My son has really learned a lot about Star Wars as the Clone Wars cartoon has come out on TV.  I don't know a lot about Clone Wars, but grew up with the original Star Wars. So for his 6th birthday he had a Star Wars party. For the INVITATIONS I used an image of several Lego Star Wars characters at the top of 5 by 7� cardstock.  Below I had a star background where it said: IN A GALAXY FAR, FAR AWAY, ON THE EVENING OF (child's birth date), A BABY BOY WAS BORN.  THE JEDI COUNCIL NAMED HIM (child's name).  THEY KNEW HE WAS THE CHOSEN ONE.  IN THE SIX YEARS THAT FOLLOWED HIS BIRTH, YOUNG (child's name) HAS BEEN LEARNING THE POWERS OF THE FORCE.  MEANWHILE, THE REPUBLIC DISCOVERED A NEW ENEMY.  THE JEDI KNIGHTS FELT A STRONG DISTURBANCE IN THE FORCE.  FEAR, PAIN AND SUFFERING HAVE OPENED THE PATH TO THE DARKSIDE.  MANY JEDI KNIGHTS HAVE BEEN LOST. THE VERY FURTURE OF THE JEDI ORDER IS NOT IN JEOPARDY. YOUNG PADWAN (child's name) HAS BEEN CALLED BY THE JEDI COUNCIL TO SEEK OUT FURTURE JEDI.  MASTER YODA IS URING THE YOUNGLINGS TO COMPLETE THEIR TRAINING AND TAKE PART IN THE UPCOMING TRIALS.  On the back I put an image of a Luke on a black background.  I printed in white: PADWAN (invitee's name) PRESENCE IS REQUESTED TO COMPLETE HIS JEDI TRAINING AND PREPARE FOR THE TRIALS ON (party date).  TRANSPORT TO THE JEDI TEMPLE, ON CORUSCANT, WILL BE DEPARTING PROMPTLY AT (start time) FROM THE (child's last name) SYSTEM, DOCKING BAY (address) AND RETURNING PROMPTLY AT (end time).  PLEASE ADVISE JEDI MASTER (parent name) AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AT (phone #) AS WHEATHER PADWAN (invitee's name) WILL ACCEPT THE CHALLENGE OF THE TRIALS. MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU! In small print I added: PLEASE NOTE THAT DUE TO NEW SECURITY PROTOCOLS IN THE REPUBLIC, NO WEAPONS WILL BE ALLOWED ON ALL TRANSPORT VESSELS> PLEASE FORGIVE THE INCONVIENCE AND REST ASSURED THAT THE JEDI COUNCIL HAS SECURED ENOUGH EQUIPMENT FOIR THE PADWANS TO COMPLETE THEIR TRAINING.  It was winter time so we played most games in the garage. For DECORATIONS I tacked up blue plastic tablecloths. I taped stars, images of Star Wars planets and images of Star Wars ships to the tablecloths.  The room used inside had silver helium-filled star balloons.  I had a white tablecloth with blue table ware.  The CAKE was a layer cake with white icing. I placed a Lego set from a snowy world on top. For COSTUMES I made Padawan clothes. I got about ½ to ¾ of a yard of muslin for each costume. The costume should be about the size of a pillowcase.  I cut a slit down the center for a head hole. The arms hung out the sides. I hemmed the sides and bottom to prevent unraveling.  For a belt I used a yard of nylon double braid. I melted the ends so it would not unravel. The belt helped keep the top on.  The ACTIVITIES began as kids arrived they were give a costume and youngling size lightsabor. They were made from the leftovers from the pool noodle lightsabors they will make later. Half the kids were blindfolded and tried to tap balloons I had tacked to the wall.  The other half practiced blocking and attacking each arm and leg.  (They were told that the lightsabors were to only touch each other, not people.) Next, the kids MADE LIGHTSABORS. I used ¾ of blue and green pool noodles, duct tape, black electrical tape, 5 long dowel, aluminum foil, green & blue fish tank jewels, 1� x 3� cardboard pieces, and pipe cleaners.  I printed off a sliced view of the inside of a lightsabor and displayed for the kids to see. I also printed off images of lightsabor handles. I made diatium power cells� by wrapping aluminum foil around the dowel before the party. The kids made energy modulation circuits� by lacing the cardboard pieces with pipe cleaners. I cut the bottom10� of the ¾ length of a pool noodle in half with an electric knife, but most sharp knives should work. Place some tape in the middle at the end of the cut, so things will not slide down the center hole.  Put the energy modulation circuit� (cardboard with pipe cleaners) in first.  Then have kids put the same color of focusing crystal (fish tank jewel) inside next followed by the diatium power cell� (aluminum foil covered dowel). Then wrap all of the cut section of the lightsabor� (pool noodle) with duct tape. Make sure the bottom is also covered to keep everything inside.  The have kids tape strips of black electrical tape over the duct tape for buttons and grippers. I wrote the kids names on them with a sharpie. We quickly talked about the fact that Jedi defend and protect and never attack.  The Obi (my husband) conducted LIGHTSABOR TRAINING.  I had printed out several opening stances and posted them where the kids could see.  Obi demonstrated each stance as the kids followed along. The kids did the DETERMINATION FORM (held in front of face), the CONTENT FORM (held pointing down at side), the RESILIENCE FORM (in a lunge with left hand out in front and lightsabor drawn back), the AGGRESSION FORM (two-handed grip read to jump), and the PERSEVERANCE FORM (two-handed grip above head).  Now the young Jedi were ready for the trials. The kids performed the TRIAL OF SKILL (DUEL DARTH VADER). The kids used their lightsabors to fight Darth Vader.  I had an older sibling dressed up as Darth Vader. Each kid tapped their lightsabor with Darth Vader's 6 times. Then the kids could go into the kitchen for cake and ice cream.  Back in the garage, we continued the games.  Next was the TRIAL OF FLESH (OBSTACLE COURSE). The kids had to carry Yoda on their backs and the walked along logs pool noodles cut length wise.  Then kids jumped from stone to stone.  (Taped circles on the ground.)  Next was the TRIAL OF COURAGE (SHOOT STORMTROPPERS). The kids had to rescue Princess Leia and the presents. I printed off images of the storm troopers and glued them to cardboard. I attached cardboard to the bottom so they would stand up.  The kids used Nerf guns to knock down the storm troopers two kids at a time. Then the storm troopers were reset and the next group used the guns.  After opening presents, it was time to DESTROY THE DEATH STAR.  I painted a ball pinata to look like the Death Star.  I sprayed it all gray.  I then taped a strip of duct tape around the middle.  I cut small pieces of duct tape for windows and added black marker lines and white paint pen lines for more detail.  I put a circle of duct tape over the opening.  The kids hit the Death Star with a broom handle I taped the end of to look like a lightsabor. Lastly, we had a KNIGHTING CERMONY. I, as the presiding Jedi Master, said WE ARE ALL JEDI.  THE FORCE SPEAKS THROUGH US.  THROUGH OUR ACTIONS, THE FORCE HAS PROCLAIMED ITSALF AND WHAT IS REAL.  TODAY WE ARE HERE TO ACKNOLEDGE WHAT THE FORCE HAS PROCLAIMED.  STEP FORWARD, PADWAN (child's name)� Then I placed their lightsabor on their right shoulder as they kneel.  BY THE RIGHT OF THE COUNCIL� Then I moved the lightsabor to the left shoulder. BY THE WILL OF THE FORCE� Then mover it back to the right. I DUB THEE, JEDI KNIGHT OF THE REPUBLIC.  TAKE UP YOUR LIGHTSABOR, (child's name), JEDI KNIGHT. AND MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU.�  Then I handed them their FAVORS.  They got their costume, lightsabor, a treat bag from the pinata and a Jedi Knight certificate.  I used star background and it said JEDI RESPECT LIFE AND ITS DIVERSITIES. JEDI IS A SERVICE FOR THE GOOD OF CREATION.  JEDI SEEK WISDOM, KNOWLEDGE AND MATURITY IN THE UNIVERSAL LIGHT. In the middle it said THIS CERTIFIES THAT (child's name) HAS ACHIEVED THE STATURE OF A JEDI KNIGHT At the bottom it said MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU!