Space Alien Rescue Birthday Party

Thank you for coming, everyone! While we wait for the last guests to arrive, step in here and color your mothership calling device. I'll explain that later... 

Coloring noisemakers while waiting for guests to arrive.

Noisemakers to be used later to call in the mothership.

We have an emergency situation here. NASA will be contacting us on this special computer. They need our help!  They have 8 missions for us.  Are you ready to head outside and get to work?

Laptop made from cardboard shipping boxes.  Glow in the dark paint initials for deep space!

My son helped decorate the computer.  We printed the 8 missions  and slipped them inside.

The missions were numbered, but to aid in quick identification, I put them in rainbow order.

Outside, our alien rescue heroes await instruction.

Mission 1:  FIND ABDUCTED ALIENS

Aliens on an expedition to research planet Earth have been captured by an evil politician who has imprisoned them in tiny containers which are hidden in the backyard.  Can you be heroic by rescuing one alien prisoner each?

Alien babies captured in tiny containers, each individually marked.

Alien babies rescued!

 Mission 2:  FIND AND RELEASE ALIEN SPACE CRAFT

The evil politician has also hijacked the alien’s space craft.  Find the right spaceship by matching the symbol on top of your alien container to the symbol on the bottom of the spaceship.  Don’t touch the spaceship yet though, as the politician has set a trap!

Alien spaceships were distributed throughout the yard.  The boys needed to find the ship with the same symbol as their alien, then use a blaster to free the ship.

You will need to use the BLASTERs to destroy the holding mechanisms to safely release the spaceships.  There are 10 targets that must be neutralized.

Pre-filled with water, these blasters were ready for action.

Aim at the target! Blast it til the paint runs off, then collect your alien's spaceship!

Misson 3:  SEND ALIENS HOME

The aliens are almost free! Meet launch pad supervisor in front yard to blast the alien craft back through the milky way and beyond.  Watch out for asteroids (small bodies that orbit the sun)!

Sending the aliens home (frisbee toss the spaceships).

On the way, the spaceships passed through the asteroid belt (pop rocks) , the milky way galaxy (mini candies of the same name), and through the stars into deep space (starburst).

Misson 4:  SHOOT THE STAR

Particles of debris (sand or dirt) have flown off the alien saucers as they left the earth.  As these particles fall back to earth’s atmosphere (gravity), they burn up and cause what we know as a shooting star.  Meet in the driveway to see how far your shooting star can go...

Shooting stars were cardboard tubes sprayed gold with construction paper flames on one end.

The goal of the game was to toss the "shooting star" like a javelin and see how far it could go.

The boys enjoyed this game so much, they played it four times, taking turns to "shoot" their "stars."

The "particle" that caused the shooting star was a beaded alien zipper pull  made by my son and I. We wrapped it carefully in tissue paper and stuffed them inside cardboard tubes. The prizes weren't noticed until the very end!

Misson 5:  BLACK HOLE ENCOUNTER
Oh no!  We've just received transmissions indicating that the flying saucers are have encountered a black hole (a region in space time where gravity consumes everything, even light)!  Assist your alien craft by obliterating this space nuisance!

Obliterating the black holes... (chocolate donuts on string, try to eat with no hands).

 Misson 6:  DODGING COMETS

The flying saucers have landed on comets for a brief moment to repair their ships after narrowly escaping the black holes.… Can you guide them on zooming comets (icy solar system debris that leave  stunning, lighted tails) past any erratic asteroids?  Be sure to keep your comet’s tails from touching the ground!

Flying comets:  ribbon wands

The boys truly loved this game, too! They ran, and ran and ran...

until at least one comet stopped to rest!

Misson 7:  PROJECT DEEP SPACE

Thanks to your help, the flying saucers are now free and into deep space!  Want to go and have a look? Head inside (remove your shoes please!) and be sure to look out for other flying saucers, alien eggs, and shooting stars!

"Deep space" was a bedroom with dozens of stars illuminated by black light.

The boys gathered objects like glow bracelets and enjoyed the out of this world atmosphere!

Treasure included glow in the dark toys.

A rare find!  Alien eggs! (Splat throwing toys inside DYI ornaments shells decorated with  glow in the dark paint.)

*******INTER-MISSION:  CAKE, SNACKS, AND PRESENTS BREAK*******

Is anyone hungry after all that rescue work?  Head to the break room for cake and snacks!  We had build-your-own spaceship cracker sandwiches (circle shaped crackers, cheese, tomatoes, and turkey), along with assorted other snacks and cake.

Scrumptious Oreo planet cake!

Misson 8:  SUMMON THE MOTHERSHIP

The alien parents want to thank the rescuers but aren't sure where to land!  It is time to bring out your alien spaceship callers.  Meet in the front yard to see if we can summon the mothership!

swing the noisemakers to get a buzzing sound

spread out and make the sounds together

Our puppy Lilly had to add her own sound...

Success! The motherhip is coming!

Inside the pinata/mothership were parent aliens, puppets and candy.

And then the kids' own motherships (and fatherships) began to arrive... THE END!  Or was it?  I'm happy to report that one Mom says her astronaut is still playing...

Puppets used in this party were astronauts, alien and spaceship playsets, and aliens. Alien invitations are found here.