Stuck for luau party ideas?

What's in the suitcase?
Pack a suitcase with clothes or items that you would take on a beach holiday:

• a pair of shorts
• bikini
• beach shoes
• sun hat
• sunglasses
• beach towel
• sunscreen
• bucket - and spade!
• swimming goggles
• snorkel - and flippers - a picture will do
• beach ball (uninflated)
• bottle of water
• beach bag

Sit the kids in front of the suitcase. First of all they have to guess what is in the suitcase.

Prompt smaller children by asking questions like "What do we wear on the beach?" You can make a big show of searching for it in the suitcase.

For added laughs you might add a few unexpected items that you take out with a great look of surprise! Take each item out as the children guess so that they can see them all.

You can extend this luau party game by putting everything back in the suitcase and seeing how many items each child can remember.

Another luau party idea for older children: finish by adding some more clothes, magazines, shoes and so on so that the suitcase is really full. Then split them into pairs or small groups and in turns, get them to pack the suitcase. This could either be a timed activity... or a judge could say who packed the suitcase best.

Hula hoop statues
Needless to say - you'll need hula hoops for this! And it's the same idea as musical statues. Start your music and let the kids try their Hawaiian twirls! The music stops - the hoops fall - but the children must stand as still as a statue.

Anyone who moves is "out". The winner is the last player left. And you could also have a winner for the best hula hooper! Don't forget to provide enough space for this game.

Surf board shuffle
For this luau party idea you won't need a drop of seawater. Prepare surfboards made of sturdy construction paper or cardboard, cut to size so that the children can lie on their tummies and scoot along using their arms and legs to push themselves. It's not as easy as it sounds!

You could play this as a race in pairs, or adapt it to play surfboard statues in the same way as the game above.

Hawaiian cocktail competition
Luau party ideas are so full of exotic promise! And your little guests will love making their own Hawaiian cocktails based on a fruit punch recipe.

Prepare a jug or two of a little lemon juice added to pineapple and passion fruit juice with soda or lemonade - whatever you think your guests will like. Be careful with some exotic fruits with young children - check with their parents for any allergies first.

Provide each child with an attractive glass or cup, along with cocktail sticks for slices of lemon, orange and other fruits. Arrange cocktail parasols, colored straws, swizzle sticks and so on for the children to decorate their drink.