Looking for a great party idea? Invite guests to their own interpretation of the hit game show “Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?” Test your knowledge, or lack of it, of elementary school facts. Like the hit game show, adults will be in disbelief about how much they have forgotten since elementary school. You will surely be on the “honor roll” when you host this A + party for your friends.
Create the atmosphere
Make a classroom environment:
Create a chalkboard (or use a real one) in the front of the room to serve as a game board (Print up to six topics on the board: First Grade Math, Third Grade Social Studies, Fifth Grade Earth Science, etc. , and come up with several easy questions for each one.)
ยท Decorate a “teacher’s desk” in the blackboard font (Place the following on the desk … an apple, a stack of books, a pencil filled with sharp pencils, a globe, a pencil sharpener, a jar of candy , etc. ..)
Arrange two student desks in front of the blackboard … one for the student’s helper and one for the contestant
Decorating for 8 year olds
Tie red helium balloons to bright red apples and place around the party room
Hang elementary school poster cutouts on the walls (found in teacher supply stores)
Stack shoe boxes at the entrance of the party to serve “cubicles” for the guest to store their belongings.
Hang a large map on the wall.
Place an American flag in the corner of the room.
Use outdated lunch boxes as centerpieces on tables
Print guest names on wooden rulers and use as place markers on tables.
Play the game
Before the party, find two or three elementary school students to serve as helpers. Make sure they know how the game works. Let them know that they will be asked to answer questions from the elementary school. (Plan to play the game at the beginning of the party, so the youth can sneak out early.) Also pick a friend (if not yourself) to play the game show host or teacher. Make sure the host is familiar with the setting of the game.
Explain the rules of the game and ask if anyone thinks they are “smarter than a fifth grader.” Pick a contestant willing to have fun and start laughing. After the first contestant finishes, or graduates, pick someone else and play another round.
Make it more fun
Create fake money (personalized with party details) to award winning contestants. Record the music from the game show on TV and play it during the party. Serve Bagged Lunches: Pack each guest a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, a bag of potato chips, and a small dessert in a paper bag for lunch. Fold up the top and print the names of the guests on the bags with a magic marker. Place the lunch bags in the middle of the food table and surround them with hearty snacks. Fill the coolers with juice boxes and milk cartons, and of course have a second cooler filled with beer and bottled water.
For a fun touch, ask guests to come to the party dressed as elementary school students or teachers. Set up a backdrop for elementary school “picture day” and take digital photos of guests. Print the photos and send them home in manila envelopes.
Ask the guests to bring a photo of themselves at the elementary school (if they can find one) and have a game of “guess the elementary school boy” during the party.
For take-home gifts, order personalized pencils and notebooks. Pack them in zippered bags or small boxes of school supplies along with glue sticks, fruit cups, large lollipops, and Twinkies.