Ask the Party Expert...

"Dear Party Expert:

I will be having between 25 and 30 teenagers for my daughter's 17th birthday. We have volleyball and basketball but are also looking for group games for this age level. HELP??"
~ Carolyn

Hi Carolyn-

First, I have to say you are one brave soul to throw a shindig for 25-30 
teenagers. Since you're supplying the place for the bash, I'll supply the activities.

With volleyball and basketball on the premises, I would suggest two other 
stations to compliment these games for the less-active guests. 

STATION ONE: CREATIVE NAILS
Set up one area with a table and chairs. You might want to throw a plastic tablecloth over and under this table for protection. Then, buy a variety of nail polishes, decals and gems. Don't forget remover, cotton balls and swabs, and manicure and pedicure supplies. Check the dollar stores for these products. A discount or drug store might have a better selection of nail colors. If you know anyone who sells cosmetics, ask if she has any samples she'd be willing to donate. Keep the items in a plastic caddy rather than having them strewn about. P.S. This is a great way to dispose of all those wild colors your daughter thought she'd love, but didn't.

STATION TWO: CREATIVE COLLAGES
2. For the second station, you will need another table for creating photo collages. Ask guests to bring several photos with them. Purchase a package 
of acid-free card stock to use as the collage base. Scapebooking paper can 
be cropped as a background mat for the individual photos. Assorted die-cut 
designs will add pizzazz to the project. Die-cuts come in a variety of 
themes such as vacations, school, activities, camp, food, and sports. Again, 
hit any dollar stores or merchants like Big Lots for scrapbooking supplies. 
While you can use rubber cement, mounting squares are preferred and won't 
ruin the pictures. If you trim the card stock to an 8 x 10 size beforehand, 
the guests will be able to frame their collage afterwards. 

GAME TIME: "TOP 40 SONG BINGO"
More than likely, you'll need your daughter's help to make this group game 
called "Top 40 Song Bingo." Plus, this is a fun way to spend some time 
together. First, record the refrain part of 25-30 popular songs. I played 
the music on one stereo and recorded it with a tape recorder. Don't worry if 
you have several seconds of silence between songs, this adds to the 
anticipation. Write down the title and artist of each recording as you make 
it. Throwing in a few kid ones like Barney or The Chipmunks or oldies like 
The Twist will give the girls a chuckle when they hear it. Check the library 
for other tunes. To make the bingo cards, use a colored marker to divide a 
9-inch paper square into nine blocks. Write the name of a song or artist (to 
vary the game) in each block. Make sure to mix up the songs on the cards 
from the way they are recorded. In bingo terms, mix them up. Be sure no two 
cards are exactly alike and you have one for each teen. To play, give each 
guest a card and nine pennies or buttons and turn on the recording. Players 
will cover the block that matches the song. The first one to fill her card 
wins. For each new game, play the sounds in a different order. This could 
last all night. Have fun. 

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