Chocolate Party Time!

The Ancient Mayan people of the country now called Mexico used to drink a sweet, spicy drink called chocolatl. They discovered how to make it in about 600 AD, that's about 1400 years ago. Does the name ring any bells? Yep, that's right - chocolate.

Chocolate comes from a bean called a cocoa bean. Cocoa beans grow on cocoa trees like the one in our picture. These grow in the hot and wet climate of South America very well.

The beans were very valuable in Mayan times. They were sometimes used as currency. People would swap the beans for other things - in the same way we use money.

The Victorians found out how to use the beans to make a solid food, instead of a drink. Since then chocolate has become one of the most popular (and of course the most yummy!) foods in the world.

So, let's celebrate chocolate in honour of the Ancient Mayan people! Here's how to play Chocolate Fancy Dress.

Right: how much chocolate will this little piggy get to eat before the next six is thrown?

You need a big bar of chocolate (or three or four big bars!), a plate, a knife (not a sharp knife, just a normal one will do), a fork, some crazy dressing up clothes, a dice and a group of friends.

Here's what to do.

Sit in a circle and take it in turns to throw the dice.

Whenever someone throws a six they get to eat some chocolate, BUT there's a catch. Before they get a taste they have to put on all of the fancy dress clothes!

Once they've got all of the clothes on they get to eat a square of chocolate, but have to use the knife and fork to do so.

That person can keep eating squares of chocolate as long as they finish each mouthful before taking the next.

Here's the other catch - while they're munching, the rest of you keep throwing the dice. As soon as someone else throws a six, it's his or her turn and the chocolate eater has to get out of the dressing up clothes as fast as they can.

Warning: this game gets very loud and very rowdy!