Have an awesome backyard party using what you have and a few cheap extras!

Impromptu Party: How to Have a Totally RAD Glow Party

Glow Party

It was one of the last nice (still really cold, but nice) evenings of fall and we decided to invite everyone over for a fun night of light and fun! It had the feel of the nights I remember from my childhood, chasing my cousins around the yard, shouting and giggling and just enjoying myself without a care in the world. These are EXACTLY the memories I want my kids to have!

We don’t have a lot of money to spend on frivolous things. I also feel like we don’t spend enough time in our house using the THINGS we have. AND we never have time to really enjoy hanging out with our friends and their kids. This last minute party filled each of those needs.

Glow sticks and necklaces were on clearance at the dollar store and so I walked out with about 100+ glowing things for $20. TIP: Look after Halloween and 4th of July.light table paper towels liquid water colors

We have a light table so we wrapped it in clear plastic trash bags and then set out paper towels, paint daubers, liquid watercolors in various dispensers and sponge shapes.

The Fairy Jar making table was indoors and up high so that parents had to assist in the Fairy Jar making. You’ll want to take precautions since you are using glass jars AND the glow sticks have glass inside of them.

glow sticks Fairy jarIt was super simple! I found the mason jars I had in the pantry from my short lived canning and preserving stint in 2004. I set the jars with lids out with glitter (not necessary but very pretty) and glow sticks. Kids or adults activated the glow sticks, an adult snipped off the end of the stick with scissors and dumped it into the jar. Kids sprinkled in a little glitter (not too much or it won’t work) and then lids were screwed on tight. BAM! You have a Fairy Jar. TIP: The green and yellow glow sticks did not put off very much glow once dispensed. I recommend using orange, blue or pink (you can also mix the colors to create more colors). Jars are reusable, just dump out the contents when the glow is gone and add another stick!fairy jar glow party

I put a bunch of glowing necklace and bracelets in clear glass or plastic jars with the connectors and the kids built ropes and hoops and twisty things and then ran around the yard. We kept the backyard pretty dark and just lit up the tree house and left the backdoor open with a light on in the kitchen.

Glow Fusion Glow in the dark bubbles are also A LOT of fun! The bubbles don’t glow but the solution does. My kids love seeing a glowing residue wherever the bubbles land (or spill). Another idea we came across but didn’t use was to blow up balloons and then put an activated 537051_10100567676264284_1352480510_n (1)glow stick inside before we tied it.

A basket was set out with marshmallow skewers, a bag of marshmallows, graham crackers and Reese’s PB Cups and Hershey’s chocolate bars. A pot of hot cocoa warmed in the kitchen and guests helped themselves. TIP: Ask friends to bring something to keep costs down.

fairy jar making

The adults sat around a bonfire or assisted smaller children with painting as the kids played chase or whatever imagination based game they thought up. It was a great night of outdoor play!supplies for bonfire or glow party

The total cost for firewood, glow sticks and some of the snack items (our friends each brought something) was less than $40.

We had a great night with our friends, used a lot of things we already had at home and made use of our home while enjoying playing outside for about $1 per guest!

 

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