GAMES TO PLAY

Sifting for Gems

This decadent party game harks back to one of the many balls hosted in the seaside mansions of Newport, Rhode Island, during the late 19th century. Each woman guest was invited to grasp a handful of sand and let it sift through her fingers to find a precious gem left in her palm that was hers to take home.

To set up a similar game for your child's royal guests, get a shoe box filled with clean sand or white cornmeal and a few plastic rhinestones (sold in most craft stores) to bury in it.

Have the princesses take turns until each one has 2 gems.

You can make pendants by hot-gluing a paper clip between each pair of gems (adults only) and stringing silvery elastic cord through one of the clip's looped ends.

Kiss the Frog
Since most preschoolers prefer frogs to princes anyway, we guarantee this amphibian will stay an amphibian no matter how many giggly princesses plant a kiss on him.

What you need:
Green poster board
Red or pink poster board
White paper
Glue
Scissors
Felt-tip pen

To set up the game, draw a big frog on green poster board. It's easier than you think: just make a big oval head with eyes at the top and an hourglass-shaped body with pointy webbed feet at the bottom.

Cut out the frog shape. Then cut out 2 large, white paper eyeballs and glue them in place. Draw on pupils, a mouth, and nostrils.

From red or pink poster board, cut out a pair of lips for each princess and apply a small ball of poster tack (sold at most office supply stores) to the back.

During the game, have each child shut her eyes tight, then point her in the right direction to try to pin her smooch on Mr. Frog. Continue taking turns until everyone succeeds.