Getting Acquainted:
Learning To Lasso
For our Rodeo Party I asked my cousin, David, to demonstrate the proper technique of using a lasso. I made a make-shift cow out of a wooden high chair. Place a small bucket through the seat and tape securely in place. Cover with a large piece of spotted fleece cloth pulled tightly at the bottom and tied. Glue on two large google eyes and add a cow bell. While each person tried to lasso, the other guests watched and talked with each other. Most of the guests had never tried to lasso, and enjoyed the opportunity to give it a try.
Games:
Score Cards
To encourage participation, each child was given a Rodeo Score Card with all the activities listed. An adult at each station gave 1 to 4 points for each activity. Prizes were given for completing all the activities and a Rodeo Champion was named for the child with the most points.
Relay
I found cowboy hats in varied colors at the Dollar Tree and bought enough for each guest. I also bought bandanas in several colors at Hobby Lobby. We began the games with a relay of two teams. Each person ran and put on a bandana and raced back. Then they raced to put on a cowboy hat until all the guest were dressed in cowboy fashion.
Barrel Race
I made two barrels out of large boxes. Carefully unfold the top and bottom of a large box. Cut the flaps in evenly spaced increments (about 4 inches for a large box) to the fold line. Overlap 1 inch and glue or tape securely. Roll inward as you tape each new portion to form a circular barrel shape. We used two stick horses and demonstrated how they could ride "side-saddle" if desired. See Pictures.
Ring Toss
For the ring toss game we used an old fashioned glass milk bottle and the inside rings of large embroidery hoops.
Apple Toss
The children tossed plastic apples into small "milk pails".
Pin The Tail On The Cow
We drew a large cow on a sheet and taped it to the back of the van. The bandanas came in handy for blindfolds as each child taped a tail on the cow.
Refreshments:
Hot dogs is our usual choice for outside parties. Since it was in the fall, my daughter made a "pumpkin" cake baked in a Bundt pan with a green ice cream cone for the stem. For her birthday party, my sister Karen baked her cowboy boot cakes and decorated the cake box like a boot box. Hay bales can be used for seating or you can spread old quilts on the ground.
For a country western rehearsal dinner we served barbecue pork and chicken. We used deep red and white Christmas ornaments (the wedding colors) on the tree and tables. A saddle, with sleigh bells and a wreath, on a saw horse decorated the entry. Next to it was a hay bale with a lantern and open Bible on a red bandana cloth. (Plastic garbage bags under the hay bales helps with clean up.) Wagon wheels, cowboy boots stuffed with newspaper and topped with cowboy hats, and baskets of pine cones decorated each end of the serving table. We used oil lanterns, fresh greenery, and pine cones on the tables.
Devotions:
Western Bible Jeopardy
It is good to have an indoor activity planned in case of rain. At Susanna's birthday party, it did rain, and we moved inside and divided into two teams to play Bible Jeopardy. The categories are Cowboy/Cowgirl Boots, Cowboy/Cowgirl Hats, Guitars, Cattle, and Horses. The questions are all from the Bible about shoes, hats, music, cattle, and horses. Bible Jeopardy - Western
Out Reach:
We often have visitors at our youth parties and try to give everyone something to take home. We need to be faithful in giving out the scripture and sowing the seed. Bible tracts can be easily placed in small treat bags to take home.
