Football Party

The popularity of this sport makes a Football Party a great birthday party theme. This party can be for either boys or girls.

My daughter knows more about football than I do! She loves sitting with her father watching the games.

The planning guide below describes some creative party games, birthday invitations you can make and table decorations that are simple and easy to put together.

Lets get ready for the Kick-Off.....

Invitations:

Cut the shape of a football out of brown construction paper. On one side use white shoe laces to form the lacing on the football. On the other side put the Football Party information.

Cut rectangular invitations out of green construction paper. Fold the 8-1/2 x 11 sheet in half. You can get two birthday invitations out of one sheet. They will open sideways like a book! On the front put something like "It's a touchdown..." and then decorate it with field lines using yellow paint or marker. On the inside you could put something like "Jon is 6 come celebrate with us." and the rest of the party information.

Decorations:

There are so many decorations to choose from that would look great for a Football Party. Here are just a few that I think are great.

Table:
Make your table look like the playing field, minus all the mud!
Use a plain green tablecloth to cover the table. Use yellow tape or paint to mark the yard lines all the way across it. You could add numbers if time allows, but they aren't necessary.
On the far end of the table if guests aren't going to be sitting at the end, you can put up a field goal using PVC piping or rolls from wrapping paper.

Football Party Tableware

Chairs:
Dress up each chair at the party table with this creative party idea. Find out each childs favorite team and t-shirt size. Take a logo from each of those teams and have it turned into an iron-on transfer. You can take it to a print shop or use your own printer and transfer paper to do it. Then iron the transfers to the shirts. Slip the shirts over the back of the chairs with the logo facing in towards the table. The guests can take the shirts home as a creative and unique Football Party favor.

Walls and Ceiling:
Cut out football shapes from construction paper, add the look of lacing on one side using white paint. On the back side you can put the name of a team or add the name of each guest. Hang over the party table using fishing line. You can also attach a few to the walls.

Hang posters on the wall that feature your childs' favorite football team or football player.

Activities:

You can take everyone to a game and then head back to your house for the Football Party. If you do, then specify in the invitations what is paid for and by whom.

Table Game:
This is a classic kids game that even I used to play when I was younger. Its fun, easy to play and doesn't cost anything. The only supplies you need are a sheet of paper for each guest and a field goal.
Make a small field goal using paper rolls, dowels or just cut one from a cardboard box. Have each guest make a small paper triangular football. Here is a great site that explains how to make your football and the rules. Paper Football Zone

Football Toss:
This game requires some space and best played outside, but can be played indoors if you have an open area.
You need a soft ball, 4 fairly large boxes or kitchen sized trash cans. If using boxes, paint the outsides green(optional but adds to the decor.) Put large numbers on them using 5, 10, 15, 20. You can use 2" stickers from a local store, use contact paper or construction paper and tape. The numbers correspond to the yard lines of the playing field. Mark a starting line on the ground. Painters' tape works well as it doesn't leave a residue. Place the boxes away from the starting point so that the one with the number 5 is closest to the starting point and number 20 is the farthest. You can line them up in a straight line or stager them a little. The children take 5 turns trying to get the football into the boxes. If the box falls over and the ball falls out, its a fumble and no points are scored. If the box falls over yet keeps the ball inside the points count. Person with the most points after five tries wins a prize.

Party Favors:

Children look forward to taking party favors home with them. It gives them a way to remember the fun they had at the Football Party.

A great party favor for this theme is the Team T-Shirt that is described in the Chair decorating tip.

Foam footballs are inexpensive and fun to give. There are so many colors and sizes that you could give younger children small ones and older kids larger ones.

Give each guest tickets to a local high school football game.

Food and Drinks:

Serve items at the Football Party that you normally eat at the game. Hot dogs, popcorn, nachos and cheese, etc...

Use a clean football helmet lined with tissue paper to serve chips or popcorn. You can keep the helmet standing upright by using floral putty. The putty can be found at any florist or craft store. Just place a ring of the putty on the top of the helmet and set it upside down onto a plate. The putty has great sticking power, yet is easy to remove after the party.

Football Cake:
Bake a sheet cake and decorate it with green frosting. Mark the yard lines on it with yellow or white frosting.

Other Items:
Figs come in the shape of footballs. Drain the juice from them and blot dry. Mark the lacing lines of a football on them using decorating gel. Can be used on a cake or just set onto a plate.

Cut peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with a football cookie cutter.
Chicken Wings are a favorite snack to eat while watching football games, they are inexpensive when feeding a large crowd and oh so yummy.