess Wands

Wave a delightful, delicious spell over your party of princesses with candy-coated pretzel sticks that look like princess wands.

Ingredients:
-vanilla frosting
-thick, long pretzel sticks
-edible lavender/purple glitter

Supplies:
-wax paper
-Microwave

Melt the frosting in microwave on medium heat for about 30 seconds. Stir until smooth. Dip half of each pretzel in the frosting. Roll lightly in the edible glitter and cool on wax paper. Chill until set, and then serve to your waiting princesses!

Always Have Fun!
Rebecca
Sr. Party Leader
Noah's Ark Animal Workshop

Dinasaur Egg Hunt

On your child's special day, create a special dinosaur egg hunt in their honor. Use your own surprises to represent "dinosaur eggs," or use the following directions. To make "dino eggs", cook at least one hard-boiled egg for each guest. After the eggs have cooled, crack the shells lightly with the back of a spoon to give them a prehistoric look. Then, place the eggs in dye for several seconds. This will make the eggs look like very old, cracked dinosaur eggs. Hide the "dino eggs" and other theme-related prizes in easy or hard-to-find places, based on the ages of the guests.

Always Have Fun!
Rebecca,
Sr. Party Leader
Noah's Ark Animal Workshop

Rainbow Kebabs

You don't need to spend lots of time peeling and chopping to make these colorful fruit kebabs, and excellent first birthday idea for healthy food. Instead of purchasing whole fruits, you can buy a container of sliced or cubed fruit from the salad bar section of your supermarket. You'll need 6 to 8 pieces per skewer. Firm fruits such as melon, pineapple, kiwi, and oranges work well. For the skewers, you can simply use plastic drinking straws. To make each kebab, pinch the end of a straw and push it through a piece of fruit. Slide the fruit to the other end of the straw. Add more fruit to fill the skewer with a range of colors. Individually cover each kebob with plastic wrap and refrigerate till ready to use.

Always Have Fun!
Rebecca
Sr. Party Leader
Noah's Ark Animal Workshop

Noah's Parade

Supplies:
Face Paint and/or an eyeliner pencil, and lively music.

What to do:
As guests arrive, turn them into animals (cat, dog and lion are some examples) by adding whiskers to cheeks and a dot to noses, with face paint or an eyeliner pencil. Then put on music, find a volunteer to play the "Noah" and invite guests to be Noah's animals in a "human" train that moves from room to room, in time to the music. encourage "Noah" to make creative moves that the rest of the line can follow (crawling, hopping, jumping, twirling, rolling on the ground, etc.). Pick a new "Noah" every few minutes. Play until everyone is ready for a new activity.

This can also be modified for a Circus Animal Party or a Zoo Party......Have fun with it!

Always Have Fun!
Rebecca,
Sr. Party Leader
Noah's Ark Animal Workshop