Inspired by Big Hero 6: Baymax Rice Ball and Party Ideas

 

Have you ever had an animated film touch your heart? As a mom with littles, most of my current in-theater movie experience is family entertainment. Ronin and Ellie mainly enjoy animated-style films versus live action. But honestly that’s OK for me because these days there are some incredible animated movies, with characters and story lines that rival the best live action films.

Last week, Big Hero 6 won the Oscar (no surprise!) and then came out on Blu-Ray/DVD. We have had more than a few viewings at home since it came out. We watched it again today in fact. John and I enjoy the film just as much as the kids, especially because we clearly see the great messages the movie portrays. One of my favorites being “Someone has to help.” There are so many things to love about it: the diverse intelligent characters; the incredible art style; and the touching story line. 

Geeks like us are thrilled to see science nerds save the day. To see lovable robotic healthcare companion Baymax pop out with gems like “It is OK to cry. Crying is a natural response to pain.” To enjoy the beautiful melding of San Francisco and Tokyo in the gorgeous animated scenery. 

So I spent some time last week thinking about ways to bring Big Hero 6 to life for a family movie night. We are huge sushi lovers in our home. The kids seriously could eat it every day, so making a Baymax Rice Ball to go along with dinner from our favorite conveyor belt sushi place made perfect sense. The kids were so excited to eat it, and John thought it was cool too. 

Big Hero 6 toys are available at Walmart.com, so I picked up Baymax and Hiro Disney Infinity characters for our Xbox. The kids love to play with the figures in real life, as well as in game, so they were thrilled to see the box arrive. I also came up with a couple of other simple Baymax themed party ideas including this adorable party cup and edible Baymax gumballs (instructions below.) 

Baymax Party Cup: See detailed tutorial here

We had a great time watching Big Hero 6 (once again!) and spending quality family time snuggling on the couch. Aren’t they adorable? My sweet loves. 

Baymax Rice Ball Tutorial

My movie night snack tray was really fun to put together and was a big hit, so I wanted to share simple instructions. 

What you’lll need:

plastic wrap

2 red peppers

purple cabbage

3 small bowls of sticky rice I like to go the easy route so I purchased these for under $4 at our local conveyor belt sushi place, but there are also great alternatives at your local grocery store. Check the Asian section.

one piece of seaweed Also purchased at our sushi joint but also available at the grocery store.

pencil with eraser removed

round cookie cutters I found mine at Walmart but you can also find similar here

Instructions

Step 1: Place a half a bowl of rice onto plastic wrap. 

Step 2: Twist and mold rice into desired ball shape for Baymax’s head.

Step 3: Repeat process for body and legs (and arms if you choose to do so.) Then let them sit for one hour to help maintain shape before unwrapping plastic. When you unwrap, be sure to do so on the serving tray or dish that you plan to use for your party, as the rice will be sticky.

Step 4: Using a pairing knife, cut out shapes for face mask and armor for body and arms. 

Step 5: Using round cookie cutters, cut out round shape for shoulder in red pepper and purple cabbage.

Step 6: Using the end of the pencil, cut small circles of seaweed for eyes and then use pairing knife to cut one straight line of seaweed for between the eyes.

Step 7: Lay out your Baymax as so. 

 Baymax Gumballs

My movie night tray also included these adorable Baymax Gumballs. Super simple, and the kids enjoyed helping me on this one. We just drew the eyes with Wilton edible color markers

There are so many fun party ideas you can create for Big Hero 6. And if you haven’t seen the film, I highly recommend you check it out. I know your kids will love it and I think you will too. If you host a themed-party and use any of my ideas, let me know. And by the way, I have fun Big Hero 6 printable kids activities here!

Are you ready for a Big Hero 6 movie night?

You can now pick up a 2-disk exclusive gift set. The purchase includes a digital movie on Vudu while supplies last. (After purchase, scan your receipt using Savings Catcher in the Walmart app. You’ll receive a message via phone or email, and then you’ll be able to watch Big Hero 6 on any device.)

Disclosure: There are affiliate links in this post within the tutorial.