Aubrey turned seven in May. I still can hardly believe he is seven since I just brought him home from the hospital a few months ago it seems. He is into all things boy, but mostly he loves Legos and Nerf guns. We had a Lego party last year, and he wanted a Nerf gun party this year. I first thought I would just have all the boys bring their own gun, but then my sister showed us a homemade blow dart gun her son got as a party favor from a party he went to. My wheels started turning as to how we could use these at our party. I knew I would use the guns, but needed a way the boys could use them without darts laying all around our yard. So, the felt vest was born. I took regular sized felt and made a vest (front and back) with duct tape. I wish I would have taken a picture while I was making them, but I don't usually think of those things. The dart guns were made with small circumference pvc pipe cut to about 2 feet. I used colored electrical tape to add design and color to each of them so the boys would know their's just from the color. We did also write their name on them. I bought several packs of the velcro Nerf darts. Each boy got a small tin bucket with their name on it to carry their darts in. Then they each got a vest. They divided up into teams and played dart tag for a very long time. They each got to take their gun, darts and vest home as a favor. They loved it.
My sister's neighbor is a baker who makes fabulously decorated cakes. I sent her a picture of one of Aubrey's guns and she made an exact replica. It was so cool, and Aubrey loved it! Aubrey had been to a spend the night party a few weeks before his party, so he decided he wanted one too. The good thing about the dart tag was that most of the boys were worn out and quickly went to sleep.My quantifier for parties is that they are what my kids want. Not what I want, or what is popular on the web, or what will look cute in pictures. This party was it. Aubrey was so pleased with his party. It was exactly what he wanted, so it was a success!
