For my daughter's 8th birthday, she chose a "Survivor" theme. Allow a  lot of time for pre-party preparations. It doesn't have to be expensive, but it takes a lot of time to prepare. It's well worth the effort and the kids  had a ball and so did I! First of all, I created my own "Survivor MInnesota" logo. I just downloaded an actual logo from the Survivor web site enlarged it  so I  could see details and copied the style using my own Illustrator  software. It could have passed for real.  THE INVITES: "You are Invited to the Birthday Survivor Challenge" I  simply printed the logo in one corner and all the details in another. Folded it twice and put it in an envelope and mailed. Have a computer with creative programs helps. You could also Stamp your invite.  THE "BUFFS" BANDANAS: I went to the local fabric store. and  purchased some inexpesive muslin in a natural color. I cut the fabric to a bandana size, sized the logo and printed 9 of them out on my color printer using iron-on transfer paper. I cut the logo out, placed it and ironed it onto the fabric so when the bandanas were worn, the logo was showing on their forheads. Each party goer recieved one upon arrival. Next time I'd use transparent iron transfer paper instead of white. THECHALLENGES: Game Prep: Once I had decided on what games we would play I prepared all of my "props". I wrote rhyming poems corresponding to each particular challenge. Then I printed them out, rolled them up and  secured with a string. I hung a soft lunch box on one of the branches of my christmas tree and after each game, I placed new "tree mail" in the lunch box. Before each game one of the party goer got to read the "tree  mail" out loud to give the kids a clue. (If you would like to see my poems, just email me and I'll send them to you. After each game, I  handed out bits of candy...everyone's a winner. CHALLENGE 1) was to be the first to melt an ice cube in their hands without dropping it. Prop: towels on the floor under each girl for the  water to drip onto.)  CHALLENGE 2) was a relay race to see who could put-on and take-off oversized winter coats, boots, gloves, etc...don't do hats! One little girl  had lice! Props: two sets of adult coats, boots, gloves, scarves, etc.  CHALLENGE 3) Another game was the food challange. Prop: construct  some kind of spinning/roulette wheel. I divided this flat round cutting  board into 8 pie shaped sections with masking tape. I set it onto a cake decorating lazy suzan so it could spin. I cut out an arrow and placed it on the table beside the spinning wheel. I prepared the icky food like Minni marshmellows in ketchup. Small glasses of V8 juice=goat's  blood, chocolate covered marshmallows & chow mein noodles=spiders, pickes=frog knuckles, etc. Each child got a turn at  spinning the wheel and seeing what he/she had to eat. If they ate it, they could continue in the game. If not, they sat out. Some of the food was good and some was gross. Use your imaginaiton here. Not  everyone participed in this event but that was fine. Most had a ball and we played it twice! CHALLENGE 4) "How well do you know the party girl" test. I had the  kids gather around the Tribal Counsel area, handed each a small chalk board and a piece of chalk and asked the group questions about  my daughter to see how well they knew her. They wrote their answers  on the chalk board. Have a friend keep track of each girls answer they  get right.(Her brother didn't get to play this game.) THE IMMUNITY IDOL: I searched the local thrift store and found the  most ethnic looking necklace I could find. The party girl got to wear this  all evening.  THE CAKE: I enlarged the color printout of the logo, took it to the local  bakery and had them make it edible and transfer it onto the top of the  cake and of course write Happy Birthday on it.  THE FOOD: macaroni & cheese and hot dogs. (I made orzo pasta with cheese and named it magots in white sauce on it) The more gross, the more fun they have. THE DECORATIONS: Since her birthday fell right after christmas, I undecorated my Christmas tree and used it for "tree mail". I also spread sleeping bags around in front of my fireplace for "Tribal Counsel" (to get the ambiance right for tribal counsel we had a late afternoon party so it was dark outside.) I think I hung up an old fishing  net from previous parties and hung fish. THE PARTY FAVORS: the bandana, the chalk board, chalk THANK YOU'S: I simply made the thanks you notes similiar to the  invitations. They worked just fine. This whole party is in the details and I am sure I left things out. Feel  free to email me if you have questions or you want examples of what I  did.