Activities
Make Your Own Shield
Supplies:
- Large, cardboard circles (pizza cardboard works perfectly)
- Aluminum foil
- Red, white and blue construction paper, felt, etc.
- Markers, paint, etc.
- Glue
- Fabric strap (nylon, cotton, etc.)
Directions:
Your guests will love being able to put together their very own Captain America shields! Prepare materials before the party, so guests have as much time as possible just for creating and decorating. Source enough pieces of circular cardboard so that each guest has one, plus a couple of extras. Pizza cardboard works especially well for this, so start saving them early if you plan on using this option. On the back of each shield, staple a small length of strap as a handle, just big enough so that little hands can hold the shield securely. Cotton or nylon webbing (like the straps on backpacks) can be found at most craft stores and works well for this. Once the handle is attached, cover the entire shield in aluminum foil. This will act as a nice, shiny backdrop for each guest’s shield. At the party, let guests use red, white and blue construction paper, felt, markers or paint to decorate and embellish their shields.
1-Minute Foot Race
Supplies:
- Large, open area for running
- Stopwatch
- Blue ribbon awards (optional)
Directions:
Captain America can run a mile in just one minute—see how far your party guests can go in the same amount of time! This activity works best if you’re holding the party at, or in close proximity to, a large park or school field with a track, so guests have plenty of space to run, and so you can pre-measure the distance of the area they’re running on. (Check out the area on an online mapping program or runner’s route software to see how many laps or how many times across a soccer field might equal a mile, so you have a good gauge of how far your guests are running.) Have guests line up at the starting line, and set a stopwatch for 1 minute. Have guests take off when you shout “go!” and have them keep running as far as they can before the minute is up. Award the top finishers with blue ribbons, as a special touch.
Feats of Superhero Strength Obstacle Course
Supplies:
- Large backyard, park, playground or wide open indoor space
- Chairs, ottomans, hula hoops, hand weights, etc
Directions:
All your little superheroes will be itching to try out their superpowers! Set up a cool, challenging obstacle course for your party guests to run through to show off their skills. If you’re hosting the party in or near a park or playground, use swings, slides, and other playground equipment as part of your course. Otherwise, set up a number of household items in your yard or play room, like chairs, tables, ottomans, hula hoops and small hand weights. Have guests run, jump, crawl, spin and leap around, over and through obstacles as you have them set up. (Be sure to be careful to keep the course safe for a variety of ages and abilities.)
Captain America Party Toss Game
Supplies:
- Captain America party toss game
- Plenty of open space to play
Directions:
Let guests test out their aim and precision in this fun superhero game! Simply divide party guests into two teams, and let them take turns tossing game discs into the box. Game discs are designed to look just like Captain America’s shield! Kit includes everything you need to enjoy the game again and again.
Recipes
World’s Fair Chili Dogs
Estimated Total Time: 35 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1- Medium onion, chopped in to small pieces
- 10-Slices of bacon, chopped in to small pieces
- 1-Pound ground beef
- 2-Tablespoons tomato paste
- 4-Tablespoons ketchup
- 1/2-Tablespoon garlic powder
- 1-Tablespoon paprika
- 1-Teaspoon cumin
- 3/4 – 1-Cup water
- 1-Chopped medium tomato
- Dash of crushed hot red pepper
- 12-Beef hotdogs
- 12-Hotdog buns
- 1-Cup grated cheddar cheese
Directions:
Now your guests can chow down on World’s Fair-style chili dogs, just like Captain America in The First Avenger! Begin by frying the chopped onion until transparent and brown in a Dutch oven or large pot. Add in chopped bacon and fry until brown. In a separate pan, brown ground beef and drain. Combine beef with bacon and onion mixture and add tomato paste, ketchup, garlic powder, paprika, cumin and water. Cook over medium heat for about 15 minutes. Add a dash of crushed red pepper for a little kick (leave out if your party guests prefer a milder chili.) Dice one medium tomato, add to chili and simmer for another 10 minutes. While chili is finishing up, grill or fry hotdogs in a pan and toast the buns. Spoon chili mixture over hotdogs and top with shredded cheddar. Serve with chopped onion, relish, mustard and any other condiments your guests can add if they wish.
Patriotic Fruit & Yogurt Parfait
Estimated Total Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
- Blueberries
- Raspberries and/or strawberries
- Plain Greek yogurt
- Honey
Supplies:
- Clear plastic cups or glasses
Directions:
This patriotic parfait is a perfect match for your Captain America theme! In clear cups or glasses, prepare this tasty layered side dish. Start with yogurt and top with berries for the first layer. Squeeze a little honey on top of the berries, so it drips down between the berries and sweetens the yogurt a little. Keep layering, yogurt, fruit and honey, yogurt, fruit and honey, until you get to the top. Use fresh or frozen berries for the layers, and garnish with fresh berries on top. If you’d like, slice fresh strawberries and let them sit overnight in the refrigerator, so they create their own juice and make for sweeter layering.
Stained-Glass Star Jell-O
Ingredients:
- 4-Small (3-oz.) boxes of Jell-O, in red and blue flavors (2 strawberry & 2 blue raspberry, for example)
- 1-(14-oz.) Can sweetened condensed milk
- 2-Envelopes unflavored gelatin (such as Knox)
Supplies:
Directions:
This star-spangled side is sure to be a hit with all your little superheroes! (Please note, this dish is simple, and each step is fast, but it may take a while for Jell-O to set, so make sure to plan ahead!) Start by making a double batch of red Jell-O, and in a separate pan, a double batch of blue Jell-O. (Whichever flavors you choose is up to you, as long as they’re red and blue!) When Jell-O is completely set, remove from the refrigerator and slice each pan into very small cubes (about ½”.) Carefully remove all the cubes from the pans, then mix and layer the blocks into a clean 9x13” pan. In a separate bowl, sprinkle 2 envelopes unflavored gelatin into 1/2-cup cold water and let it sit for 3 minutes. Once the gelatin blooms, add 1 ½-cups boiling water and stir to dissolve. Then stir in the can of condensed milk and cool in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes. Pour cooled milk/gelatin mixture evenly over the pan of red and blue Jell-O cubes and chill overnight. When the Jello/gelatin mixture is completely set, use a star-shaped cookie cutter to cut pieces from the finished pan. Serve on a festive platter and watch your guests marvel at this red, white and blue masterpiece!
Super Soldier Serum Punch
Estimated Total Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
- 24-Ounces cranberry juice (or 24 ounces other red fruit juice)
- 24-Ounces Gatorade sports drink (blue)
- 24-Ounces lemon-lime soda
- Ice cubes, fill glass to the top with cubes
- Red and/or blue berries, maraschino cherries, etc. (garnish; optional)
Supplies:
- Tall, 12-ounce glasses
- American flag toothpicks (garnish; optional)
Directions:
Make sure all the super soldiers at your birthday bash have all the energy they need with these clever drinks! Place enough ice cubes into a tall, 12-oz. glass to fill only the bottom third. Pour the cranberry juice (or other fruit juice) in to fill the bottom third. Add more ice, filling the glass about two-thirds in total. Carefully pour blue Gatorade into the glass to fill up to the top of the ice. Fill the glass the rest of the way with ice and top with lemon-lime soda. If you pour carefully, the layers should stay relatively in-tact for a fantastic red, white and blue beverage all your guests will enjoy! Garnish with berries or maraschino cherries and American flag toothpicks, if desired. (serves 8)
Captain America Shield Cake
Estimated Total Time: 45-60 minutes
Ingredients:
- Cake mix (homemade or store-bought; white or red velvet)
- Vanilla icing
- Red and blue food coloring (or red and blue fondant)
Supplies:
Directions:
This Captain America-themed cake really packs a punch! Start by baking the cake in a 9” round cake pan, according to package directions. Let cool. Remove the cake from the pan and use a small amount of the icing to crumb coat the cake and chill in the fridge until the icing sets up and no longer feels tacky. (This step seals in any crumbs, fills in any gaps between layers, and sets up a nice, smooth surface so your decorative frosting looks its best.) When the crumb coat icing is set, remove cake from the refrigerator and frost entirely with vanilla icing. Separate whatever icing is left over and tint red and blue. Use red and blue icing to draw the rings and star of Captain America’s shield on the top of the cake. If you wish, roll out red and blue store-bought fondant and cut into the shapes of the rings and star for the shield. Either way, this simple cake will make a big impact on your food table.