Each month, Life Time Kids puts on creative and engaging themed events for kids during Parents Night Out. This series details how you can re-create those activities in your own home. (Looking for more ideas? Try this Super Builder Challenge, this Community Cheer, or these Colorful Crafts and Games.)
Grab your favorite superhero costume — or make your own using clothing and props from around the house — and gear up for a superhero party in your own home. Kids can get creative during the crafts to add to their costumes, while a series of games encourages them to use their imagination to really get into their favorite superhero character.
What you’ll need:
- Decorating tools, such as construction paper, stickers, markers, sequins, or pom poms
- String
- Scissors
- Glue sticks or glue
- Popsicle sticks
- Ball
- Hula hoop
Superhero Crafts
Superhero Masks
Print this mask template. Then, allow each child to decorate their own mask as they wish using construction paper, stickers, markers, or any other materials you have on hand. Once they finish decorating, help your child poke a hole on each end of their mask, thread a piece of string through the holes, and tie it off so that the mask stays put on your child’s face.
Superhero Figures
Have your child paint or color a popsicle stick with any color. Next, have them cut out a triangle from paper or cardstock to create a cape, as well as a smaller rectangle for a mask. Then, glue the cape and mask to the popsicle stick and add eyes and a mouth. Be creative! Encourage your child to add glitter, sequins, or any other embellishments they’d like.
Superhero Games
Superhero Surprise
This game is like rock-paper-scissors, except you use superhero actions. The object is to try to read each other’s mind and figure out which of the three characters the other person is going to imitate.
Start by practicing the three superhero character actions: the Superman (place your hands on your hips and say “da-dada”); the Wonder Woman (lasso your arm in the air and make a lasso sound); and the Batman (put your pointer and middle fingers on your head and say, “I’m Batman”).
Have two members of your family stand back-to-back, with each person silently choosing which character they think the other person will mimic. Once they’ve made their selection, each person should turn around and face one another. On the count of three, the two of you do your character motion.
If you get it right and both imitate the same superhero, do the rock-n-roll salute: Place your pointer finger in the air, bring your elbow to knee and say, “Yes!” If you get it wrong, place your hand in front of you, palm up, and bring it up to your forehead and say, “Dope!”
Switch off so all family members get a turn; play as many rounds as you’d like.
Superhero Pile-Up
In this game, every player has lost their superhero powers and aims to collect them back.
In a large space — the yard works great — set up your playing area. Place one hula hoop per player around the perimeter of the space, each representing a player’s home base. Scatter as many balls as you have around the area, which represent the lost superpowers. Each person must collect their superpowers (balls) back and return them to their base.
Once a player has collected their powers, they are allowed to steal balls from other players’ hula hoops. Set a timer for 15 to 20 minutes for this game, or as long as you’d like to play. When the timer runs out, whoever has the most balls in their hula hoop wins.
Superhero Revival
Play this game in a large space, perhaps your backyard, and use the same bases you set up in “Superhero Pile-Up.” Depending on the number of people playing, you could divide into two teams or play as individuals.
If playing in teams, designate one person from each team to be the tagger; if you’re playing individually, each person is a tagger.
The “tagger” will use a ball to tag the other players — if you’re tagged with the ball, all of your powers are drained and you must go back to your base to revive. In order to do so, the player must perform 10 burpees to be allowed back into the game. Everyone is fair game — even taggers can be tagged by other teams. Play for 15 to 20 minutes as long as you’d prefer.
