Third graders can participate in Hawaiian activities indoors or out.
Luaus are Hawaiian parties known for exciting activities in a tropical theme. Luaus typically feature Hawaiian food and drinks, hula dancers, wearing leis, music, games and beach activities. Third graders can participate in luau party plans, crafts and games, a variety of foods and even help with classroom or party decorations.
Wearables
Have the third graders make their own Hawaiian items to wear. Make a hula skirt with crepe paper streamers. Measure and cut a streamer to fit around a child's waist, leaving room at the ends to tie the waistband on. Cut and staple several streamers all around the waistband. Let the streamers hang downward to about ankle length for each child. Make crowns from heavy paper or craft foam. Glue on some small shells, colored sand and paper cutouts, or stick some craft foam shapes onto each crown. Staple the crown at the back to fit a child's head. Make leis by pushing plastic lacing through the center of tissue paper flowers. Tie a lei loosely around each child's neck or waist or use them for headbands.
Table Accessories
Have the kids cut out palm leaves or fish shapes from paper to make place mats. Let the kids decorate the place mats with markers or crayons or glue on some tropical-shaped cutouts. Laminate the place mats. Make coconut-like cups from paper or foam cups. The kids can color the cups brown and glue on scraps of brown paper or yarn to look like the outside of a coconut. Kids may also cut out flower, shell or fish shapes from paper. Poke two holes in the shapes, about two inches apart. Slip a straw through the holes to make a party straw.
Treats
Place bowls of fresh fruits on a table. Let the kids make skewers with their favorites. Provide dips for the fruits, if desired. To give kids an idea of a roasted pig, a favorite at luaus, skewer a heated frankfurter from end to end, one frank per child. Have the kids use mustard, ketchup and pickles to create a pig's facial features, feet and tail onto each frankfurter. Let kids create their own tropical sundaes from ice cream and fruity toppings. Stick an umbrella decoration in the top of each sundae.
Games
Have the kids play the limbo, where they take turns trying to bend backwards enough to "dance" under a limbo stick (broom or other stick) without falling backward. Lower the limbo stick after each child has had a turn. Play Hawaiian music while the kids limbo. Change the game by having kids limbo through a hula hoop or limbo through a mud puddle outdoors. Hold surfboard races with big pieces of cardboard for each child to surf on. Place a tarp on the ground and keep it wet with a hose or sprinkler. Toss wet sponges for a wild and wet game of tag. Hold a hula contest. Play "pin the coconut on the tree" or play a game to make as many words as the children can think of from the word "pineapple."
Tags: each child, from paper, Have kids, place mats, craft foam