Hollywood Boulevard Activity

Create sidewalk stars for your 'hood's smallest celebrities!

Submitted by
Deva Dalporto

Sick of your little one asking when she'll be old enough to audition for "American Idol"? Get your starlet out of the house (and out of your hair) for a few minutes with this activity. Invite the neighbors to help you and your kid re-create Hollywood Boulevard on the sidewalk with your very own Neighborhood Walk of Fame!

Sidewalk:
Any old pavement will do.
Chalk:
Any old chalk will do.
"Celebrities":
Kids, mom, the neighbors, the dog ...
Dress up clothes:
Boas, tiaras, tuxes—anything red-carpet worthy. Just please, not JLo's plunging green Grammy dress.
Camera:
Digital is best for instant gratification, but any camera will work.
Computer, printer, stapler and paper:
Optional, but will buy you more time, so therefore, priceless.

Dress up in your Hollywood best. As you and your child pull together your ensembles think, "What would Joan Rivers say?"
Call your neighbors and invite them to enjoy their very own 15 minutes of fame. You may even get a chance to chat with someone over the age of five!
Grab your chalk and camera and hit the pavement.
Using the chalk, draw big stars on the sidewalk à la Hollywood Boulevard's Walk of Fame. Write a name—your child's name, the neighbor's name, the UPS guy's name if he shows up—in each star.
Under each name, draw a little picture of what each "Celeb" is famous for—i.e., under "Dad," draw a hammer. If he's not very handy then create a star for your handyman and invite him to the festivities!
Take a picture of every "celebrity" next to their star.
You can even have your child bring out her favorite dolls or stuffed animals and create stars for them if the thought of going back inside for another round of I Spy is killing you.
Have everyone sign autographs and pose for pics with their "fans" (a.k.a. Mom and Grandma).
If you use a digital camera, upload the shots to your computer and print them out.
Next, let your kid staple the print-outs together to make your own celebrity magazine! This will buy you at least another 10 minutes to chop veggies for dinner or clean the cat litter. It's a glamorous life, but someone's got to live it!