Lego Star Wars Party?

[Minnie M6]

DS turns 9 in April, and has decided he wants a Lego Star Wars party. He was set on a Webkinz party for months, and we had some fun things planned, but he and his friends seem to be over it at this point. Sigh


Legos are so expensive! We were shopping for a gift for his best friend's birthday a few days ago, and he was like well, I think I've decided......and hands me this giant Lego set. We scanned it just for kicks- it was $102

So, I'm wondering how to do this party on a budget. Any ideas? I would like to keep the guest list small as the kids will probably sleep over. I'm wondering if I can find random Lego pieces at a thrift shop/ garage sale for them to build with?

 

[WatchinCaptKangaroo]

Go with a Star Wars theme then add Lego themed things in to the mix. Google for some lego theming ideas.

You could also buy the small boxes (15count or so) of Legos for party favors instead of goodie bags.

 

[PolyHereWeCome]

There's lots of small Lego sets for $4-$6, not Star Wars themed, but cars with pull-back motors, airplanes, motor boats, rescue vehicles, sea creatures, etc. There's also Bionicles, which are popular with 9 year old boys. Go on Amazon.com or pop over to Target and you'll see lots of new and reasonably-priced Lego sets for $3.99, $4.99, $6.99. You could have paper goods in the Star Wars theme even if the Legos aren't. I made DS a Lego cake one year, which was basically a cake shaped like a Lego brick and then I decorated with Lego-shaped candies I bought in one of those pay-by-the-pound candy stores in the mall (they were sort of like smarties, cost less than $2).

My DS10 has been a huge Lego fan for years, so we are very well versed in Legos. Not sure what set you saw for $100+ but I'm guessing that the Star Wars stuff is priced so high because you are paying for that commercial licensing. If you want to check out cool sets, look at the more-clever inventor and creator sets with motors and multiple design projects.

I'm totally for sales and good prices on party favors, but, truthfully, not sure I'd give previously-opened sets bought at a thrift store or someone's garage sale. You still wouldn't be giving out Star Wars Lego sets then and I know DS has gotten a couple of sets from nana that she got that way and some no longer had the instruction books or had missing pieces. Good luck and hope he has a fun party!

 

[DizzKneeLand]

Make sure you check out the lego website ... (www.lego.com) often times there are sets onsale there ....

Also - Lego - on the website - has a program called the Brick Master ... it is $40 dollars for the year - they get special magazines and a small kit every couple of months

I have done this for my favorite 12 year old in the past - and he LOVED it

There is also an unofficial Lego site - that I have looked for hard to find items at ... http://www.bricklink.com/

Best of luck - Legos are a great gift - eventually the kids stop wanting directions and just build based on what they dream up.

DizzKnee

 

[Cathy baby RN]

They have Star Wars things at the Dollar Spot at Target now. Things like yo-yos, small dry erase boards,etc. I didn't notice everything they had, but there was quite a bit. Maybe you could get some for party favors. I know at our local thrift store they always have big bags of Legos.

 

[amp078]

My DS(8) is totally into Star Wars Legos. We have most of the sets and they are big bucks!!! We have purchased all of the new sets that are out now so I was running out of options for Easter and his birthday. Luckily, a guy at work is downsizing his Star Wars collection so he just sold me all of the Episode 1 sets that we didn't have yet. They are still new in the box so they should get me through until Christmas.

I was able to find bins of Legos for sale at garage sales last year and I would always buy them- usually there were some Star Wars pieces mixed in and we have been able to put together sets from these lots.

My advice would be to start checking the classifieds and craigslist. Legos- especially Star Wars legos- bring in big money on eBay so it is hard to find good deals there. Maybe post an ad on craigslist or in your local paper and see if anyone is getting rid of some.

Good Luck!!

 

[joellyn23]

my 8yo went to a Star Wars party where they made their own lightsabers out of PVC piping and plastic tubing. Very generic, but the kids loved it. They also watched a movie or two (it was a sleepover).

 

[marshallandcartersmo]

Here's a great party favor we got at a party last year and use daily.............we actually were making more for the neighborhood kids just last night!

Find some noodles (you know those foam swim things about 6 feet long), cut them in half, wrap duct tape on the bottom of each one covering about 8-12 inches, then around the top and bottom of the duct tape put black electrical tape (or any other thick black tape you have, you could even color part of the duct tape w/a black sharpie I guess). It turns out really cute, looks like a lightsabor when you use green or blue noodles.........and the best part is when the kids start whacking the heck out of each other with them---it doesn't hurt!!
You can find noodles at the dollar store, and tape is cheap........cheap, cool party favor!!
I can attach a picture of my instructions aren't very clear........

My DS's are totally into star wars!

 

[mominwestlake]

Target also had lego star wars tshirts when I was there a couple of weeks ago.

 

[markmyboy]

Oooh, fun!
My son has been obsessed with legos since he was about 4 years old!
For his 8th birthday he had a lego themed party, it wasn't star wars specific, but we found these lego star wars movies online & copied them to a disc to watch during the party. The movies are pretty funny & the kids loved them. I tried to find them just now, but all I found was on youtube, but I know they are out there somewhere, I think I originally found them on the actual Lego website.
The thing the boys liked the most about the party was that we had huge buckets full of basic parts & LOTS of wheels & they had a certain number of minutes to build their vehicles & then we raced them down a ramp (folding table with one leg down). I had other things planned after this, but we never got to it, because the boys just kept building & racing & crashing.
I also did the lego cakes. There is a lot of info on that online as well.
I know I just saw the tiny lego sets for sale at Target with the easter stuff, I don't recall if they were star wars or not...probably not though.
I think there might even be lego star wars party plates in the party stores.
Good luck with the party planning, at least he gave you an idea, my two kids are both in April & neither of them have any idea what they want to do!

 

[DREAMS161]

I have two huge Lego Star Wars fans too. I did see the Lego Star wars t-shirts in the boys dept at Target yesterday. Also for Star Wars favors they had some Star Wars Easter goodies ...(i.e. vinyl Darth Vader with jelly beans for 4.99) Note: there is a Target coupon out there for $5 off a $25.00 toy purchase which might help you out. I have also seen similar shirts at Kohls too. Kohls also carries a small amount of star wars toys- don't know that I have seen Lego stuff though. Good Luck!

 

[Minnie M6]

Wow, thank you all so much for the great ideas!
I'm printing them all off to keep with me when I'm out shopping this weekend to see what I can find. Definitely plan to hit Target.

I love the Lego cake idea, the make your own lightsaber (this is what DS is most looking forward to doing at DTD), the lego star wars movies (didn't know these existed), the Brick Master program, all of your suggestions are fantastic

THanks again, and keep em coming

 

[lntsmom]

Freecycle.org or for cheap on Craigslist.

 

[MichelleinMaine]

The cake is super-easy- a rectangle with cupcakes on top. (A la a lego brick)

We also did a regular cake with (freshly washed) actual legos on top.

 

[mandysbus]

walmart has lego star wars tshirts (they have a pretty neat one on a red shirt for this season), also a batman lego shirt. also they have small star wars sets for 9.99 (i guess the idea behind them is so people can build up a clone or droid army). i think you get between 4-6 men in one of these small sets (stormtrooper? and some kind of droids) so depending on how many kids you could get a couple of these sets and break them up and give each kid a few minifigures.