Bowling Theme Party Supplies, Party Decorations, Favors,Tips and Ideas! If your child loves Bowling, Party Supplies by Vicki is the place for for all of your Bowling Theme Party Supplies and Party Decorations!

Fun Activities

Water Bowling

For this activity, you will need a squirt-gun for each guest and several lightweight plastic bottles for “bowling pins.” Set up the bottles along a fence, ledge or picnic table so that each guest has one bottle directly in front of him or her. Have a contest to see who can knock over their bottle first!

For older children, divide guests into teams. Set up three (or more) bottles in a triangle for each team, and have a squirting race. When the first player on each team knocks over all the bottles, he or she must set them up quickly for the next player, and so on, until each team member has knocked down the bottles using the squirt-gun. The first team to finish wins!

Birthday Cake Hunt
Children love to hunt for surprises! So, on your child’s special day, create a special hunt for the birthday cake! Enlist the help of older siblings, relatives, neighbors, or friends. Separate the children into different bowling teams and give them silly names for more fun. Give each team a set of clues that will lead them to other clues and party favors along the way. Provide bags to put the favors in and make sure each guest has at least one favor so nobody feels left out. Clues and favors should eventually lead the children to the location of the cake. Keep the cake close to home and under adult supervision. Excited children running through the house with a cake can be messy!

Bucketball Relay
This relay requires 2 equal teams, 2 small buckets (or containers with small mouths) and 2 small balls. To begin, players must walk, keeping the ball between their knees, from a starting line to the bucket. They must drop the ball into the bucket (without using their hands), retrieve it with their hand and run back to the next person. The smaller the ball and the container, the greater the difficulty. This game is sure to entertain any age group!

Strike!
Create your own version of bowling from the classic Pin the Tail on the Donkey game! Before the party, draw and cut out ten bowling pins from white paper. Then, cut out a bowling ball from construction paper for each guest and stick a piece of tape on the back. When it’s time to “bowl,” stick your pins to the wall in a bowling triangle using tape.

Gently blindfold each child when it’s their turn and give him or her a bowling ball. Spin each player around, and point him or her toward the pins. The player who sticks his bowling ball closest to the first pin (or any other designated pin) is the winner! You may want to play this game several times to give your guests more chances to win.

Crazy Frames
If you can’t take everyone to the alley, bowl in your backyard! Save several two-liter bottles for pins and weight them down on the party day with a bit of sand, water or even candies. Set them up on a smooth surface and use any rubber ball as your bowling ball.

For fun, make a list of criteria that the bowlers must follow for each frame of the game. For example, bowl with your back turned, bowl with your eyes closed, bowl between the birthday child’s legs, bowl while balanced on one foot, bowl with the opposite hand, etc. Let the kids make up their own challenges for crazy bowling. They will love it!

Delectable Treats

Power Balls
For guests with a big appetite! Boil four eggs until they are cooked. Run cold water over the eggs, then crack and peel them carefully. Divide 1/2 pound of ground sausage or beef into 4 equal portions and flatten each into a 5-inch round patty. Wrap each patty around an egg, covering it completely.

Beat one raw egg thoroughly in a small bowl. Roll each sausage-wrapped egg in the beaten egg mixture. Then, roll them in crushed saltine crackers, covering completely with crumbs. Arrange eggs in a shallow baking dish. Bake 25-30 minutes, until no longer pink. Serve warm or cold. (Serves 4)

Thirst-Quencher
This healthy drink is sure to bring cheers from all your little bowlers! In a blender, combine a 16-oz. jar of applesauce with a 12-oz. partially thawed can of frozen orange juice concentrate. Add 48 oz. of water and mix together. Hint: apple juice concentrate can be substituted for the orange juice concentrate to make a rich, apple thirst-quencher.

Bowling Ball
Cookies This recipe is sure to delight your guests and will make a great addition to your party. You can easily prepare these cookies beforehand, or involve the kids for a great activity!

Simply make your favorite sugar cookie recipe, or purchase ready-made dough. Instead of rolling the dough flat, take a large spoonful of dough and form a ball by rolling it between your palms. Set rounded balls on a baking sheet. Poke two or three small holes in each cookie with a toothpick to make finger holes. Bake according to instructions and cool before serving

Veggie Bowls
For this recipe, you will need 6 large ripe tomatoes and about 6 cups of potato salad to serve six guests. Prepare the tomatoes by slicing them in half almost to the bottom, but leaving the bottom intact. Then, slice the tomato again crosswise, again leaving the bottom intact. Slice the remaining quarters the same way to make 8 wedges in each tomato.

Gently open the wedges without breaking the tomato apart. Fill the center of each tomato with potato salad and press the wedges inward to form a flowerlike shape. Garnish with a piece of cilantro for fun.

Bowling Ball Cake
Surprise the athletes at your party with a cake that looks just like a bowling ball!

Make your child’s favorite cake recipe or cake mix according to package directions. Bake using a round ball cake pan (sold at kitchen shops). Cool the cake completely and carefully assemble according to cake pan instructions.

Once assembled, decorate your round cake with icing, using a star-shaped frosting tip. Let the birthday child decide what color it should be. Carve out finger holes near the top of the cake to give it an authentic look. Write “(#) Strikes for (Name)!” on the cake, piping the birthday child’s age and name for personalization!

Decorating Tips

Spread your tablecover on your party table. If your child has any theme-related toys, you can add them to the table for a more festive display. Cut several one-to-two-foot-long pieces of curling ribbon. Curl the ribbon by pulling it between your thumb and the blade of your scissors. Lay the resulting curls on your table for added color. Hang balloons in bunches for the best effect. If you choose to fill balloons with helium, wait until the party day to ensure they float well!

Use balloons to mark the party spot; hang them on the mailbox, near the front door, or tie them to the birthday child's chair to mark the seat of honor.

Place balloons anywhere that strikes your fancy. The more the better!

Gather six or eight streamers and attach them to the ceiling in the center of the party room (or over the table). Use a light fixture over the table, if you have one, as the center point for the streamers.

To create colorful two-tone streamers, put two differently colored streamers back-to-back, twist as you walk them to the wall, and attach at shoulder height.

Smile for the Camera!
Be sure to take lots of pictures. You and your child will want to remember this special party. A helpful hint: Order extra prints and send them to the parents afterward. Remember, it's not necessary to have everyone in each picture. Focus on small groups and avoid posing all the photos. Candids capture the laughter best!

© 2002 Birthday Express