How to host a baseball party for your kids

photo credit: getty images
photo credit: getty images

Baseball Party
Ages 5 and up
By Lauren Guerriero

Invitations, Activities & Goodies
It's easy to transform your backyard into a ballpark for a big-league bash!

Play ball!
Cut circles from white card stock. Print or write out party details. Then, using craft glue, attach two strips of ric-rac to resemble a baseball.

While the little sluggers are busy at bat, take an instant photo of each child. When the game's over, have them make a craft foam frame for their pictures. (Cut out a frame shape from a sheet of craft foam. Make sure the window is large enough to fit the photo. To decorate, use precut self-adhesive foam shapes and letters. To finish, tape photo to the back.)

Fill an old-fashioned popcorn box with major-league treats. Write or print each guest's name on white card stock. Cut into popcorn shape, glue to a wooden skewer, and stick in box.

Party Resources
• Colorfoam, 39¢ per sheet from Jo-Ann; call 888-739-4120 for locations.
• "Play Ball" self-adhesive foam shapes; visit www.darice.com for store locations.

Baseball Cap and Cupcakes
Batter up! Our cool Baseball Cap Cake and Cupcakes are simple to assemble.

Ingredients:
• 1 box (18.5 oz.) yellow-cake mix
• 1/2 package (18 oz.) refrigerated sugar-cookie dough
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cans (16 oz. each) vanilla frosting
• Red food coloring
• Clear sugar crystals
• Red candy-coated chocolates

  1. Grease and flour 1.5-liter oven-proof glass bowl. Line ten muffin cups with cupcake liners. Using pound-cake variation (add instant pudding and 1 extra egg), prepare cake mix according to package directions. Fill lined muffin cups two thirds full; pour remaining batter into prepared bowl. Bake cupcakes 25 minutes and bowl cake 55 minutes, or until skewer inserted comes out clean. Let cool completely.

  2. Combine cookie dough with flour, and roll out into 11" x 7 1/2" oval shape. Bake 20 minutes or until golden. Let cool completely. Tint one can frosting using red food coloring. Transfer 1/3 cup red frosting to resealable plastic bag; snip off corner. Transfer 1/4 cup vanilla frosting to resealable plastic bag; snip off corner. Frost cupcakes with vanilla frosting. Melt remaining vanilla frosting in microwave 10 to 15 seconds, or until consistency of slightly whipped cream. Place cookie on wire rack, and pour melted frosting to cover completely. Invert bowl cake onto cookie to make cap (see photo, above). Let set.

  3. Roll edges of cupcakes in sugar crystals. Using red frosting in bag, pipe on red seams. Frost cake with red frosting. Using knife, score lines in cap by pulling frosting up to center. Place candies around base of cake. Using vanilla frosting in bag, pipe lines from base to center of cap and pipe your child's age on front of cake. Using red frosting in bag, pipe her name onto brim. Place a red candy on center of cap. Serves 16.

Used with permission. © Copyright Meredith Corporation.