| Batman has been enthralling children of all ages since | | | | you to find an assortment of the right sized belts. |
| the 1930's when he first burst onto the scene as the | | | | Your local arts and craft outlet will be a great source |
| caped crusader. From that point onwards people | | | | of a variety of bits and pieces plus foam card, |
| have been creating costumes so that they can pay | | | | thinner card and tapes with which to make the |
| homage to this daredevil for the forces of good. | | | | various sized pockets for the belt itself. Again if |
| Originally these costumes were handmade but | | | | younger children will be around, it would be worth |
| nowadays, and thankfully for busy parents and party | | | | pre-making 2 or 3 pockets for each child or at least |
| goers, there is an increasing array of ready made | | | | cutting out the pieces. This way, you know you will |
| Superhero fancy dress costumes with new costume | | | | not run out of materials and that everyone will have |
| designs are being added to the list every time movie | | | | a similar belt. You can also save household items for |
| makers trawl the back catalogue of comics for the | | | | this game; think individual cereal packets which would |
| next major blockbuster movie release. | | | | only require a closing lid, or small cylinders. This game |
| The task of putting together a Batman themed | | | | also translates well during rainy days in school |
| fancy dress party is therefore not as difficult as you | | | | holidays. |
| might at first think as there are a great number of | | | | Okay, they've had their tea and want more |
| internet based fancy dress retailers who offer | | | | boisterous games. What about find the villain? There |
| Batman costumes as part of their Superhero ranges. | | | | are two main variants of the game, the thinking |
| There also exists an extensive range of Batman | | | | game or the 'rip your house and garden up' version. |
| party supplies; invitations, tablewares, printed balloons | | | | Kids of all ages actually prefer the latter but we feel |
| etc which can also be easily found on the web. To | | | | you may actually prefer the former! Taking them in |
| this you can add cakes either shaped and coloured | | | | reverse order, for the latter you only need hid a |
| like Batman himself or decorated with the iconic | | | | balloon or similar with one of Batman's arch-villain's |
| Batman insignia. | | | | face on it and sweets or little presents in it and let |
| Now unless your idea for your party is to have | | | | them go. Ah, the fun you will have clearing up the |
| EVERYONE dressed the same and for there to be | | | | mess and repairing all of your prized possessions. |
| umpteen Batman / Batmen(?) running around at the | | | | The more controlled game again requires a little |
| same time, a little forward planning will be required. | | | | planning; My favourite is to include a clue on each |
| As we have already seen, Batman is just one of the | | | | invitation sent out; say find a letter clue - my letter is |
| increasing list of superheroes; and nowadays the girls | | | | in xxxxxxxx but not in zzzzzzzz, or any other variant |
| get an equal look in with Batgirl being increasingly | | | | that you want to come up with. When the child |
| popular. So to get balance into your superhero party, | | | | arrives, they need to give the answer to their clue |
| why not ask your guests to come as their own | | | | and this is recorded on a board, which can be as |
| favourite superhero rather than just turn up as | | | | elaborate as you have time for. For those children |
| Batman. You could even suggest a list of | | | | who don't come, you will need to add these letters |
| superheroes and ask them to identify who they will | | | | (so yes, it's important to keep a list of which child is |
| be coming as so that you can take some control | | | | bringing which letter or letters as appropriate). |
| over which superheroes you will need to cater for! | | | | The overall complexity of the game will depend on |
| If you're planning a birthday party for children, there | | | | the age of the children. You could have a simple |
| are a number of activities that you can plan for that | | | | word clue which identifies where the villain is hiding |
| will help you fill the time; | | | | (e.g. bedroom), or you could have a multiple word |
| All children like to feel that they are the hero of the | | | | sentence (e.g. behind the sofa). The beauty of this is |
| hour, and this will be especially so when they are | | | | that the main game is played in front of your board |
| dressed in their choice of superhero, so they will | | | | and you could just send one guest to recover the |
| need an arched enemy to battle against. Why not | | | | prize. Now if you are using a Piñata the game |
| join in the fun by asking one of the parents or | | | | goes on! |
| helpers to dress up as an evil super villain for the little | | | | Batman themed parties are a great treat and can be |
| ones to chase and beat. Certainly a noisy game play | | | | a lot of fun as all children love the idea of dressing up |
| but something guaranteed to burn off any excess | | | | as a superhero. For the costume you have the option |
| energy. | | | | of making one, there are some costume patterns |
| For something as little quieter, why not sit them | | | | that can be adapted, or alternatively buying or |
| down at a table with some pre-cut mask shapes, | | | | renting one. With the advent of mass production and |
| made from either stiff paper or thin card, and let | | | | global licensing deals, it is probably easier to buy than |
| them design and colour their own new superhero | | | | rent and the price differential is probably insignificant |
| mask. If you are really brave you can use paints but | | | | nowadays. |
| we would suggest that if you do, you put lots of | | | | If you choose to buy a Batman costume then the |
| paper or play clothes down first. Not only should this | | | | options will be between visiting your local fancy dress |
| get the excitement level back to a more normal level | | | | store or shopping on-line through an internet based |
| but it will also allow you to include their results in their | | | | fancy dress costume site. In either case, they should |
| goody bag. This is a useful activfity to do just before | | | | also be able to offer you a selection of masks, |
| they sit and eat. | | | | Batman props such as 'Batarangs', Batman Utility Belt |
| An alternative would be to pre-cut the card shapes | | | | (if you don't want to make one), Batman Gloves |
| into Batman and Robins' arch villains Joker, Penguin | | | | along with plenty of costumes of Batman's enemies. |
| etc and let them colour these in. This is probably | | | | Online retailers tend to lay their shops out so that it's |
| better for older children who would have some idea | | | | easy to find the costume that you are looking for |
| what these villains look like. | | | | and a few will have an exceptional variety of fancy |
| If painting and colouring doesn't slow them down, | | | | dress costume accessories. And in the main, it is the |
| how about making their own Batman utility belt and | | | | careful selection of your costume accessories that |
| superhero weapons? This requires more planning and | | | | really brings the whole costume together. |
| visits to your local charity or thrift store should allow | | | | |