Our Candyland Party

 

As I mentioned during the Dare to Share Party yesterday, we had a Candyland party at work yesterday.  As the days lead up to the party, I helped with a lot of the prep work.  I created games and decorations online, I crafted several crafts and games, and helped decorate for the party.  While I did get some pictures, I was too busy during the party to take more than a couple of pictures while the party was taking place. I will share what I have so far, with more to possible come early next week, because we plan on leaving the decorations up for a bit. 

One of our parents is a talented balloon artist. She made the rainbow balloons in our entryway in the picture above, and at the entrance below.  

As you entered it felt like you were in a real Candyland. Each of the rooms were a different land. We had Lollipop Woods, the Ice Palace, Chocolate Swamp, and Gingerbread Land.

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I took these photos while I was setting up during naptime, so they are a little dark.  As you entered one of the preschool rooms Princess Lolli and several giant lollipops greeted you.  

In that room we had a cookie chair walk game.  It was a combination of a cake walk and musical chairs, but we did not remove the chairs after each round.  The kids and some parents walked around the chairs to the music, and when it stopped sat down in one of the numbered chairs.  If their number was called, they won a bag of cookies and some game tickets to use toward a big prize. 

The chocolate swamp mural was not completed yet in this picture, we were still working on it.  In the chocolate swamp room the kids had a chocolate matching game, and a maze.  

At the last minute I threw together this ice cream sundae.  We had hoped to play pin the cherry on the sundae, but ran out of time to finish making it. We will have the kids play it in class during a school day next week.  

In the second preschool room we had the Ice Palace. There was a big mural on the wall, and snowflakes all over the walls and hanging from the ceiling. 

In this room we had the punch cup game, and the penny toss game.  The kids won tickets and candy with both games.  I made these games by hot gluing regular size and mini red cups onto Dollar Tree foam board. 

I don't have pictures inside Gingerbread Lane room, but the kids who entered were greeted by Jip the Gingerbread man which I made for last year's party.  

In the center area, I play picture Candyland Bingo with a Bingo game I created that will soon be in my Etsy Shop.

At the end of the party the kids could turn in their tickets (hopefully they had a lot of them) for a variety of prizes.  Almost all of the prizes came from the Dollar Tree.  This is only half of the prizes.  There were just too many to get them all in one picture. 

Candyland is one of the parties we do for the kids yearly. We got a lot of good feedback on this year's party, so will have to wait and see what next year's party brings.   

  

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Watch Ya' Mouth Throwdown Game Review

Disclosure: I am an US Family Guide Blogger.  I received this game to review for my readers.  All opinions are 100% mine.  

This past week I received the game Watch Ya' Mouth Throwdown Edition to play with my family.  We knew the perfect time to try it out was over Thanksgiving when we would be eating dinner with friends.   I played the game with my friend who is a nurse, and three apprehensive, grumpy teenagers.  

We had all seen the first version of the game on TV,  but none of us have played it before.  When I opened the game we found a lot of colorful game pieces.  

We followed the directions, and washed the mouthpieces we had chosen to use.  My friend the nurse made sure we kept things sanitary.  She had just gotten over a cold, and joked that if we did not prepare the game properly, we would have to call it "How to Catch a Cold" game.  They are top rack dishwasher safe, which seems like a great way to clean them before and after playing.  

 I have a very small mouth.  As hard as I tried I could not get the mouthpiece in my mouth, that is when I realized that there were TWO sizes, large and small.  I had been trying to use the large adult size, but luckily the smaller child size fit. 

I have to admit when you are wearing the mouthpieces you look pretty ridiculous. (though that that is part of the fun of it)  My daughter would not let me take a picture  of her wearing it, and my son hid behind the box.   My friend's son was  brave and allowed me to use him as the model in my photos.  

In the game you go around the table, and roll a die with arrows on it.  Depending on how it lands, it will show you who you are challenging   You the pick up a Throwdown card, and follow the directions it tells you to do.  The instructions say you can not pass on a Throwdown.  Some of the challenges are very difficult, so I made the executive decision to allow passing, so my players would stay in the game.  

We noticed that this game is for ages 8 and up.  Some of the cards may be too hard for younger players. On one of the cards you had to sing a song with the mouthpiece in.  The teens we played with were ages 16, 17 and 18, and not one of them knew who Frank Sinatra, Marvin Gaye, Aretha Franklin, and Neil Diamond on the were.  I even sang the songs associated with them without the guard, still clueless. They did redeem themselves with knowing PRINCE, and Elvis Presley though.. (I'm a 80's kid, who loves Prince)   

You use different props (and add some of your own)  Here Noah shows demonstrates one of the games with the straw. 


If you find the challenges are too hard, you can still  play the original version by using the phrases deck.  

If you are not a fan of looking silly, and trying new things this may not be the game for you.  However, if you were a fan of the first game, you will probably love this one too.   It is a great game for parties and large groups.  

Want a game of your own, you can find it here---> http://amzn.to/2i6NKwG
Use the code  15WYM  to get 15% off.  (good through Dec 31, 2017) 

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