Star Wars Party Games to Play

Battle of Naboo
The goal of the game is to capture the planet, Naboo, (a ball) that is placed in the middle of the playing area and run back without getting tagged by the defender, a Naboo Warrior. The winning team is decided by keeping score.

Before the party
Mark a playing area in the grass which is at least 20 feet by 20 feet. An easy way to mark the area is by cutting the grass lower or by spraying the grass with spray paint. Designate two goal lines at opposite ends of the field.

At the party
Divide the children into two equal teams, Naboo Warriors and the Trade Federation Droids. One team is the "Droids" and one team is the "Warriors." Each team should stand behind their goal line. Place a large ball, representing Naboo, in the center of the playing field. To start the game, one Warrior steps onto the playing area to guard the ball. One "Droid" steps onto the field to capture the planet. To succeed, the Droid must entice the Warrior into a chase by weaving, dodging, looking bored, etc. The Droid tries to run back, grab the planet/ball and run off of the field. Teammates should shout encouragement to their player, etc. A point is scored for the Droids if the Droid succeeds in getting the ball off the field. A point is scored for the Warriors if the Droid is tagged before he grabs the ball or leaves the field. Continue until everyone on each team has a chance to play. Switch roles with the Droids becoming the Warriors and vice versa.

Jedi Training Course
You can set up a timed or team obstacle course in which the guests use the "Force" to make it through a Jedi Obstacle Training Course. Here are just a few ideas:

• Guests walk blindfolded from one spot on an open grassy area until they can find/touch a designated object (something that won't trip or hurt them).
• Guests belly crawl under a rope.
• Guests run tires and climb monkey bars.
• Guests shoot a squirt gun stream through a hole in a piece of cardboard.
• Guests stand on one leg for 30 seconds.
• Guests run a slalom course through cones.
• Guests climb a cargo net.

Furthest Flight Contest
Hand each child a piece of paper. Have them follow your instructions as you go through the steps below: (be sure to crease all folds sharply with a fingernail.)
Fold the paper in half lengthwise.
1. Open the paper.
2. Fold one corner over the middle along the dotted lines. Note that the point you are forming at the bottom is slightly off center.
3. Fold the other corner up over the first. You will have a flap left over.
4. Turn the paper over and fold the flap down.
5. Fold about three inches of the nose up over the body.
6. Refold the fighter firmly along the middle line.
7. Open the paper. Fold the left and right wings down at a point about 1" from the middle line.
8. Turn the fighter over and fold up each wing tip.
9. Cut flaps in the center of each wing.

Have a contest Use the stopwatch to see which fighter stays aloft the longest, or see which flies the farthest.

Make Your Own Droid
For a simple activity, give children lots of tinker toys or other erector toys, and let them construct their own droid.

Or

Try building a recycled object Droid
Get large tin cans from restaurants such as those used for tomato sauce by pizza parlors. Go by an electronic repair store and ask for used keyboards or number pads, etc. Collect items such as silver duct tape, wire, string, green soda bottles, pie tins, milk cartons, and paper tubes. You may want to spray some things with metallic silver paint.

At the party
Divide children into groups or work as one large group. Children can strap together soda bottles to form a body, use a silver box as a head and attach tube arms and keypads, etc. Use green soda bottles, pie tins, milk cartons, paper tubes. Items can be attached with wire and silver duct tape.  

I Went to Naboo
Have children sit in a circle. The first player starts by saying, “I went to the Naboo and I saw __________,” filling in the blank with an item that starts with the letter A. The second player says the same sentence and adds and item that begins with B. Each person who follows recites the whole list of items and adds one starting with the next letter in the alphabet. The winner is the last person to repeat the whole list of items, in order, being taken to Naboo.

Make a Time Capsule
You can invite guests to bring something to the party that they would like to bury in a time capsule such as an object, or a drawing, etc. You will need a metal container (such as a tin with lid), and a clear plastic bag.

At the party
Have each child draw a picture or write something about themselves, life on earth, what the latest inventions are, etc. Collect all of the objects, drawing and pictures and place them in a plastic bag. Put the bag in the container and bury it. You might want to put a marker on top of the ground and you can make a "flag" to attach which says "To be opened in the Year 2,100."

Use the Force Blind Man's Bluff
Have the birthday child be the Jedi and blindfold him/her. Have the other children form a circle around the Jedi with their hands joined. The players start moving in a circle around the Jedi. They can even say once, "May the Force be with you!" When they stop moving, the Jedi points in the direction of a child and guesses a name. If he guesses correctly, he trades places with that child. If not, the child steps into the circle with the Jedi and the Jedi tries to catch him. Once the Jedi catches the player, he must try to identify the child by touching his hair, face, or clothing. If the Jedi guesses correctly, they switch places. If not, the Jedi stays in the center again. Options: While chasing the child, the Jedi calls “May the Force” and the player responds, “be with you.” to help locate the player (similar to Marco Polo). For younger children, when the circle stops, instead of just pointing and guessing, the Jedi walks out and touches a child and the children switch places.

Pod Races
For younger children
You may want to make Pods before the party.

Older children
Tend to enjoy making their own.

To make pods...
Before the party
Cut half circle/shield shapes from cardboard and spray paint silver. The pods should be approximately 3 feet wide by 2 feet deep. When dry, cut to handles in front, so that children can hold the "pods" in front of them.

At the party
Let children attach soda bottle engines with duct tape or paint on designs.

To race
Younger children may just enjoy running with the pod to a finish line. You can make it a timed event to be more competitive. For older children, divide children into two even teams. Mark a goal line running distance from the teams. Have the children form two lines. Using a relay race format, the first child in each team runs with his or her pod to a goal line, turns around and runs back and tags the next teammate in line. The first team to finish wins.

Balloon Light Saber Battles
To make Balloon Sabers: Tip: To inflate a modeling balloon, give the balloon a good stretch by tugging at either end.

1. Insert the balloon pump into the nozzle of the balloon, and hold the balloon onto the pump while you're inflating it.
2. Inflate the "260", leaving two inches uninflated, let a little air out before knotting, and knot balloon.
3. Make a "tulip twist" at the knot end: Hold the inflated balloon in your left hand at the knot end and push the knot into the balloon with your right index finger. (Note: It will help if you first wet your finger.)
4. With your left hand, pinch the sides of the balloon to grasp the knot inside the balloon.
5. Hold the knot tightly with your left hand and carefully pull your right index finger out of the balloon. With your right hand, twist the balloon three times to make sure it stays twisted.
6. Make handle: Grasp the balloon about 3-4" back from tulip knot and twist it about five times to form a four inch bubble.
7. To make the handle guard, make lock twist: Pinch off four two inch sections and twist each section three times to hold.
8. Twist the two bubbles farthest from the tulip twist together, forming one side of the handle guard.
9. Then, bring that section to the twist between the handle and the first two inch bubble and lock twist several times. The remaining section is the blade of the saber. Done!

These can be made the morning of the party. You may want to make a few extra. At the party, divide children into pairs for Balloon Light Saber Battles. One can be Darth Maul and one can be Obi-Wan or Qui-Gon. Or divide the group into two big teams - the Naboo Warriors and the Trade Federation Droids. Children can bop each other until they tire of it!

Darth Maul Cake Hunt
Before the party
Write out clues (some suggested clues follow) on star-shaped pieces of paper. Work backwards leaving clues at each location listed on the clues. Hide the cake and bring it out just before the children arrive at the last clue, which should lead to the cake table. At the party, have someone appear with a clue and tell the children that Darth Maul has stolen the cake and it’s up to them to follow the clues and recover it! Read the first clue. Let them follow the clues until they get to the cake.

Sample Clues

• The cake is missing! It’s hidden from view. If you want your dessert, then here’s what you do: Follow the clues; they’ll lead you to more. To find your next clue, look by the front door.
  
  
• You’ve reached the last clue; it’s dessert you deserve. On the deck, you’ll find the cake ready to serve!
  
  
• It’s a clue that you want, a clue you expect, so look by the steps that lead to the deck.
  
  
• You’ll have a clue to keep and to hold, if you go to the place where you keep food cold.
  
  
• Quick as a wink, look by the sink.
  
  
• As fast as you can, there’s no time to slouch, you’ll find your next clue by the living room couch.
  
  
• In the front yard, you’ll find an oak tree, if you look all around it’s a clue you will see.
  
  
• It’s a clue you want, a clue that you seek, Go to the grill and take a peek.
  
  
• Seek and Search, peek and snoop, look very carefully by the basketball hoop.
  
  
• The next clue is simple—it’s not hard at all, look near the closet in the front hall.
  
  
• A clue, a clue-now where can one be? I think there’s one hidden near the TV.
  
  
• The next clue is easy, it’s in the bag, but only if you look by the flag.
  
  
• It’s not a trick it’s not a trap, just look where you give your food a zap.
  
  
• Can’t find it yet, try by the television set.
  
  

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