With school almost out and spring in full swing, it’s time to celebrate the beautiful weather that draws you and the kids outside. A great family activity – and one that your kids can share with friends too – is to have a luau. It doesn’t have to be expensive. Budget carefully. You don’t have to spend a lot of money to create a touch of paradise at home. Keep the focus on healthy food, backyard decorations and a festive mood.
Food
Part of the fun of a luau is celebrating the Hawaiian culture. Try to keep the menu healthy. Consider items such as ham and pineapple wraps or pinwheel sandwiches, baked fish and fresh tropical fruit. An easy way to serve the fruit is to dress wooden skewers with grapes and chunks of mango, kiwi and pineapple. 
Decorations
The idea is to create a tropical paradise. You can pick up your backyard party supplies at the discount store to stay on budget. Create a Hawaiian mood with luau-themed tableware, inflatable palm trees and parrots, drink umbrellas and tiki-shaped tumbler cups. Hang battery-operated paper lanterns around the perimeter of the party zone for a late-afternoon or evening luau. Use bunches of green and yellow helium balloons with brown curling ribbon anchoring them in bunches to simulate a tropical tree. Don’t forget to hand out grass skirts.
Fun and Games
Coconut Relay Race
Divide the guests up into teams. Holding one palm out flat with a coconut balanced on the center of their palm, each player walks down to a cone, turns around and comes back. This is difficult, especially with children who have small hands and big coconuts. If the coconut falls, the player has to go back to the starting point and begin again. The first team to finish wins the relay race.
Mango Roll
Create a start and finish line. Roll a mango on the ground with a spoon. First one to cross the finish line wins. The lopsidedness of the mango makes it interesting.
Lei Toss
Anchor a luau garden stake, such as a flamingo, a hula girl or a it to the ground so that it won’t fall over easily. Create a line some distance away. Players take turns tossing leis, trying to ring the character with the lei. You can use a point system, letting guests throw five leis over the parrot. The highest score wins.
Take some time to relax and enjoy your friends, family and good weather. A luau party is fun for any age and every age. It’s also a good excuse to introduce your kids to tropical fruits, which are healthy and pleasantly exotic.
Nikki is an independent writer for DollarTree.com. Dollar Tree offers great deals on office supplies, party supplies and more.
I can’t wait for backyard party season to begin. This winter seems to have lasted forever and we aren’t getting much of a Spring. I have high hopes for all sorts of summer fun. – Katy
What a cute idea! It’s getting warmer in MI now too.
Dollar Tree has such cute stuff. I love the flamingo and the lanterns. So pretty and fun.
I love Hawaiian food and you are right – you don’t have to spend a fortune to create the spirit of Hawaii in your backyard.
Great ideas. My daughter’s birthday is in July. May need to go with this theme. Thanks for sharing.
I love dollar tree for luau parties. They have amazing items!
A mango roll sounds like fun. I would like to watch that!
We haven’t had a luau party in a long time! They are so much fun, I think we need to do it again. Such fantastic ideas you have here!
You have given me such an excellent idea/ My grand kids will be visiting and maybe I can plan a themed party to like this. Thanks for all the great tips.
I held a luau party for graduation, it was a blast, and so easy to do on a budget. It’s also great for when you are dying to get away to paradise but can’t quite make the trip!
My sister-in-law had a luau party last year, and it was so much fun. Love these ideas, and can’t believe these things came from Dollar Tree! Score!
I like the lei toss idea using lawn ornaments! So much safer than Lawn Darts!
My daughter was asking to do a luau party this year for the end of school.
A luau pool party sounds like a great idea. I might just have to borrow this theme from you. So fun!
What an adorable idea! The pool luau sounds like so much fun!
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