Monsters vs. Aliens Party

The Dreamworks 3D animated film Monsters vs. Aliens hit theaters recently. How fun—especially in 3D! You can head to the mymonstermakeover.com website for extra movie trailers, monster games, computer wallpaper, and screensavers, and to find out what monster you are most like.

While you’re on the site, enter the Office Depot and HP My Monster Makeover Sweepstakes for a chance to win $5,000 in Office Depot gift cards, a trip for four to San Francisco, an HP TouchSmart computer, and an HP wireless printer (the film was powered by HP technology). There are also additional prizes ranging from HP notebook computers and printers to Office Depot gift cards and movie tickets.

Fans can even pick up a free, special edition Monsters vs. Aliens movie poster, available exclusively at Office Depot for those who enter the contest.

This movie can definitely inspire a great kids’ party full of monsters, aliens, and more! Here are some ideas to bring the party together:

For your party invitation, use single, plain white packets of gelatin. Write your party details directly onto the packets, and sign them “Bob the Blob.” Draw a picture of Bob on the packets, and ask that your guests bring them to the party.

Celebrate Express has Monsters vs. Aliens partyware! They’ve got everything you need to pull this party theme together.

When Monsters vs. Aliens opens, the Antarctic scientists are bored as can be and are having a competition to see who can bounce a ball attached to a paddle the longest, until they hear the news of a meteor landing in California. When your guests arrive, have them do the same thing. Provide them with paddles with bouncy balls attached, and have a contest to see who can keep the ball bouncing on the paddle longest.

In the movie, Susan preps for her big wedding day to Modesto’s star weatherman before she becomes Ginormica. If girls will be attending the party, set up a spa station where they can prep for the big day too, with mini manicures, lip gloss, and hair accessories. If boys are attending, hang a large green sheet on a wall and set up a video camera. Then have the kids take turns playing weatherman.

Of course, Susan is transformed into her gigantic self shortly before the wedding and soon meets the other monsters: Dr. Cockroach, Missing Link, B.O.B., and Insectosaurus. Which monsters are your party guests? Have them decide which monster they want to be, or assign them monster personalities,

At your party, base activities on the Monsters vs. Aliens movie:

• Susan’s prison cell is made more friendly by a small kitty poster that says, “Hang in there!” Have the kids make their own posters to cheer up Susan’s cell. Have them either create individual signs/posters or one large one together. Hang their creations in the party area.
• Have the kids prepare their own B.O.B.’s using their gelatin packets. In the movie, the gelatin has pineapple chunks inside, and B.O.B. eats by morphing the food into his gelatin self.  Have an array of fruits and candies available for kids to place into their own B.O.Bs. Place the gelatin in the fridge while the party unfolds to get the B.O.B.’s solid enough to eat.
• Dr. Cockroach has a mad laugh and creates complicated machines out of pizza boxes.  Put empty pizza boxes, craft materials, and other items on a table, and have the kids create their own pizza box machines. Make sure the kids practice their mad scientist laugh during this project!
• The monsters play cards, so the kids can play their own card games too. During the games, see if any cheating goes on like it does with Insectosaurus.
• A pool party takes place in Susan’s parents’ backyard. If you have a pool, water slide or even a sprinkler, let the your little monsters have a great time. Make sure to serve up hamburgers, potato salad, and all of the other traditional backyard BBQ foods. This is also a great time to serve the kids their gelatin creations and see if they can act like B.O.B. and get their gelatin interested in them. The kids can add more foods to their molded gelatin too.
• Have the kids rock out to “Axel F,” the serenade the president gives the alien upon its arrival.
• Susan becomes Ginormica when she is hit with a meteor full of special energy that makes her green. Play a game with a soft, meteor-shaped ball. Make the birthday child “It” and have him or her throw the meteor. Whoever It hits is marked with green goo and becomes a monster too. Play until everyone has become a monster.
• For another great idea for a special Monsters vs. Aliens party meal, take a clue from Dr. Cockroach and make a hobo dinner. Serve it straight out of clean trash can, just like any roach would like.
• Susan uses cars as roller skates to save the day for San Francisco. Using two sets of roller skates (the type that can be adjusted to different sizes), divide the kids into two different teams, and have a roller skate race to one end of a driveway or other designated area and back. The first team done wins! Make sure to have body pads for the kids to wear during this game for safety.
• Serve up a batch of cupcakes and provide frosting and candy decorations so the kids can make their own monsters cupcakes. Enjoy!

For the perfect party favor, send the kids home with small shiny cellophane bags full of a few pertinent items: green candy goo, eyeball candy like B.O.B., roller skate or butterfly keychains, and special rocks, just like the meteor that fell on Susan.

This movie provides perfect inspiration for a fun party. Even taking the kids to see the movie is a party in and of itself. Have a great time!