This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #AvengersUnite #CollectiveBias
Pardon me if I get a little sappy here, but yeah, I’m going to get sappy. Since April is Autism Awareness month I’ve had a whole lot of emotions going on lately. Judah is one of the smartest and most amazing kids I have ever known, so when this time of year rolls around it’s nice to celebrate him and how much he has accomplished on this journey. I am not one of those parents who have tons of parties for their kids or who make a big fuss over big blowouts on special occasions, but you know what? This kid needs to be celebrated. He needs to know how proud of him we all are, and he needs a break from all afternoon every day therapy every once in a while. So, with MARVEL’s The Avengers: Age of Ultron coming out soon I thought I would scoop up some superhero themed items at Walmart and throw my little hero a simple shindig full of fun outdoor play, hero missions and yummy treats! The kids had an absolute blast, and I got to watch my amazing little boy let loose and get lost in a world of fun! Oh, and get ready, because you’re about to see a ton of photos!
Judah hasn’t always been into pretend play, but this year it feels like he discovered a whole new side of himself – he runs around pretending to be Captain America on the regular, and I’m pretty sure he has convinced himself that he can run at super speed if he puts on his “special” running shoes. (I don’t know where that came from but we just go with it.) When I set out to put this party together I knew I didn’t have a lot of cash to dedicate to it but I couldn’t diy everything, so I set a budget at $350 and ended up going under by about $25! I do love to DIY my parties, so I bought a ton of supplies to make my own decorations and activities (this saves money over licensed decor!) and then with what I saved I got to splurge on fun stuff like dress up items, food, and an obstacle course for our hero mission.
We had some great food and activities, and I am SO happy with the way everything turned out! The afternoon started off with our young heroes heading out to the back yard and picking up their mission assignments.
Aren’t they cute? I whipped them up by cutting out manilla folders ($5 at Walmart) and then printing out a message I typed up with the S.H.I.E.L.D. logo on it. I also added a foam sheet mask on top of each one as a party favor. So once the mission objectives were out there, it was time for some dress up fun! I had a few buckets set out with Avengers gear in them for the kids to choose their hero attire.
After our heroes were suited up it was time for some fun! I set out hula-hoops to run through, plastic cones for “agility training”, a balance beam to use as a skyscraper test, and I even hid figurines and notes around the yard as clues to find the villainous Ultron!
After our heroes finished their quest, they needed some snacks and refreshments. Food included cereal treats on sticks in the colors of each Avenger and a s’mores station. I didn’t want to spend forever in the kitchen, so I thought some easy and mess free snacks would be perfect for a hot day in the sun! I also wanted a comic book feel to the whole thing without getting super cheesy, so I made up some adorable signs with my electronic cutter to stick in each of my serving dishes.
The s’mores station was amazing, and the kids really loved making their own! We didn’t do fire, but it was a hit anyway. The adults also got to watch the original Avengers movie projected onto a sheet as the sun was setting while eating their s’mores. While the movie is awesome, it isn’t intended for younger viewers so they were busy with their hero activities.
For drinks I had a bucket full of waters for the kids, but I also wanted something for adults so I set out some specially marked Avengers Dr. Pepper. I love being able to find themed food products for parties like this – there were also specially marked Doritos and Cheez-its as well, but I didn’t get them because I wanted to keep my table spread minimal and focus more on the activities.
As the party was winding down, each hero got to have their picture taken in the photo booth I made out of foam boards and construction paper. This was one of my favorite parts of the party, and I just love seeing their silly faces as they posed!
I would say this party was an absolute hit, and I loved every second of watching my kids have fun. Check out a few more photos from the party, and read to the end for a fun promo!
Want to enjoy even MORE Avengers excitement? Head over to iTunes or Google Play and download the Super Heroes Assemble app today! Seriously you guys, after all this hero play I can’t wait to see the new movie when it comes out!
