HOW TO plan a kid-friendly super bowl party

Super Bowl Sunday is just around the corner, which means it's time to plan that annual football-themed extravaganza! Between the appetizers, drinks and decor, planning activities for the kids can often slip through the cracks--leaving you missing the big play or the funniest commercial while you struggle to find Mr. Rabbit or the Toy Story DVD. We're making it easy to plan ahead this year with some simple ways to ensure your kids feel like part of the party. 

• Get the kids up to speed on their football vocabulary before the game by making flash cards with some of these football terms. Read out the definitions and see who can name the word or make it into a game of charades by giving each child one card that he or she has to act out while everyone else guesses the term. That way everyone is on the same page when the ref yells, "Touchdown!"
• Foster a little friendly competition with the Super Bowl Smackdown game. Print copies of this worksheet for each child and have them fill it out with their Giants vs. Patriots predictions before the game begins. Then have the kids follow along with the game to see who wins each round. Reward the winners with little treats or prizes. 
• Test the kids' NFL team knowledge with this awesome memory matching game. Download and print this document (courtesy of Toddler Approved and artist Charles Arey) and cut out the squares to make the cards. Then set up a kids table away from the main viewing area where the kiddos can play. 
• We all look forward to the food at parties, and so do kids! Make them feel loved by having a special "kids section" of the food table with finger-food favorites like mini croissant hot dogs, veggies & ranch, fresh fruit, string cheese and mini pizzas. When in doubt, keep it simple. 
• Make dessert a big event for the kids by having a cupcake decorating table. They can turn their cupcakes into footballs with a layer of chocolate frosting and  white icing "lace" lines, or they can decorate according to their favorite team with white icing and red or blue colored sprinkles. 

Contributed by Alyssa, Fairmont Private Schools 

Image from TVJab.com