Planning

Some children look at the night sky and see pretty twinkling stars, others see possibilities!  They see adventure, they see an unknown waiting to be discovered, and they see their future.  If this describes your kiddo, then this is the party for you!  Have some fun on NASA's website, www.NASA.gov, or, even better, go to NASA's kids zone!  http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forkids/kidsclub/flash/index.html where you will get lots of fun information and activities to inspire your party creativity! 

What is your "Party Picture"?

• With this theme, there are two primary directions you can go - is your party "in" space - or, is your party at NASA preparing to "go to" space?  Or, are you going to combine the two and have two party spaces, or divide your party space (ground is NASA, but your ceiling is a representation of the destination)? Consider what you want to create for the kids then stick with that, otherwise, this theme can get a little overwhelming with all of its possibilities.   
• This is definitely a "do your research" theme.  There are so many places you can go for inspiration.  What does the space shuttle look like on the inside?  What do astronauts do for training (an obstacle course inspired by astronaut training would be great!)?  What do astronauts eat in space?  You can even find audio recordings of conversations between the Shuttle and NASA ("Houston") that you can play in the background for your party.  This can be as realistic (for older kids) or fun (for younger kids) as you want to make it.
• If you child has a favorite space related character you can include him or her in little places to add that extra element that will bring a smile to your child's face.  
• Welcome Your Guests:  When guests arrive provide everyone with a NASA patch that has their name an "NASA Academy, Class of 2008!"  You can sew this, and use fabric pens, or just get some foam and create fun three dimensional patches!
• - Unless you live near a space or aeronautical museum there aren't a lot of "on point" venue options.  However, for older kids, consider a field trip to your local planetarium. 
• Atlanta - consider the Fernbank Planetarium!  http://fsc.fernbank.edu/planetarium.htm

 

Invitations

Communicating with your Guests

Invitations to NASA are just that - invitations to venture into outer space.  Launch tickets, NASA Academy, Astronaut training - there are a ton of possibilities!

Invitation:

• NASA passes:  NASA astronaut personnel only, VIP pass to Astronaut ________'s party.  Use a small Ziploc bag and dark blue yarn or string to slip your computer generated "NASA pass" into for the feel of an authentic "pass" and request that the invitee wear the pass for admission.

 

Thank You Note:

Invitations	Thank You Notes
Title Name State	Title Name State

 

Dress It Up

Budding astronauts start early, so if your child has a thing for the stars, make the party reflect that.  If your goal is to recreate the feel of outerspace try working with a clean, modern feel -  dark blue and white contrasts, golden stars, with a dash of science fiction.  and a sci fi feel are what you are aiming for.  If you want to create NASA, well just cruise their website for inspiration - start with blue, white and orange and add in tchnology everywhere! 

Decorating Your Party Space

• Outer Space:  Imagine the landscape of the moon, our solar system, the night sky filled with stars, (and you can even drop in the occasional alien or two).  This is as dramatic and intense as the age range of the party guests will be.   It can be whimsical and cartoonish or it can be more true to life with NASA style rockets and space ships. 
• Round foam balls can be painted and hung from the ceiling to represent planets, stars can twinkle from the ceiling or other high-up surfaces. 
• Black fabric hung from the walls and on the furniture will create the feel of outer space.
• You can fill the ceiling with black helium balloons and then have the "stars" hanging below the layer of balloons.
• Hang glow-in-the-dark stars, planets and white twinkling lights from the ceiling with fishing line. 
• Re-writable CD's hung from the ceiling creates a fun effect.  It's even better when you attach glow-in-the-dark stars to the CD's!
• You can create rockets out of empty paper towel rolls or oatmeal containers covered in tinfoil with orange ribbon spraying out of the back and hang these with fishing line from the ceiling. 
• Your local educational store will be a great resource for planet cut outs and posters!

Tablescapes

• Moon Landing:  Create the surface of the moon for your tablescape!  Use brown butcher paper (you can add sand with adhesive spray if you want the texture as well as the color) and then create the "craters" of the moon with a variety of shades of brown crayon and markers.   Add a couple of "moon rocks" (well cleaned rocks from your back yard!).  You can use black or brown place settings or select a fun space inspired place setting!
• Rocket Centerpiece:  Cover 1 - 2 oatmeal boxes with aluminum foil.  Fill with black and royal blue tissue paper and insert metallic star "sprays" created from ribbon, construction paper, tissue paper, and craft or paper store "spray" selections.
• Overhead Centerpiece:  Don't forget the space OVER the table.  This would be a great place to concentrate your planets, flying rockets, stars, or model space shuttle to create a three dimensional tablescape.
• Space Shuttle Centerpiece:  If you child has a model space shuttle or rocket, consider highlighting this piece on your tablescape!  If your child doesn't have one, and is into NASA and astronauts enough to base your party on it, consider giving this as a gift to your child and using it as your party's centerpiece. 

Decorating Your Party Space	Tablescapes
Title Name State	Title Name State

Space Mission Party Supplies - Deluxe Pack - $ 35.99 Includes 8 dinner plates, cups, forks, spoons, activity placemats, 16 napkins, metallic silver tablecover, centerpiece, mylar balloon, 24 balloons (2 colors), crepe paper rolls (2 colors), curling ribbon (2 colors), confetti, cake candles and thank-you notes. ($45.15 if purchased separately.)

 

Food/Drink

Hmmmm, well, you CAN use space food here - it can be found, but, really, do you want to?  My guess is that, with a few exceptions, it's not quite as yummy as, say, pizza.  Tang, dehydrated ice cream, and perhaps food that is packaged to be easy to eat, like corn dogs?  But if you want to stick with food found here on earth, consider packaging it in a way that's inspired by your space theme - like celestial soda, martian munchies…

Food

Beverages

Food	Beverages
Title Name State	Title Name State

Cake

Cakes and Desserts

	Title			Name	State
	Moon Walk Cake:			Ruth	Ga
		My son loved this! Using a picture of the moon, recreate the surface of the moon on a double decker round cake.  Use white icing tinted with just a touch of gray for the base, then add darker gray icing, crushed cookies, and candies to create the craters and valleys.  Add a miniature figure of an astronaut planting an American Flag and voila!

 

 

Entertainment

Entertaining kids in a NASA theme is more about the activities than the entertainers.  There aren't a lot of space themed entertainers available.  But have fun with activities!

Entertainment:

	Title			Name	State

 

Activities

• Test Launch:  Purchase kid-safe foam rocket launchers and let the kids have a blast launching rockets into outer space.  Have one for each, or enough that sharing won't be a problem.  See who can get there's to go the farthest and who has the best aim with targets spaced around the area. 
• Moon Rock Relay:  Create foam "rocks" before the party.  Divide the kids into teams and give each team a pile of "moon rocks".  Set up a simple obstacle course that would represent the path from a crater back to the Moon lander.  The goal is to transfer the "moon rocks" through the course using tongs to hold them until the bucket at the moon lander is full.
• Planet Hunt:  Create simulations of each of the planets in our solar system and hide them throughout the party space.  Create clues for each planet (you can rhyme if you are really good) and then send the kids off to figure out which planet it is and find it.  In the end, use a diagram to position the planets in the correct order as they exist in our solar system.  This game is fun with a sneaky bit of education in it! 

	Title			Name	State

 

Prizes / Favors

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