Ni Hao, Kai Lan Party

NI HAO, KAI LAN INVITATIONS
Mail invitations 2-3 weeks before you party. 
Make your own unique invitations using card stock paper or order personalized invites from Birthday in a Box.

PARTY DECORATIONS
Your festive atmosphere will begin with balloons, streamers, table cover, posters and Kai Lan toys. 
Create a festive Chinese-themed atmosphere with red streamers, chopsticks, Chinese fans and Kai Lan images. Make some construction paper Chinese lanterns, or use that as an activity for the party!
TIP: Your local learning store will have Chinese/English posters you may choose to add to the decor.
Ni Hao, Kai Lan Party Decorations >>

Welcome Time
Start out by greeting your guests in Chinese - Ni Hao! Consider a fun game where you include the different ways to say hello in different languages, and match them with the country. Then, begin your trip to China!

Kai Lan Hair Craft
Create the adorable red flowered hair clips with the girls using standard clips, or bobbles and adding fake flowers.

KAI LAN PARTY GAMES & ACTIVITIES
Select 3-4 games that best suit your party needs.

Words you'll need to know:
YeYe - Kai Lan's paternal grandfather
Rintoo - Kai Lan's tiger friend
Tolee - Kai Lan's panda friend
HoHo - Kai Lan's monkey friend
LuLu - Kai Lan's pink rhino friend

Kai Lan Puzzler

1. Before the party -- Print out Kai Lan pictures from the Internet, or use a coloring book. Use a glue stick to affix each picture onto some construction paper. 
2. Cut the pictures into 2, 3, or 4 puzzle pieces. 
3. Hide the pieces around the party area.
4. The children will each find one puzzle piece and then find the the players with the matching piece/s. *Nick Jr. has free printable sheets. You'll find a  link and resources at the bottom of this page.

Walk to the Ant Hill

1. Before the party, make an ant path using stone shapes cut from felt.
2. Use a bowl or bucket for the top of the ant hill, and wrap a blanket around it to suggest a hill.
3. Have a few hard boiled eggs for the guests - get a spoon and each child has to balance the egg to the ant hill.
4. If they succeed, they get to take a letter back.  
5. Once each child has a letter, pull them together to form a circle and open up their special message (perhaps a clue leading them all to a prize.

Tip: play Chinese music to keep with your theme.

Dragon Boat Races

1. Consider creating two large sides of a dragon boat out of cardboard boxes.
2. The kids form a line, having to hold onto both sides of the large boat.
3. Create an obstacle course for them to race through!

Noisemakers with Kai Lan's band
   1. Make and decorate noisemakers with empty film containers filled with rice or two paper plates filled with beans and stapled    together. Or make other fun instruments out of recycled materials.
   2.  Decorated with stickers, markers, fabric scraps, etc...(I like to apply masking tape around the edges of the paper plates for extra security and to cover sharp staples.) When the noise makers are complete, the children will pretend to be the band - play some lively music for the kids to play and dance along.

Hide and Seek

1. Rintoo has hidden some cards can you find them?
2. Hide Chinese Flash cards (educational store)around the party area.
3. The kids each try to find the cards. 
4. Everyone gets a small treat!
5. Send the cards home in their party bags.

Coloring Sheets
For younger party goers, it's always a good idea to provide a quiet coloring space. Set out coloring sheets and crayons on a table or mat for the children to enjoy.
*Nick Jr. has free printable sheets. You'll find a  link and resources at the bottom of this page.

KAI LAN FOOD & GOODIES
If you need to serve lunch or a snack...
Consider egg or spring rolls, dragon fruit, fortune cookies, or any other Chinese food favorites.

Cupcake Treasure Hunt
Combine you party treats with a fun activity.

1. Make frosted red cupcakes topped with Kai Lan rings.
2. Before the party draw some simple pictures on 3x5 cards of items around your house or yard. Dog bowl, swing set etc.
3. The children play as a group. 
4. Give them the first card -- dog bowl--at the dog bowl they'll find their next clue -- swing set--there they'll find the next card and so on. The last card will have a picture of you. When they find you....you'll have cupcakes and juice for them to eat at the table. 

KAI LAN PARTY FAVORS
Fill small Chinese food to-go containers (craft store) with fruit snacks a Kai Lan trinket and some crayons.

Kai Lan Party Favors>>

RESOURCES AND LINKS

Giant List of Party Ideas
Party Tips
Main Party Page
Home Page