For my daughter's 11th birthday party, we planned a Game Show party.
We printed tickets onto cardstock that said the recipient was invited to be a contestant on the exciting game show Friday Night Game Night The K---'s Birthday Special." The numbered tickets gave the date time and location of the "taping including a disclaimer stating that ticket could not be redeemed for cash, and let the contestants know they would receive a complimentary meal." Our games included "Liar Liar a version of To Tell The Truth;" "Twist of Fortune a Wheel of Fortune" knock-off with kid-friendly categories; "Draw Win or Lose" (aka "Win Lose or Draw"); "AVM" in which teams had to decide whether something was animal vegetable mineral (FYI: leaf muntjac is NOT a vegetable); "Dress Up Dress Down a clothing relay game; and $1000 Pyramid also with kid-friendly categories such as why you want to go to Disneyworld" and "things a parent would say." Most games were played in teams of two and were accompanied by authentic 80's game show music downloaded from the internet. Each game earned the players "birthday bucks" (money from assorted board games we had around) which they used at the end of the evening to buy items from the "Prize Center mostly $1 store items. Drinks in a cooler and bowls of snacks kept everyone pumped and fortified until we took a dinner break halfway through the evening - and they didn't want to stop then! Of course it was videotaped and each girl received a 20 minute higlights DVD. My daughter says it was the best party ever." "