Don't let this bug party idea bug you! It's an easy birthday party theme, or a great idea just for when the grands come to visit. They can help you prepare the meal and it's mostly finger foods so it could also make a nice picnic on a blanket outside.
Bug Party Menu
The bug party menu is, drum roll...chicken nugget "rocks", cooked carrot "sticks", "ants on a log" celery sticks and "dirt and worms" chocolate pudding! Sometimes an activity takes on a life of its own. In this case it was a bug's life! This started out with making Dirt Pudding and ended up as a party. What can you say when kids' creative ideas run wild?
"Dirt and Worms" Pudding
You may want to start by making the Dirt Pudding for dessert. Then it can be setting up in the refrigerator while you get the other items ready. This was the favorite item (of course).
"Sticks and Rocks"
Secondly, put the carrots on to cook and place the chicken nuggets in the oven to bake according to the package instructions. A homemade version of chicken nuggets will come in a future post. We called these “Sticks” and “Rocks” in our bug party theme.
"Ants on a Log"
Next, fix the "Ants on a Log" by filling the dipped area of the celery sticks with nut butter and finishing them by placing a few raisins on each one to be the "ants". It would be best to use a peanut free nut butter to avoid peanut allergy concerns, but check with parents about the possibility of any nut allergies first.
Setting a Bug Party Table
Lastly, set the table for supper. Of course, it is fun to add a few things for a centerpiece! Besides a bug box, we added some binoculars we had out and their favorite rock they had found. Nothing fancy, but so much fun! Oh, and don’t forget the picnic option if the weather is good, that way you can see some real bugs up close 🙂
Bug Box & Movie Activity Options
This party could pair well with making a bug box. Check it out here. The kids could take them home as a party favor or use them to catch fireflies. Our bug box ended up as our centerpiece... but I nixed having live bugs in it! That was for AFTER supper!
If all the grands are staying the night the perfect movie for the evening would be “It’s A Bug’s Life”, don’t you think?
It certainly won’t bug me if you let me know how your Bug Party turns out! Send a picture!
You'll Need:
- 1- 3.9 oz pkg of dark chocolate instant pudding mix
- 2 cups milk
- 1- 8 oz container of Whipped Cream (like Cool Whip)
- 1- 15 oz package chocolate sandwich cookies
- 1 package of gummy worms
- Celery- washed, dry and cut into pieces
- Nut butter (ask parents about nut allergies)
- ¼ cup raisins
- Baby carrots
- Frozen chicken nuggets for 8 people (will link to a homemade version later)
- Dipping sauce (like bbq sauce)
Instructions:
- Make dirt and worms, starting with the “dirt”. Place the cookies in a gallon sized zip lock bag and crush using a rolling pin. They eventually get crumbly like dirt and you will not see the white of the filling.
- In a bowl whisk the pudding mix and the milk together until they begin to thicken.
- Fold the container of whipped topping and about ½ of the cookie crumbs into the pudding.
- Spoon the pudding mix into 8 cups, about ½ cup of mixture per cup.
- Place 2 or 3 gummy worms on the pudding mixture. You can cut them in half first if you want.
- Spoon the remaining cookie crumbs over the top of the pudding mixture and worms. The worms will stick out of the “dirt”.
- Chill the “dirt and worms” in the refrigerator until served after the meal.
- Place cooked carrots in a saucepan with about 1”of water. Cook on stovetop with medium heat until soft.
- Cook chicken nuggets according to the directions on the package.
- Make “ants on a log”. Use a table knife to fill the dipped area of your celery sticks with nut butter.
- Place a few raisins on the nut butter of each celery stick to be the "ants".
- Set table or have on a picnic. Enjoy!
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