Traditionally, women wore grass skirts to a luau.
Creating a luau for students is a way to reward them for hard work with a theme party. Students and teachers can get into the act by dressing the part, sampling food commonly associated with luaus and even learn about the history of the luau, which dates back to 1819. King Kamehamea II decided that men and women should no longer eat apart from each other. Over the next century, the customs and traditions of the luau became a part of Hawaiian culture.
Luau Games
Luau games mix the spirit of the luau with some of the traditional games that children play. For instance, school students can play games such as "Bobbing for Sea Shells" or "Hot Coconut," which are akin to bobbing for apples or hot potato, respectively. Other game ideas include a luau relay race where students divide into team teams, and race 20 to 50 feet to a certain point where they must put on luau clothing such as grass skirts, leis, sunglasses and a hat and sit in a beach chair. They must then remove those items and race back to their teammate, who then repeats the process. The team whose members complete the race first is the winner.
Luau Food
Common luau food includes some form of ham or pig roast. If you are hosting this event for parents and students alike as a fundraiser, then hiring a catering company to perform an actual pig roast with traditional luau side dishes can really set the tone. However, if you are simply preparing food to eat in the classroom, you can prepare items such as pineapple, ham and cheese skewers, fruit salad (with pineapples and cherries), Hawaiian pizza, scooped out oranges filled with sherbet, or chocolate-dipped bananas with coconut.
Luau Music
Luau music should provide a calming, tropical feel that makes it seem as if the teachers and students have been transported to Hawaii and are sitting by the Pacific Ocean at dusk. Traditional luau music uses a ukulele and basic drums. Artists who have recorded popular luau music include Don Ho, Elvis (Blue Hawaii), Israel Kamakawiwo'ole and New Hawaiian Band. You can purchase and download some of the music to play during the school luau. (Just be sure that all music lyrics are appropriate. If you are not sure, omit that song and stick to instrumentals.)
Luau Dance
If the luau is a large event such as a graduation party being thrown by the parents and teachers for the students, then you can hire professional hula dancers and Polynesian-themed entertainers to put on a dance show. If this is a smaller event in the classroom, you can teach the students some very basic hula dance moves along with music. Students can then dress in grass skirts and leis over their clothing and perform the routine. While this idea is fun, it also help children with their gross and fine motor skills as they coordinate movement.
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