Percy Jackson Camp Half-Blood Birthday Party-Alex Turns NINE!

For the last year and half, Alex has ben reading and rereading Rick Riordan’s book about Percy Jackson. I cannot think of one detail that he cannot remember from the book! His brilliant memory serves him well and he can memorize with ease all Greek gods, monsters, places and facts mentioned in the book. To his great excitement, this school year (during his winter term), their grade was studying Greek mythology in depth. So he got to shine with his knowledge of all the details (I am sure his teachers had to calm him down more than once).
When it came time to figure out what his birthday party should be about, he shared his dream with me of having a Percy Jackson party. It sounded a bit overwhelming, actually. All those demi-gods and camp half-blood stuff…At the same time, Robert and I decided that we could have some fun with it and so we agreed to it.

My inspiration came from this clue scavenger hunt. We used a couple of her clues, and made up the rest. Alex invited nine friends (as he was turning nine). It was a good mix of boys and girls.
Now, I am actually going to write down the clues we used on here because maybe someone can use it sometime.

So, at the very beginning, the kids got this message:

Welcome demi-gods to your quest
You’ve been chosen from the very best
There’s no room for fear and fright
You must be brave! You must have might!

Pay attention to the clues
They will show you what to do
But along your travels you must beware
Of trolls and goblins and maybe bears

So stand up straight and let’s begin
Take your first clue and march on in

Then Robert gave them the first clue.

Clue #1:
The golden fleece he once stole
And kept it hidden on his island home
That mean old Polyphemus you must now face
And once was lost you must now replace

Leads to “Pin the Eye on the Cyclops” where we play the game.

Clue #2 is given:
Training at Camp Half-Blood is not for chimps
Warriors are what we need, not demi-god wimps
I know you are all up to this next task—it’s fun
Play capture the flag and get a clue when you are done

Play Capture the Flag (we are lucky to have a huge park right over our back fence).

Clue #3 is given:
Grover’s would probably be covered in paper and tin cans
Polyphemus might prefer one topped with some parsley and lambs
Maybe on yours you’d prefer lotus flowers and cheese
Just pepperoni for me-that’ll be 10 drachmas please
Lead them to the kitchen where we had Pizza waiting for them (and berries).

Clue #4 is hidden inside the party centerpiece hanging down from the light:
Ares is the god of war, he loves to fight, and not much more,
He’s hidden a clue in orbs of gold
To find them out, you must be bold
So take his weapons and throw them well within the orbs a clue may tell

Kids have to use a sharp pencil and pop the blue balloons (I put them up next to the dining table as part of birthday decorations) to find the next clue inside one of them.

Clue #5 hidden inside the balloon
There’s much to fear in Hades’ home
for in his Kingdom
The dead do roam
Descend, descend to darkest black
And if you survive
A clue bring back

Leads you to the garage (or basement) where we placed a skull (from Halloween decoration) with a clue taped to it. To enter the garage had to throw some drachmas (I had some big foreign coins) into the cauldron (big bowl).

Clue #6 attached to the skull
Look above, beyond the wall
In the sky Zeus rules all
Climb to his realm and do not fall
If you’re lucky you’ll feel no jolt
From Zeus’ mighty Lightning Bolt

Leads kids to the cut out lightning bolt that we put up on the fence in our backyard. One of them had the next clue taped to the back.

Clue #7
Look about but half-bloods beware
You must never meet her gaze, don’t ever catch her stare
Cover your eyes, a blindfold will do
And with your sword strike fast and true
This clue led the kids to the piñata (Medusa’s head). Robert painted the face and made her snakes out of rope. Here is a close up of it (does she look like Uma Thurman?).

The next part was very exciting—hitting the Medusa piñata with a sword=perfect Percy Jackson entertainment.

Finally, the cake was a blue cake made by Robert. We were going to decorate it with a whole bunch of sea creatures, but couldn’t find any that were small enough to fit and not overwhelm the cake.

And here is the birthday boy—happy as can be!!

I, therefore, consider this party a great success! Kids had a ton of fun!

Alex, you are such a fun boy! You give the best hugs to us, love learning, talk like you are a news reporter, and always feel hungry. You are so resilient, full of dreams and well behaved (at school). We love you very much, so never forget that.

And just so I don’t forget this either, here are a few fun facts (according to Alex):

Height: 148 cm

Favorite Sport: basketball

Favorite Game: four square

Favorite Book: Percy Jackson series

Favorite Movie: Lego Movie

Favorite Color: purple

Hobby: playing outside, singing, dancing, learning about natural disasters

Future Profession: seismologist living in HI

Love you, Alex,

Mama.