Mouse or
Rat Party

contributed by: Alexander Schoening, Germany

INVITATIONS Cut out rectangles from gray construction paper and fold it in order to get an inside and an outside. Stick pictures of mice (you can cut them out from Mickey Mouse magazines) on the inside and outside. Write with capital letters on the inside of the invitation card: YOU ARE CORDIALLY INVITED TO A MICE PARTY TO CELEBRATE MY BIRTHDAY! Where: When: Please dress up as a mouse!  You could wear black, gray or white leggings and a T-shirt or leotard in the same color. And do not forget the mouse-tail and big ears as well as a black nose and whiskers.

The most famous mouse Mickey party supplies

DECORATIONS
Gray and white balloons or confetti everywhere, hang up posters or pictures
of mice to the walls, white or gray tablecloth, put mice figures on the
table and pieces of cheese.

CAKE AND FOOD
Mice love cheese, so serve cheese cake, cheese pizza or other things made
with cheese, but note that not every child likes cheese, so serve also
things without cheese (chocolate cake, cookies etc.)!
Almost every child loves ice cream, so serve the special "Mice Ice Cream".
It is one scoop of vanilla ice cream decorated with a red nose (a cherry),
two eyes (small pieces of chocolate) and two big ears (two chocolate
cookies); ask the children if they want to create themselves their "icy
mice".

GOODIE BAGS
Make big gray gift bags for the kids. Fix a picture of a mouse to each bag.
Fill the bag with a Mickey Mouse magazine, mouse stickers, a pencil printed
with mice, a black or gray bracelet, or other nice things. If boys are
invited please note that their bags might be a little bit different (for
example they do not wear bracelets). Fill also the following goodies in the
bags: marshmallows, bubble gum, candy, chocolate bars or other sweets that
kids love.

GAMES AND ACTIVITIES

Feed Search: After separating the children into two teams, the adults tie up
(for example with scarves) the eyes of each mouse. Then they hide a lot of
marshmallows or other sweet candy in the whole house or flat. After that the
adults remove the scarves and the mice have to search for their feed. The
kids have to move on all fours (like real mice). When the children find the
marshmallows they can eat them immediately. This game could last long time
but the kids will have a lot of fun. Pay attention that every child finds a
lot of sweets. Every mouse should be lucky!

Show also funny cartoons with mice on your TV. Then the children have a
funny break between the games in order to rest.

Cat and Mouse (if possible, play this game out of doors): One Adult plays
the cat and tries to catch the mice. When a mouse is ticked from the cat the
mouse has to sit down. The mouse that is still running when all others are
"dead" wins. Pay attention that the children do not stumble over their
mouse-tails! Make them shorter if necessary.

Mice Dance: Play Music and let the mice dance at their favorite songs.

Take funny snapshots of every mouse: best with a Polaroid camera (so that
every child gets a photo of its cute costume after few minutes). The photo
would be cuter if the mouse has a slice of cheese in its mouth or hands.