Family Fun Nights: Hawaiian Luau

Here are some fun ideas for a Hawaiian Luau everyone will love, just for fun or for a birthday party. This is my latest installment for our family fun binder. :) Please leave any more suggestions you have in the comments section, especially if you know of any good Hawaiian cartoons, movies, or books.

Hawaiian Luau

Teasers: Serve a Hawaiian breakfast of pineapple, ham and cheese omelets and a coconut treat. Or start decorating for the luau before anyone is awake. Or…casually greet your family in your swim suit, lei, and sunglasses as soon as they wake up, saying, Aloha! Find other Hawaiian words here.

Preparations: Here are a few ideas to build excitement during the day as you prepare for the luau in the evening. You can also buy fairly cheap Hawaiian decorations at Party City or through Oriental Trading.

Grass Skirts and Leis with Ziti: http://familyfun.go.com/arts-and-crafts/sew/feature/famf88fantasy/famf88fantasy7.html

Coffee Filter Flowers: http://www.familycorner.com/family/kids/crafts/coffee_filter_flower.shtml

Homemade Leis: http://www.dltk-kids.com/crafts/luau/lei.html

Pineapple Pinata: Paper mache around a large oval shaped balloon (do not paper mache over the end where the knot is tied). While the paper mache is drying, we give each child a strip of yellow paper to fringe and a piece of green paper to cut a large leaf. We use the yellow fringed paper to cover the dried balloon. Pop the balloon at the top and remove. Fill with candy and/or other trinkets related to the theme. Stuff the paper leaves partially inside the resulting "hole" at the top where the balloon was removed.

Tropical Placemats (EASY!): http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/single_parent_activity_ideas/105073

Hawaiian Luau Menu Ideas: http://www.angelfire.com/bc/incredible/menuhawaiian.htm

Games to Play

• Freeze Dance: kids dance while music is playing and freeze when it stops. Anyone moving must sit out one turn and control the music.
• Low Limbo: Use a broom or jump rope for the limbo stick and have everyone squat-walk under (bending at the knees as far as they can go and walking) the limbo stick. Crawling on your belly at the end is perfectly acceptable!
• Hula Hoop Frenzy: See who can go the longest with the hoops. Try spinning them on different parts of your body (neck, arms, legs).
• Suitcase Relay: Get dressed in things for the beach!
• Hula Hoop Statues: Hula hoop until the music stops. The Hula Hoops will fall, but the people must freeze wherever they are. Whoever gets caught moving is out!

Learning Extensions:

Find Hawaii information, more luau ideas, coloring pages, Hawaiian music, and more here:

http://www.atozkidsstuff.com/hawaii.html

Books:

http://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&keywords=Hawaii&rh=n%3A4%2Ck%3AHawaii&page=1

Winding Down:

Movies (watch first to decide if appropriate for your kids): Aloha, Scooby Doo! Lilo and Stitch, Gidget Goes Hawaiian

Books: Good night Hawaii by Adam Gamble and Joe Veno, High Tide in Hawaii (Magic Tree House Series) by Mary Pope Osborne

Journal: Write down each family member’s favorite parts of the Hawaiian Luau, save pictures, and possibly make a scrapbook page for each person to keep.