Libraries are more than books. Some kids need a little direction to get the creative juices flowing. I gleaned  the following from  PUBYAC contributors. If you're a member, check out the archives (6-2011, 7-2012). Please add  YOUR comments. Your colleagues would appreciate hearing what works, and what didn't!

 Also, you might be able to find some 501st members in your area to come dressed as storm troopers, etc., or even a local collecting group could help you with your program.

You may want to check out STAR WAR BIRTHDAY PARTIES on the Internet.

See also: http://www.party-ideas-by-a-pro.com/star-wars-birthday-party.html

               http://checkshelves.tumblr.com/post/154774034238/star-wars-party

               Jbrary Character Parties

INVITATIONS: (Ages 7-13)

REFRESHMENTS:

• Tie-fighter snacks--joined graham cracker squares with snipped off fat marshmallows 
• Jabba jiggler jello -- using green and orange jello and adding gelatin or cutting back liquid to make it firmer and adding some sour gummy worms.
• Yoda Soda--7-up/sprite with lime sherbet/R2Tea2 )ice tea)--see Storytime Underground FB archives (Abby Bee's pictures)
  
• Edible Light Sabers--pretzels coated with melted almond bark or colored frosting
• Wookiee Cookies--chocolate chip cookies
• Dark Side salsa and chips
• Death star popcorn balls
• Ewok food--small pretzel rods, goldfish, raisins
• Bantha poodoo--some kind of small chocolate food?
• There are also at least two Star War Cookbooks for cute food to make, some really easy.

CRAFTS: Have you seen the new Star Wars Craft Book?

• Starwars.com also has some great craft ideas, including printable masks.
• The kids created jedi robes from rolls of brown plastic table clothes that we precut different lengths and an opening for their heads.  
• Decorate planets--participants decorated a paper plate that we then displayed on the windows under a banner that said "A Galaxy Far, Far Away"
• Star wars coloring sheets are on the internet and basically the kids can decorate them with markers, crayons and stickers.  
• Light sabers-- cut pool noodles in half, and then the kids can make designs with different colored duct tape for the hilt of the sword, and then you add a red dot sticker for a button. Or glow-sticks covered with duct tape, and add buttons with Sharpie.
• Leia Bun or Yoda Ear Headbands.
  

GAMES/ACTIVITIES:

• JABBA the Hut--using two green bowls taped together at the top to make like a round head. The kids took a set of chopsticks or a toaster-grabber and grabbed rubber bugs and things to race down and feed to him. Google the Jabba face and print out and tape onto bowl.
• Light saber fights--with pretzel sticks or pool noodles
• Pin the light saber on Vader--use a poster of Darth Vader and a cardboard light saber and the kids enjoyed it. At the end of the program we raffled off the poster and light saber.
• Pin the Hair on Leia--we had posters of Princess Leia and seperate hair bun cut outs. Participants were blindfolded and had to tape the hair buns in place! 
• Pin the Light Saber on Yoda  
• Torpedo Toss--where kids tossed bean bags at a target decorated with an outer space theme.   
• Find out If You’re a Sith or Jedi : box measures the kid’s midi-chloridians and declares child Jedi or Sith. (Make a box covered in tin foil that has a window with a metal pin that pointed to “Jedi” or “Sith.” The pin could change sides as you circle the box over the kid because you put magnets on either side of the window that would move the pin.) 
• Target Practice (basically a bowling game - Pringles cans were decorated with either bad guys or good guys and participants could knock them down with a playground ball).  Once the participant had completed each activity, he or she could then make a light saber.
• Flight Training with the Millennium Falcon. Basically, a paper airplane that looks like the falcon: www.ncgraphicarts.com/ryan/other/highglins.gif The boys are given plain white copier paper and instructions. Then, have space for them to fly it and make any corrections as needed.  
• To play Asteroid Hunt, wrap plastic toys and trinkets in aluminum foil. These will be the pretend asteroids. Then hide the asteroids around the house, or in the back yard. Kids will then have an allotted amount of time to find as many asteroids as possible. When the game is over, kids can unwrap their asteroids to find their prizes.  
• Star Wars BINGO  
• Jedi Code is below.

          There is no emotion; there is peace.

          There is no ignorance; there is knowledge.

          There is no passion; there is serenity.

          There is no chaos; there is harmony.

          There is no death; there is the Force.

• http://www.freewebs.com/jediismcouncil/prayerandmeditation.htm    

PROGRAM:

• Read a portion of a jer(easy reader) Star Wars book, so it wasn't too long.

• Answer trivia, etc.  

• Coloring pages

TIME:  About an hour-and-a-half should be sufficient.