PARTY PICTURE-TAKING
~~~ If you're having a large party, buy a few disposable cameras and ask some of the parents to take pictures for you. You'll get different perspectives of the party than if you just take pictures yourself. You can also have double prints made and give out copies of children to their parents. As tempting as it may be, don't allow the children to take pictures or you'll find yourself with an entire roll of pictures taken of the same person (I say this from personal experience!).
~~~Digital cameras certainly make it easy to snap away! After the party, you can sort through and delete the photos that are out of focus or not so good. Taking a few seconds to think about a photograph before you take it will increase the chance that you will snap a keeper!
Keep in mind the following few tips before you press the shutter button.
- Zoom in or get close to the subject for better detail.
- Don't clutter your subject with a busy background.
- Place your subject off-center (look up the "rule of thirds" for more information).
- Change your point of view - try sitting or kneeling instead of shooting from eye level.
For even more helpful tips, do an Internet search for “photography tips"!
~~~ When opening up the presents, have each guest come forward and sit with the birthday child as he/she opens their gift. The guests will enjoy the attention and it will make the present-opening time more interactive. Take a photo of them together with the gift. You can use this photo to remember what everyone gave and it's a thoughtful gesture to stick a copy in the thank-you note.
~~~ Use a Polaroid Camera to take a picture of each child with the birthday kid. Then using poster board (done before party) cut out a frame. Let children, as they arrive decorate the frame using glitter, stickers, markers etc. Then glue picture in frame and they have a nice keepsake to take home plus an activity to pass the time.
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FANCY PLATES & NAPKINS
~~~ The fancy plates and napkins can get very expensive and really aren't appreciated by the children. You can get packages of plates at Costco, BJ's or Sam's Club much cheaper than the fancy plates. If you want a little color, get a fancy tablecloth or use the fancy plates just for the cake.
~~~Decorate solid colored paper plates with edibles to create fun party paper goods that match your theme! The plates are best made just before party time. Or if you can, enlist a helper to decorate the plates and set them at the table while the kids are busy with a game in another room or outside. When its time for cake they will arrive at the table for a cool surprise!
Decorating gel, small candies and your imagination will help you create super special cake plates that could make even plain cake into a treat! Other decorating ingredients you could use: chocolate syrup, powdered sugar, and colored sugar.
Here are some ideas to get you started:
- Red plates metamorphose into ladybugs. Draw a line down the center of the plate with black decorating gel. The ladybugs' spots can be made with black m&m candies or chocolate baking chips.
- Yellow or orange plates bloom into a spring time flower. Draw a circle for the center of the flower with green decorating gel. Then fill in the center by dotting the gel. Dip a toothpick into chocolate syrup to draw the flower petal lines.
- White plates can turn into cow print or Dalmatian print. Using chocolate syrup, make spots and dots according the animal you choose.
- A fresh layer of powder for some snowy fun. Dust a white plate with powdered sugar at a winter time party featuring snowmen or penguins.
- Orange plates with tiger stripes are the perfect jungle or zoo animal cake plate. Draw the stripes with black decorating gel.
Any solid color plate can be jazzed up using decorating gel to draw polka dots, stripes, musical notes, and other shapes that can be used at a variety of occasions!
Just remember the kids may want to eat everything on the plate! You may also want to have some plain plates reserved in case there are some children who don't want their cake to touch anything else.
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FOOD, COOKIES CAKE AND CUPCAKES
~~~ Bake cupcakes, but don't frost them. Put them out along with several different flavors and colors of frosting. Also put out different kinds of sprinkles, chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, candy decorations, etc. Let the kids frost the cupcakes themselves and then decorate them with the sprinkles, etc. They'll have great fun doing this. You can do this instead of a birthday cake. The baking aisle in the supermarket has a great selection of fun decorations.
~~~You've just hosted a fabulously fun party with lots of great food, and your guests are getting ready to head home. Bags of snacks remain unopened, you still have some bottles of soda, and there are way more hot dogs than you can eat. What do you do with all the leftovers so they don't go to waste?
Here are some suggestions:
- Sealed packages of food can be taken to a local food pantry.
- Send opened or prepared food items home with guests.
- Share with an elderly neighbor.
- Some foods can be frozen and eaten later. For example, freeze leftover soda and juice in ice cube trays or popsicle trays to make ice pops.
~~~Sugar cookies are a versatile party food! They can be cut into a nearly endless number of shapes that can match the party theme.
For an Under the Sea party or mermaid party, cut cookies into sea stars. Various size circle cookies can represent coins for a Funny Money party or a Pirate party, or as Sports balls for a soccer or baseball party. For a Dalmatian or puppy party, cut cookies into bone shapes. Make alien shapes for an Out in Space party, sunglasses for a beach party or Fun in the Sun party, or hearts for a Hearts-Hearts-Hearts party or Valentine's party. Musical note shapes would be perfect for a karaoke party or Musical Fun party. Make a rope with the dough and flatten to the right cookie thickness to make worms or snakes that would be great for a Buggin' Out party, flower garden or Butterfly party, Gross Out party or Snakes & Lizards party.
There are many cookie cutters available to purchase, but you could make a paper template and cut the shapes with a knife for a custom cookie shape. Flowers, frogs, cowboy hats, magic wands, race cars, animals... use your imagination!
~~~ For parties with younger kids, make one large cake for the adults/older children. Then make coordinating cupcakes for the younger ones. Saves wasted cake and is a lot easier for them to eat.
~~~ If you're making your own cake, be creative with it! Even if you don't have a specific theme for the cake, give it a fun look! Use some of the following as decorations and your cake will look great! Be creative!
Lollipops, Life Savers, Marshmallows (both big and small), Pretzel Sticks, Red or Black Licorice (both strings and pieces), M & Ms, Candied Fruit, Jelly Beans, Chocolate-Covered Raisins or Peanuts, Flaked Coconut, Pez Candy, Chocolate or Vanilla Wafer Cookies, Gumdrops, Peanuts or other Nuts, Chocolate Chips, Peanut Butter Chips, Butterscotch Chips, Chocolate Shavings, Jujyfruits, Chocolate covered Mints, Gummi Bears, Tic Tac Mints, Sprinkles, Cinnamon Heart-Shaped Candies, Chocolate Kisses, Good & Plenty, Malted Milk Balls, Small Cookies, Crushed Cookie Crumbs, Orange Slices, Grapes, Strawberries, Kiwi.
~~~Beach ball on the sand cakes
Bake cupcakes and frost with different colors to look like beach balls! In a jelly roll pan or a shallow cookie sheet create a layer of “sand” with crushed graham cracker crumbs. Arrange the “beach ball” cupcakes on the sand. Add gummy candy sharks, Swedish fish candy, mini paper umbrellas, and even thoroughly washed shells from the beach or craft store to complete the beach scene. Also serve fish shaped pretzels and crackers!
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USE PRE-TEENS OR TEENS TO HELP OUT
~~~ Using young teens to help out is a great idea! You might have them right in your family in the form of older siblings, nieces or nephews who are too young to stay home alone but aren't going to have fun at a party for a young child. Put them to work! They'll have fun and you will appreciate it immensely. Or, you can employ children from the neighborhood. They'll help out with the kids allowing the adults to have a fun time as well.
~~~ If you are hosting a younger children's party, but have a few older kids in attendance, have them set up and run some of the little kid's games. It alleviates the "I'm bored, this is a baby party" syndrome, gets the older kids acquainted if they don't already know each other, promotes positive self-esteem and helps the host and parents also.
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INVITATIONS
~~~ For my daughter's 5th, birthday we bought a bag of colored balloons. On each balloon we wrote out all of the party information, sealed them in envelopes with some confetti and gave them out as invitations. My daughter was delighted and the parents of the children who received them thought they were very original.
~~~Invitations don't need to be bought or written by hand if you use e-mail! There are a variety of choices for electronic mail invitations, but you don't necessarily need a website service. You could simply send out an e-mail to your guests and allow them to RSVP via e-mail, too! It's a good idea to include other contact information though.
Using an e-mail address for RSVP’s is great because the guest can send respond whenever they have time or remember to do so. It doesn't matter if it's 1 a.m!
If you use a personal e-mail, it’s a good idea to check with each invited guest to make sure they received your invitation. Sometimes e-mails get lost in cyber space. Letting the guest know that you received their RSVP keeps them from guessing whether their message got through or not.
~~~Invitations can set the tone for your party. A fun invitation that hints at the party theme can create anticipation!
Make your own invitations using card stock or blank greeting cards. Use stickers or stamps that match the party theme. Here are some ideas for invitation wording based on a theme:
~~~ When you send out your invitations, be sure to include accurate directions to your house or party place so that guests will not have to call you for them. This will keep those day-of-the-party interruptions to a minimum.
~~~Cut a three-foot length of adding machine paper for each of these cool invitations.
Write out the party details, stretching them out from one end of the paper to the other, then choose one of these ideas:
- Wrap the paper around a pencil and use a ribbon tied around the roll to hold it.
- Accordion fold the paper so you can send your invitations in the mail.
- Glue one end of the paper to a wooden chopstick. When the glue dries, tightly roll the paper around the stick to make a paper yo-yo.
- Glue each end of the paper to a small twig. When the glue dries, roll each end of the paper around the sticks to make a mini scroll.
~~~ Make your invitation a puzzle! You can use oaktag cut to approximately 6" x 9" and write your invitation on it, then cut it into pieces, or, buy our Create-A-Puzzle to use (just let us know and instead of the crayons, we'll include a marker). Write the invitation, take apart the puzzle and mail the pieces to all the people invited! Be sure to include instructions to put the puzzle together to read the message.
~~~ Take a picture of the birthday child holding a sign that has the invitation written on it. Be sure the sign is legible in the picture. Make enough copies of the picture and mail it to everyone who is invited.
Make your own thank you note paper. Using rubber stamps or themed stickers that coordinate to the party theme, create a border on standard-sized paper. Use the space in the middle to write a thank you letter.
~~~Cards can be made by folding standard-sized paper into quarters. Use rubber stamps or themed stickers to decorate the front of the card too! Write your thank you message inside. Remember to include a special “made just for you” mark on the back of your card! Seal the letters and cards with coordinating stickers.
~~~Thank you notes are a must! Start your children in the habit of doing thank you notes from a young age and they will consider it a normal part of the party.
Carry your enthusiasm from the planning of the party all the way to the writing of the thank you notes. From age two, children can help. Let them draw a picture, even if it is just scribbles - then you write the thank you note!
Either use their drawing as writing paper or include the drawing in a card. By age three or four, children can “sign” their own name, even if it is just a couple of squiggles and lines.
Pre-school age children can dictate their thoughts until they are able to write or type their own notes. As children get older and the parties get bigger, it’s okay to spread the job out, but don’t wait too long!
~~~Print or write invitation on a half sheet of standard-paper. Roll it up and insert into a clean and dry soft drink or water bottle. Return the cap and deliver your invitation. This would be great as a message in a bottle for a pirate-themed party!
Print or write invitation on a half sheet of standard-sized paper. Roll it up and insert into an un-inflated balloon. Blow up the balloon. Tie it and attach to a drinking straw, then deliver your invitation. (Please be careful with balloon bits when popping the balloon!)
Buy plain chocolate bars and remove the outer, paper wrapper. Replace the wrapper with an equal-sized paper with the invitation details upon it, then deliver this tasty treat!
Paint the invitation details onto a large sea shell using acrylic paints and deliver. This would be ideal for a beach party or luau party!
Buy tiny disposable plastic containers and lids. Four ounce size would be good for these invitations. For each invitation, cut out one or two circles from a plastic milk jug, making sure that they will fit into the container. Write the invitation details on the plastic circles using a permanent marker; allow to air dry. Place circles into container along with a sprinkle of glitter, a drop or two of food coloring and water to fill. Secure lids on containers and deliver!
~~~Try to send out invitations about two weeks before the party, or a little earlier than that if you are having it at a party place where a head count is required. When it’s important to have a head count (you don't want to pay for more guests than you need to), include a date for guests to RSVP by. If you haven’t heard from someone, it’s perfectly okay to give them a call!
~~~Write out the details of the invitation in white crayon. Practice on scrap paper first. You can use store bought invitation cards or blank paper. When you send your invitation, include a dark, colored crayon along with instructions for the invitee to lightly color over the invitation to reveal the message. Use pen, pencil or marker to write your name and phone number so they can call if they color too hard over the invitation and can’t read the details. This would be good for an art party, crayon or colors party, or a mystery/detective party.
Make a backwards invitation! If you can, just write everything backwards. If not, write out the invitation with marker. Flip the page over and trace on the back, with marker again. Then lay a blank paper over top to trace the backwards writing. Write a little note, not backwards, telling your invitee to hold the invitation in front of a mirror to read the message in the reflection. Make copies or trace one for each invitee. Great to use for a mystery/detective party or a crazy backwards party.
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PARTY FUN AND GAMES
~~~ Have an Fall Apple Party!
Make shrunken heads: Choose a large apple, peel the skin, and roll the apple in a shallow plate of lemon juice. Younger children can use play dough tools to scrape out the facial features. Older children may be able to use a paring knife or pointed vegetable peeler. You can also experiment with leaving some of the skin on. Once the face is carved, put apple in a cool dry location. Drying takes about two weeks depending on humidity levels. Shrunken heads are fun to make and make cool Halloween decorations.
Paint with apples: Cut apple in half from the top down. Dip in paint and stamp apple shapes. Cut apple in half the other way to create a different shape stamp with a star in the center. Try different size apples for a little variation. You could even use an apple stamp to decorate the front of the party invitation.
Johnny Appleseed relay race: Get a large poster map of the United States. If you can find small apple shape stickers, use those, otherwise look for some small dot stickers in red, green, and/or yellow. Outline the states where Johnny Appleseed planted seeds and seedlings. Set a time limit, depending on the age of the children, to locate and sticker as many states as they can. Taking turns, the children need to run over to the map a affix an “apple” to the state as the state’s name is called out.
Grow an apple tree in your house! Well, not a real apple tree, but a poster sized one. Sketch the trunk and branches of a tree and paint it brown. From red and green cardstock, cut out apple shapes and leaf shapes. Play this cooperative game like pin the tail on the donkey, except players will add the apples and leaves to the tree.
There are lots of yummy apple snacks to serve as well - apple cider, caramel and candy apples, applesauce, apple cake, apple pie, dried apples - use your imagination!
~~~Take-home crafts are a great way to entertain the kids at a party, but they also give guests something special to take home!
- If the craft needs time for glue or paint to dry, plan craft time early in the party.
- Have all of the items ready to go, so guests can get right to the project!
- Offer them a way to tote their craft home. Paper lunch bags, zip top plastic baggies, or small gift bags work well.
~~~Before you throw out that board game, card game, or puzzle that has missing pieces, think about putting them to good use at a game party! Party guests can create new games using the old game pieces and boards. Boards can be covered with paper, painted over, or reused as is.
Paper money, puzzle pieces and other game accessories can be used as decorations! Scatter puzzle pieces like confetti around the refreshment serving dishes. Glue game cards and paper money on goody bags, and decorate party invitations and thank you notes!
Have a game swap! Ask guests to bring their games with missing pieces or even games they don’t want anymore. You may be able to form a complete game to keep or donate to a community center or library.
And be sure to send your guests home with lots of fun Games goodies!
~~~Kids love to play ban bag toss games! For your next party try making your own.
Foam core board makes an affordable back drop for a variety of target toss games. If you have more time and money you could build an A frame with plywood and hinges. Whichever you choose, you will need to determine how many holes you will need and the design for the game.
For an easier game, use one large hole. To increase the challenge, add a couple of smaller holes. The fun part is deciding on the design, and just about anything goes. A good idea is to match the design to the party theme.
Here are some ideas:
- Animals - Draw an animal and make the mouth the hole for the beanbags. Tell the kids they need to feed the animal. You could even use insects, lizards or snakes.
- Sports - Draw a basketball net with the hole as the hoop. Try to score a three pointer.
- Make a baseball diamond with a hole at each base.
- Draw a soccer goalie guarding the net. Cut a few holes around the goalie to toss the bean bags in.
- Draw the field goal post and place the hole between the posts so players can get the field goal.
Keep the design simple and colorful so that it's easy to see where the holes are.
If you choose a generic design, you could even use the game at another party or event!
~~~It can be challenging keeping kids busy over the summer. Even if they are going to day camp or you have a pool in your yard or a swim club membership, there will be times that you hear the cry of boredom!
So what's a parent to do? Think themes! Party themes are a great place to start. Many popular party themes can even become educational opportunities that will help kids keep their minds active!
Buy a variety of Goody Bags, find some fun free printable activities online that relate to each goody bag theme, make a list of some creative games and snacks, and you've got some boredom buster kits ready and waiting for a rainy day. It will be like throwing a mini party!
~~~On a budget? Here are four party games you can play with things you find around the house:
- Scavenger Hunt: Give the kids a list and let them find the stuff. It doesn't matter what the stuff is, and it doesn't have to be related to the party theme. Just make a list of things you have around the house for the kids to find.
- Musical Chairs: …or musical rugs, or musical pieces of paper! The kids won’t care about the “chairs”! Musical chairs will still be fun whether there are chairs or not. All you need is some music and something for the kids to lay claim to when the music stops! Instead of chairs you can use small rugs, construction paper, or even paper plates.
- Relay Race: Run from the start to the finish. You only need space for this one, but you can punch up the fun by challenging the racers a bit. See if they can do it while carrying something on a spoon or while balancing something on a finger or two.
- Quiet game: It sounds easy; just sit quietly. But when you have a room full of kids and someone is making funny faces, someone is going to crack up. The first one to make a squeak is out.
~~~Use party goods in fun & unusual ways:
Crepe paper … a fun and colorful way to add to the party mood. But what else can you do with it?
- Tear it in bits and glue it on sturdy paper for a textured art project.
- Cut it into short strips and use it as gift bag filler.
- Wrap a gift by rolling it around the present, being sure to overlap layers.
- Tape long strips all over, from one end of a room to the other, creating a web-like obstacle.
Paper or plastic party cups can be used for more than just drinks.
- Play catch using the cups to catch the ball.
- Use the cups to portion out snack foods like popcorn or candy.
- Send guests home with a cupful of the candy they collected when the piñata burst.
- Sturdier reusable plastic cups are great for a game of cup stacking.
Tablecloths brighten up the party room, but when the party is over, that tablecloth can still be useful!
The thin vinyl tablecloths tend to tear easily. If you've managed to make it through the party without any tears, wipe it down before removing it from the table. Fold it compactly and stash it in your car to use for an unplanned picnic or to put under someone's muddy shoes.
If only a portion of the tablecloth is intact, cut off the torn section. The remaining piece can be used to wrap a gift or place it under a flower pot to protect the floor!
What other ideas can you come up with?
~~~Use paint stirring sticks for something different at a handyman party, an arts and crafts party or just for fun:
- Tape a paint stirrer to the back of a paper plate to make a mask.
- Use as the handle of a fishing rod for a party fishing type game.
- Paint the flat sides of the stick two different colors. Flip the stick in place of a coin for a coin toss.
- Add paper cut out characters and have a puppet show.
- Let party goers decorate a stick with their name and custom design as a take home craft that can be hung in their room or on their door.
- Make a picture frame by gluing sticks together in a square. Overlap a couple of layers for more strength. Decorate with buttons, plastic gems, glitter, wrapping paper bits, paint and more
~~~Purchase a traditional beach ball or one with a less busy design. Using a permanent marker, write prompts onto open spaces on the ball. Some suggestions for prompts: last book read, favorite holiday, which reality show would you go on, best birthday party you had, etc. Fill the ball with similar questions.
For the ice breaker, have guests toss the ball to each other. Whichever prompt is closest to their right thumb is the one they need to answer. Then they toss it to another person. Continue playing until everyone has had a turn.
This ball can be put away after the party and used again. It can also be helpful if your party slumps. Just grab the ball and play again!
~~~Fun By the Spoonful! Sure, the plastic spoon is a handy piece of plastic to take on a picnic, but it can be used for some party fun too!
Play the classic spoon race game where you race from start to finish holding an egg on a spoon. Variations: use plastic Easter eggs, cotton balls, marbles or small candies like Tootsie Rolls or Gummy bears.
See how many M & M's or jelly beans can you stack on a spoon.
See how far can you fling a puffed cheese ball with a plastic spoon.
See how fast can you transfer the contents of a container to another container with just one plastic spoon?
For indoor parties, you can use mini marshmallows, cotton balls, cereal, or small candies. For a messy outdoor game, have participants use their spoon to fill a cup of water from a bucket.
Make chocolate dipped spoons. Search for the recipe instructions using your favorite web searching site.
Make plastic spoon puppets. Draw a face on the bowl of the spoon. Use embellishments like yarn, mini pompoms, and fabric scraps to complete the creation.
~~~Have a custom-themed Bingo Party! Cut out pictures from magazines that relate to your theme or use your computer to print out some images!
Paste the image onto card stock and cut into playing cards, keeping a list of the images on the cards for the caller. You can use a size that works for the age of the partygoers.
Playing card size would be great for children 5 to 8, while smaller sizes could work for those 8 and up. Each player will be given nine cards, so be sure to make enough for everyone. No markers are needed for this game.
If a player has the card that is called they simply turn it over. When they have turned over the cards in the desired pattern they call bingo! You can play three across, three down, three diagonally, make a T, make an X, make a square, or cover the board!
Reshuffle the cards and deal again for added variation. Keep playing until the fun starts to die down, but before interest is totally lost.
~~~A Internet search for “toilet paper tube” + craft will turn up lots of creative and fun things to do with empty cardboard tubes! Some of the ideas can be used at a children's party. Try using tubes from toilet paper, paper towels and wrapping paper for a variety of sizes and sturdiness!
The tubes can be decorated in various ways to match the theme of the party! They can hold small candies and toys. Use one as a creative way to wrap a small gift or a gift of cash. Keep kids busy with crafts made using the cardboard tubes. Cut a tube into smaller rings which can be used as napkin holders. These rings can also hold a ping pong ball or other small ball, or even hard cooked eggs, for fun and games!
~~~Childhood obesity has been in the news, and the health of our children is certainly important. So what does that have to do with a child's birthday party? You could turn it around and make a fun party theme - think Health and Fitness and focus on FUN!
Play action-packed games! You can incorporate sports into your party. Although many children play on sports teams, many do not. Those who play on teams will be able to lead the way for those who don't. The skilled and experienced players can teach and encourage the others. You can focus on a game of one particular sport or just practice some skills from a variety of sports.
Fitness is a broad term that includes all sorts of exercise, not just sports. Jumping rope, relay races, and dancing are all ways to get the kids up and moving!
Take the kids to a roller skating rink or gymnastics center, local park or you could have a pool party.
Don't stop the Health and Fitness fun at the games! Carry the theme onto the party food. Keep sodium, fat, and sugar intake to healthy limits. Serve foods pre-portioned to reasonable serving sizes to encourage good eating habits:
- Instead of sodas, serve icy cold water and 100% fruit juices.
- Instead of greasy chips, try pretzels and air popped popcorn.
- Instead of huge slabs of cake with a thick layer of sugary frosting, serve angel food cake with fruit topping and a dollop of whipped cream.
- Cupcakes are a good alternative because they limit the serving size.
- Trail mix can be a sweet and crunchy treat that satisfies hungry partygoers.
~~~Usually a scavenger hunt lists items to be found. In this fun variation, the teams don't know what will be on the list until after they have collected items.
Before the party starts, create a list of 10 items, varying the list from more common things to less common things that can be found at a local dollar or discount store. Place the list in an envelope and seal it without letting anyone else see it, especially the guest of honor.
Ask guests to arrive at the dollar or discount store for the party. If the store happens to be in a mall or shopping center, you can continue the party at the food court or at a nearby food place after the scavenger hunt. If not, you will have to transport the guests back to your house for the rest of the party.
When everyone arrives, divide them into teams of three or four people, and give each team a shopping cart. Each team is then instructed to select twelve items to place in their cart and to meet up after 15 or 20 minutes.
At the end of the shopping period, take out the scavenger hunt list. Whichever team has the most items on the list is declared the winner. As a prize you could allow each person to select something from their team's cart and buy it for them. Also, you should return the carts and take the un-purchased items back to their shelves so the store doesn't get upset at being left with a mess.
Here are some creative suggestions for the items on the scavenger hunt list:
- Something red.
- Something you put in your mouth.
- A food made with a vegetable.
- An item you wear.
- A product that is sold by the dozen.
- Something cold.
Another variation that can be done at home requires guests to bring six things from home. When everyone arrives for the party, you read the list to see who has the most items on the list. This can be a great ice breaker activity!
~~~Birthday parties in the fall can have fun seasonal themes!
- Indian/Native American party-Think Columbus arriving in America and Thanksgiving.
- Thanksgiving costume party-Think Pilgrims, Native Americans and the first Thanksgiving.
- Harvest party - Think nature, leaves, and fall-harvested produce.
- Football party - Think pro football, local high school football, and cheerleading.
- Election day party - Think patriotism, mock election, and US presidents.
- Armed forces party - Think patriotism, Veteran's day parades, flags, and soldiers!
Celebrate fall with a combination of some or all these great seasonal themes!
~~~ Progressive Pumpkin Games party theme
- Before the party starts scatter mini pumpkins and decorative gourds across the yard, one for each guest plus a few extras. If the weather doesn't cooperate, you could hide them indoors.
- Begin the party with an ice breaker like BINGO as guests arrive. Quick rounds of bingo can accommodate new arrivals. Make custom boards with fall theme pictures and use roasted pumpkin seeds for markers.
- When all the guests have arrived and interest in bingo has waned, lead the guests to the pumpkin patch for the harvest. Ask guests to place the pumpkins and gourds they pick into a box, basket or even a wagon to transport them to the next activity.
- Play the next stage like Hot Potato! While music plays, guests pass a mini pumpkin or decorative gourd. When the music stops, the child left holding the pumpkin is removed from the game. He or she leaves the room and goes to a craft area to decorate their pumpkin with paints, foam stickers, glue, glitter, googly eyes, and other crafty items. The game continues in the other room with new pumpkin decorators joining the craft area as they are left holding the pumpkin.
- When all the children have finished decorating their pumpkins, line them up for a pumpkin decorating contest. Award prizes like most creative, most colorful, cutest, scariest, funniest- one award for each pumpkin (no losers)!
Other pumpkin games:
- Standing over a narrow mouth bottle, players drop pumpkin seeds attempting to get them in the bottle.
- Open the top of a large pumpkin and hide small toys in the stringy, seedy insides. Players, if they aren't too squeamish, reach in the squishy goo in search of the toys. Small Halloween favors like plastic bugs and spiders would be perfect to use.
- Using the same pumpkin from the above activity or even using another large pumpkin, scrape out the seeds and strings. Players can toss small objects with the pumpkin as the target.
~~~ Here's a great idea to keep the early birds busy until all the guests have arrived. Instead of buying expensive tablecloths, use butcher paper (or blank newsprint end rolls - newspapers can't use the last of their huge rolls & often sell them cheaply or give them away) to cover tables. Give each child a few crayons and let them color right on the tables!
~~~Most store bought birthday cards can be recycled with newspaper, cardboard, and white paper. But before you decide to add them to your recycling pile, here are some ways that you can get more use and fun out of the cards:
- Cut the front of the card into strips and make bookmarks.
- Make a puzzle by cutting the front panel of the card into puzzle pieces.
- A card with a large image, like a favorite television character, can become a lacing or sewing card! Glue the card closed. When the glue is dried, punch holes at least 1.5 inches apart around the outline of the image. Use an old shoe lace and let a toddler “sew” their card.
- Cards can be folded into Origami style boxes that can be used as gift boxes.
- Cut the cards horizontally, greeting side included, into long, thin strips and weave them into a panel. Using construction paper or a thicker strip of greeting card, add a frame border which will hold the weaving together. Use the woven panel as a picture frame, decoration or as a greeting card for another occasion.
- Use special shaped hole punches or cut out shapes and designs to make colorful additions to your scrap book projects.
~~~Bubble wrap can be used in some fun and creative ways! Try some of these ideas the next time a delivery comes wrapped in bubble wrap. Better yet, go buy a roll of the stuff and get popping!
The large bubble wrap sheets can be used as a dart game for older kids and adults. Play it carnival style and give each person five darts to pop three or four bubbles!
Take off your socks and shoes and walk across it. Try walking across the bubble wrap popping the fewest bubbles possible or just feel the cushion bubble wrap provides.
Cut the bubble wrap into small shapes and use them to paint with. Different size bubbles give you different patterns.
Pack small pieces of bubble wrap in a travel bag for long car rides. Bubble wrap can even be used in the dark since you can feel the bubbles that need to be popped.
Keep party guests busy until everyone arrives by covering a table in bubble wrap and letting them pop bubbles!
Party or group games:
- Give each person a sheet of wrap with approximately the same number of bubbles and see who can pop theirs the fastest.
- Divide into small groups. Give each group some packing tape or duck tape and equal amounts of bubble wrap. Challenge them to make a bubble wrap article of clothing, like a vest or pair of pants, for one of the group members. Play some music and do a bubble wrap fashion show when they're done.
Please remember that popped and un-popped bubble wrap can pose a suffocation risk, so don't give it to young children and always supervise bubble wrap play.
~~~Kids Party Game Ideas with office supplies - Common office supplies make great props for kids party games!
- Dot stickers: Use different colored stickers for each team. Stick them all around the party area and give each team the task of finding all of the stickers of their assigned color.
- Post-it notes: Play capture the sticky note. Divide the group into two teams. For each team select a colored post-it note pad. Place a few post-it notes on the back of each team member; use less per person with a large group. Teams need to carefully capture the sticky notes from the other team.
- Building challenge: Give each person a selection of office supplies to be used to build a waste paper launcher. Include items such as rubber bands, various sized paper clips and binder clips, scotch tape, manila folders, and more. Set up a waste basket and a supply of crumbled paper to test the launchers.
- Find a paper clip in haystack: Before the party, gather some shredded paper, enough to fill a small box. Hide a colorful paper clip among the shreds of paper. Take turns hiding and finding the paper clip.
Use paper clips, magnets and unsharpened pencils to make a fun fishing game.
Give out goodies such as mini note pads, pens, pencils, pencil toppers, and stickers.
~~~ Target Toss Games are great for children's parties! They can be adapted to the theme of the party by using different objects. They can also be increased in difficulty for older children. Try some of these suggestions or mix and match them for your own twist on an old game!
- Toss Frisbees through a hanging hula hoop.
- Toss small toys like mini animals or hedge balls into a bowl or bucket.
- Toss mini parachutists onto a bulls-eye or into a Frisbee.
- Fly paper airplanes through a hanging inflatable swim ring.
Team toss idea:
Divide into teams of two. Give each team three or four inflatable swim rings- already inflated. One player stands with both arms outstretched to their sides. The other player will toss the swim rings trying to hang them on his teammates’ arms. Be the first to hang all the rings.
~~~ Popcorn is a healthful treat to eat, and it can be fun too!
Try some different toppings for your freshly popped popcorn:
- Garlic salt
- Parmesan cheese
- Seasoned salt
- Brown sugar and cinnamon
- Powdered cheddar cheese
Have a popcorn relay race: You will need two popcorn “hoppers” for each team and plenty of popcorn!
To make each hopper, take a 16 ounce disposable plastic cup and punch a hole in the bottom. Insert a thick rubber band into the hole, and slide a paper clip onto the rubber band to hold it in place. Pull the rubber band down from outside the cup bottom to attach hopper to the players shoe. Wearing a hopper on each foot, team members take turns transporting popcorn from the start to the finish line, where they dump it into a large bowl or a box. You can see who fills their bowl first or play for a set amount of time.
Make a popcorn mosaic: Draw a design on a sturdy piece of paper or thin cardboard. Spread tacky glue, one section at a time, and attach un-popped popcorn kernels of various colors to fill in the design. Allow plenty of time for project to dry. If you are doing this at a party, plan this activity at the start of the party so that the it can dry some before guests depart.
~~~ Get a little more use our of those plastic Easter eggs with these fun games that can be played anytime of year!
- Scrambled Egg Obstacle Course
Designate each color of egg as a different action for the obstacle course. Place eggs in a bag so that players cant see them. Decide how many tasks each player will need to do and have them pick the same number of eggs. Lay the eggs five to ten feet apart (closer for younger players; further for older players). Players begin at the first egg and do the appropriate action moving towards the next egg. Upon reaching the next egg, the player performs the action associated with that color of egg and so on until they have done the last action. Some ideas for actions: hop on one foot, do the army crawl, roll, walk backwards, cartwheel and run. Players can play side by side with their own set of eggs or individually. A variation is to place slips of paper in the eggs to let the player know what action to do. They can pick their eggs, then arrange them in the same way described above. Beginning with the first egg, “hatch” it open and do what's shown on the paper slip. Move to the next egg and do the same, continuing until all eggs are hatched and actions completed.
- Silent Simon Says
Designate each color of egg as a different action. Once players have had an opportunity to remember the action for each color begin the game. “Simon” picks an egg, one at a time, and holds it up for all the players to see. The players then do the correct action associated with that color egg. If a player forgets which action to do or does the wrong one, he is out of the game for that round. The game continues until one player is left. The winner becomes the Simon for the next round. To increase difficulty, Simon can select eggs quicker as fewer players remain in the game. Some ideas for the actions: touch your nose, stand on one foot, lay down, flap like a chicken, moo like a cow. You could even choose actions related to the party theme.
- All Cracked up Race
Give players cracked open plastic eggs and challenge them to put them back together as quick as they can. Younger children will do better with fewer eggs, one of each color, while older children may enjoy the challenge of many eggs including some of the same color. This activity could also be used in obstacle course.
- Matching game
This game can make use of plastic eggs that are missing their other half. Gather sets of items that can fit in one half of the egg. For example, dice, marbles, small toys, game pawns, beads, etc. Using just one half of the eggs, conceal one of each item under an egg half. Take turns lifting two egg halves trying to find the matching pairs. Tip: use all rounded halves or all pointed halves to make it harder.
- More Leftover Egg Fun!
The eggs can also be used to make prize distribution less competitive. In each egg place a slip of paper with a number as a point value. After each game allow the winner to select an egg first, then let all the other players select an egg. At the end, players crack open their eggs and add up their points. Points can be redeemed for prizes. If offering one prize per child, points can be used to determine the order in which players pick their prize. Regardless of who wins the games each player has the same opportunity to earn points for prizes.
~~~ Kids have a lot of fun making their own party hats. It is a great activity to do when all the kids have arrived and it is time to settle down a bit. Get plain party hats and lots of stickers and markers and let the kids create!!! It is especially great when you can't find hats that go with your particular theme.~~~ Have a supply of paper plates (true paper ones, not plastic), ice cream sticks, glue and markers or crayons. The kids can makes masks with them, decorating the plates with the crayons and gluing on the ice cream stick as a handle.
~~~Family Reunion Parties! Many families hold reunions in the warmer weather, but don't let that stop you. The time to start thinking about planning one is now!
December is often a time when we visit with relatives that we haven't seen in a while. Take advantage of these face-to-face visits to plant the seed of thought for a summer reunion.
Then, over the slower winter months allow those seeds to sprout. By the time the spring comes, anticipation will be building and plans can be finalized!
~~~ Here are some fun uses for bandanas beyond their use as head wear or blindfolds.
- Learn to juggle! Because of their light weight and shape, they float when tossed, making them easier to toss and catch than balls. They're a great way to work your way up to real Juggling Balls!
- Have a catch! For younger children, a bandana is a great size and shape to grab for ease in catching.
- Team toss! Challenge a team of two to have a catch with a bandana without dropping it. Then increase the difficulty and have them use two bandanas at once. You could even see if they can keep more going!
- Circle game! Have group stand in a circle far enough apart that fingers are touching. Give every other person a bandana. Toss the bandanas from one person to the next, slowly at first then speeding up, trying not to drop them.
- Mystery object! Place an object under a bandana. See if the child can guess what the object is based on the shape.
~~~ Piñatas are always a big hit at birthday parties! Many store-bought piñatas open when partygoers tug ribbons, which works well for younger kids. Older kids would usually rather hit the piñata with a stick.
A homemade piñata can be made with an empty cardboard carton from a 12-pack of soft drinks. Tie a string through the box to use for hanging it. Decorate the box according to the theme, then fill with goodies and tape shut. Add colorful streamers for added flair.
A piñata made this way can take a beating, hopefully allowing all the partygoers a chance to give it a whack!
~~~ If you're having an outdoor party, beach balls make a great activity. Blow them up in advance and when the kids need to release a little energy, toss a bunch of beach balls in the yard. They'll have a ball (pun intended!) throwing the balls to each other.
~~~ Here's a fun version of Hot Potato. Buy small gifts, enough for each child at the party. Make them all the same, preferable something they'll be able to play with when the game is done. Take all the gifts and wrap them together in a sheet of wrapping paper. Then, take the entire package and wrap it in another piece of wrapping paper. Do this several times. Put all the children in a circle and give the package to one of them. Turn on the music and have them start passing the package around the circle. When the music stops (parent can control the music) the child with the package unwraps the first layer of wrapping paper. Continue until the last layer of wrapping paper is gone and the gifts all tumble out. Each child gets one gift. A good gift to use is small bottles of bubbles and then the children get to go outside and use their bubbles.
~~~There are lots of ways the internet can help to keep kids busy on a budget. Check out the websites of your children's favorite television characters for party ideas. You can usually find full color printables, coloring pages, paper crafts, game ideas and more!
Save money by printing these at home instead of buying expensive decorations at party stores!
~~~ Have an activity available for as the children arrive. It could be a simple as a tablecloth for them to color on. As soon as the children arrive, direct them to the activity. It will give them something to do rather than stand around shuffling their feet waiting for the other children. It also serves as a good ice-breaker. They're involved in the activity and don't have to look directly at the other children, they'll talk in a more natural way while they warm up to one another. This is especially good at a party where the children don't all know each other.
~~~ For a fun activity that doesn't cost anything, have the kids stand in a group and play some music. Tell them when the music stops they have to freeze. We all know that game, but here's a twist. Each time, tell them to freeze in a different pose. One time, tell them to freeze so they look like an animal. Another time have them freeze like they're swimming or flying. Some other ideas are: astronaut floating in space, a monkey climbing a tree, a clown at the circus, a tightrope walker, etc. Use your imagination and everyone will have lots of fun. This is a great game to involve the other parents; ask them for suggestions for the freeze position.
~~~ It's no fun to lose and you don't want unhappy children at your party. If you play a competetive game, give prizes to everyone, not just the winner. You could give a slightly larger prize to the winner. As the children get "out", give them each a prize. Make it something they can play with immediately so that they can play with their prize while the other children are still enjoying the game.
~~~ Buy enough of the same item to have one for each child at the party. Wrap each one in different wrapping paper and hide them around the room, yard or house. Give each child a piece of each wrapping paper and have them search for "their" prize. They have to find the item that has wrapping paper that matches what they're holding. They'll have great fun!
~~~ If you live in a snowy area and your child has a winter birthday, plan a Snowman-Building Party. Make your invitations out of circles cut out of white construction paper (be sure to tell them to dress appropriately). Buy top hats, carrots, charcoal, big black buttons and fabric for snowman scarves. The children can work in teams or individually to make snowmen. After they're done, bring them all in for hot chocolate and cookies. Take a picture of each child by their snowman and send it with the thank you notes. You can also have an indoor activity of building snowmen using construction paper. They'll have great fun!
~~~We like to play musical chairs but we don't like how competive it can be for younger kids. Instead we leave all the chairs in and have the kids go around the circle in different steps like skipping, hopping, crawling, animal walks, etc. When the music stops everyone gets a chair and there are no sad kids. We like to fill a pillowcase with dress up clothes and inexpensive jewelry. The kids pass it around in a circle and when the music stops that person pulls out something and puts it on. It is unpredictable and fun and everyone has a great time!
~~~Fair weather beckons us outdoors, and what better way to enjoy it than with some friends? If your child has a winter birthday and never gets to have a swim party, this can be a nice change.
Invite some friends over for a beach blast, and have some warm weather fun. You don't even need a pool!
- Water squirters and sprinklers can provide some cooling, water fun!
- Fill a small kiddie pool with sand or use a sandbox as the beach.
- Bury small toys in the sand for a treasure hunt. Provide each child with their own shovel and pail. Write their names on their pails so they can take them home with their goodies in tow!
- Blow up plenty of beach balls and other inflatable toys to have lying around!
Think Fun in the Sun!
~~~This game is a great ice-breaker to help get the party going when party guests arrive. When guests don’t already know each other, try this game to learn each other’s names and a little bit about each other:
Sit in a circle. Give one guest a beach ball. Choose the guest of honor, or the oldest or youngest. This person says their name and one thing about themselves. To keep the game going, suggest a topic or two for the thing each guest shares about themselves.
Suggestions: favorite color, band, book, food, last place they went on vacation, city where they were born, etc. Then they toss the ball to someone else. That person repeats the first person’s name and piece of information, says their own name and one thing about themselves, and tosses the ball to another person. The third person repeats the information about the first and second people and adds their own information before tossing the ball to next person. Repeat this process until each guest has said their name and one thing about themselves. The longer the game goes on, the longer the list of names and information gets.
This is a non-competitive game so don’t worry if someone makes a mistake. If someone is stuck, have someone who isn’t playing offer a clue.
~~~Beach in a bottle
Materials needed:
- sand
- clean and dry 20 0z. sized soft drink containers with labels removed
- caps for containers
- small sea shells
- a funnel.
Using the funnel, fill bottle one-third full with sand. Add a few shells then close tightly. These can also be made in two liter sized bottles. Use beach in a bottle to decorate for your party. They make festive center pieces or weights for helium balloons.
~~~Target Squirting - Have party guests do target shooting with water squirters. Using a permanent marker, draw a target on colored construction paper. Aim and squirt! Reload and use a new piece of paper for another guest.
Beachgoer Relay Race - Gather two of each item: mesh beach bag, sunglasses or swim goggles, sun visor or straw beach hat, flower lei, inflatable swim ring, wild print Hawaiian shirt in a large enough size for any guest to wear. Pack the beach bags with one of each item. Divide party guests into two teams. Mark a starting line and a finish line at least 15 feet apart. Teams line up single file at the starting line with the first person holding the filled beach bag. When both teams are ready, the game begins! The first person carries the bag to the finish line, unpacks the contents and puts on all of the items in the bag. They run back to the starting line, take off the items, repack the bag and hand it to the next person in line. Repeat the process until all players have had a turn. This game is so much fun, be sure to allow time to play it more than once!
Rolling Bowling Beach Ball - Inflate six inflatable swim rings and one beach ball. Lay rings in three rows making a triangle: one row with three rings, the next with two rings and the last with one ring. Standing back, with the row of three rings nearest to the player, roll the beach ball and try to get it to settle onto one of the rings. If it lands on the single ring, furthest away, award ten points. If it lands on one of the two rings in the middle row, award five points. If it lands on one of the three rings in the first row, award two points. Each player gets two turns. Tally up the score whenever! Move further away for increased challenge.
~~~Plan enough activities to keep the kids busy and to have extra activities just in case. It’s better to have more things planned than you will actually need. If a game or activity just isn’t working for the group, choose something else. Sometimes a game or activity takes less time than expected.
Try to have activities with varying activity levels. For the end of the party when you want everyone to quiet down in preparation for leaving, plan a calm activity.
~~~When hosting a party with a group of children of varying ages, keep in mind the following tips:
Plan activities that can be done independently. A table with some craft items like glue sticks, foam shapes, yarn and pipe cleaners will allow children some unstructured creativity and something to do if they opt out of a game. Other independent activities: a scavenger hunt, bowling, ring toss, bean bag toss.
Many games can be enjoyed by children of all ages. Plan to have a few of these games so that the whole group can play together. Look for games that foster cooperation.
For skill-based games or more competitive games, you can divide the guests into groups by age and/or ability.
Stress the fun not the competition.
~~~A
craft can be a great activity during a children's party. You can make the craft do double duty when you make a food craft. It will keep the children busy and serve as a snack or take home gift.
Some food craft suggestions:
• Make your own pizza: Crust can be pre-made mini pizza shells, pocket less pita bread or raw pizza dough from the bakery or freezer section of many grocery stores. Allow children to ladle on some tomato sauce and sprinkle on some shredded cheese. Offer other toppings such as mushrooms, sweet peppers, pepperoni and broccoli. Encourage them to make funny pizza faces. Bake and enjoy! If you use raw dough, have a little extra so the partygoers can roll some bread sticks while they wait for their pizza to cook. Roll the dough into shape then coat with spray on oil and top with grated parmesan cheese, oregano, garlic powder or other seasoning mix.
• Cereal necklaces : Thread frosted fruit ring type cereal onto a necklace sized piece of elastic. Tie and wear. Also works with less sugary toasted oats cereal rings. These are fun to wear but it’s hard to resist taking a nibble here and there. If you want to send these home with the children, place their finished masterpieces into their goody bags for the end of the party.
• Fruit kabobs: Cube assorted fruits such as apples, grapes, watermelon, cantaloupe, and pineapple. Let the children carefully slide their favorite fruits onto bamboo skewers or popsicle sticks. Serve with yogurt for dipping. Or mix equal part softened cream cheese and marshmallow creme for a sweet dip.
• Fresh baked cookies: Prepare some cookie dough that can be rolled and cut with various shaped cookie cutters. There a so many cookie cutter shapes out there you could probably find some that match the theme of the party. Let children help roll out and cut the cookies. Older children may be able to help carefully place the cookie sheets in the oven and help keep track of baking times. For younger children just let them place the cookies onto a cool cookie sheet and have an adult place them in the oven. Decorating the cookies can be lots of fun, too. The cookies can either be eaten as a party snack or sent home with the kids to enjoy later.
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DECORATING
~~~ Rent a helium tank and buy a package of balloons. Blow them up before the party and decorate your house and/or yard with lots of balloons. It makes a very festive look.
~~~Use colorful streamers to help set the tone for your next party. Streamers are an inexpensive way to add a lot of color to your party area, plus they go up quickly!
Hang green streamers as vines at a jungle party.
Gold or yellow streamers can become the bars of an animal cage. Toss a bunch of plush stuffed toys behind the bars.
Blue and green streamers look like waves for an under sea party. Hang some straight down in doorways and make waves by hanging some in a wave pattern from the ceiling.
Blue and white streamers hanging around can give the feel of clouds and sky
Tissue paper, like streamers, can be used decorate. It can be folded and cut to make decorative additions-think paper snowflakes, but not just six pointed shapes! In Mexico it is called papel picado, and it is also a paper craft in Japan and China.
If you are worried about the color running from the streamers or tissue, try to find the non-bleeding type. Use painter’s tape to hang the streamers to minimize or maybe even eliminate damage from adhesive.
~~~Fabric stores sell lots of great kid-friendly prints that can be used to make a custom tablecloth that matches the theme of your party! Buy enough fabric to cover the table or tables that you will use at the party. Buy the same quantity of clear vinyl. Lay fabric over the table then cover with the vinyl.
You don't need to finish the edges of the fabric, just cut any loose ends. When the party is over you have a colorful piece of fabric that can be turned into pillows, curtains, or even sleep wear, depending on the material!
~~~Use a piece of clear vinyl (available at many fabric stores) over a party table or even your kitchen table. Decorate it by placing items under the vinyl - greeting cards, drawings, placemats, confetti, photographs - the possibilities are endless!
At a Card Party, you can spread out a deck of cards under the vinyl.
For everyday, laminated seasonal placemats (usually inexpensive), can create a changing look for your table. Decorative, fabric tablecloths stay cleaner, and even inexpensive plastic tablecloths get a longer life when placed under the vinyl. Make a collage using pictures cut from magazines.
If you are celebrating a milestone birthday, use copies of photographs that span the person’s life. For the holiday season, place holiday greeting cards under the vinyl - your holiday guests will have fun recognizing the cards they've sent!
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FOOD AND DRINK
~~~When hosting parties be sure to keep cold foods cold and hot foods hot. Limit the time that foods sit out at room temperature to less than two hours. In hot weather, make it no more than one hour.
Remember bacteria grows best between 40 and 140 degrees, so keep foods out of that temperature zone.
Serve foods in small quantities. Instead of refilling however, replace the whole serving dish with a fresh one filled with fresh food to avoid contaminating the new food with the old.
~~~ Buy assorted juice boxes and put them in ice-filled coolers. The kids will love them and you won't have to worry about pouring drinks!! You won't even have to buy cups! (This is also great for kids who don't drink soda, and the kids who do won't miss it!!)
~~~Fill flat-bottomed ice cream cones with a store-bought party mix (or make your own). Served in an edible, easy-to-hold container, kids will love this special treat! Fill just before the party, especially on humid days, as these cones will soften when left out.
Here’s an easy-to-make snack mix recipe that even little ones can help with!
In a shallow cookie sheet, dump equal parts of unsalted mini pretzels, Cheerios, Kix, and Apple Jacks (use generics if you like). Stir and level mixture in the pan. Lightly coat with cooking spray then immediately sprinkle with a bit of cinnamon and sugar mixture. Toss until evenly coated. Repeat until desired amount of snack mix is made. Let sit uncovered until the spray has been absorbed, then store in an air-tight container until party time.
~~~It's a good idea to let your guests know if you will be serving a meal or not. Statements on the invitations such as: “Join us for cake and ice cream” or “Join us for lunch” can be helpful.
Oftentimes parties at roller skating rinks and sports centers include pizza or hot dogs even if the party isn’t held at a common mealtime. Some people start sleepover parties after dinner hour, but opt to serve pizza or other foods for the long night.
By letting your guests know what to expect, you can avoid having hungry partygoers or wasted food!
~~~Snacks and goodies are often a big part of a party. Parties can be an excuse to let children eat large quantities of sugar-loaded foods. But party food can be fun without all of the sugar. Here are some tips for a winning party recipe:
Limit candy to the goody bags or opt for no candy goody bags. If you have a pinata, try filling it with small toys instead of candy.
Serve iced tea and lemonade which can be made with less sugar than carbonated beverages. Don’t underestimate the appeal of iced water with tasty slices of citrus fruits floating in it!
A variety of cut up fruits and vegetables with a few dips can be a colorful and tasty offering. Cubed cheese and deli meats are fun to eat with toothpicks. Presenting almost any food in a fun and creative way will appeal to children!
Of course, a birthday party isn't a birthday party without the traditional cake and ice cream! You can still limit portions by offering cupcakes and ice cream cups from the grocery store, but don't skip this important part of the party!
~~~When hosting a party where you will serve drinks in disposable cups, write each guest's name on a cup before the party. This will help guests keep track of their own beverages and reduce the waste of half-filled, abandoned cups. For teen and adult guests you could leave a permanent marker near the stack of cups so they can label their own cup. Younger guests may like to add some stickers to their cup to personalize it.
Money saving tip:
Disposable cups may cost more than reusable cups, but you save a little by not buying the more costly single serve beverages.
~~~Be creative when serving drinks and snacks at a party. You can tie in the party theme to the serving containers. Try these fun ideas:
Fill a top hat with pretzels, chips, popcorn or crackers. Great for a Magic party!
At your next Under the Sea or Fun in the Sun party, use beach pails and other sand molds to serve goldfish crackers, sea creature shaped cookies, or other snacks. Plastic toy boats in varying sizes could hold candy treats like Swedish fish or gummy sharks. An inflatable pool filled with ice can keep drinks cold.
Gross Out your guests when you serve them cake from a new, unused cat litter box and scoop it with a new litter scooper! Bake the cake as usual then place in lined litter box for serving.
Dig in to snacks served in plastic toy dump trucks or tractors. Larger toy vehicles can be filled with ice for beverages.
Cut a hole in the side of a cleaned, one gallon or half gallon plastic milk jug and fill with animal crackers at a Farm Animals party.
Little guests will get a kick out of snacks served from new, unused pet food bowls at your next Dalmatians, puppies or kittens party.
Flower pots of plastic or clay would be great at a flower or Butterfly party. Dirt cake made from chocolate pudding with crushed chocolate cookie topping can be served in lined, mini flower pots for individual servings or in a larger pot to be scooped out for guests.
An inflatable swim ring can support a bowl of goodies at a pool party.
Just about any kind of hat can be used to serve party snacks, though stiff ones work best. To balance a hat or helmet that isn't flat-topped, rest it on a bag of dried beans or uncooked rice.
Be sure to wash all serving items before using and line with parchment, wax paper or aluminum foil to protect foods.
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TRAVEL TIPS
~~~Planning ahead is the key to making a long trip a success. Just as you plan your travel route and choose a destination, be prepared with ideas to keep kids busy and happy.
Custom packets can be made ahead with stickers, coloring pages and puzzles printed from online sources, blank pages for creative doodles, lined paper for journaling the trip, an outline map of the state or states you are visiting to track the journey, and more. While most kids like crayons, if you are going somewhere hot, colored pencils are a better choice for older kids. If you have to take crayons consider keeping them in your cooler to prevent messy meltdowns.
New toys always hold a child’s attention, so purchase a few new, small toys and wrap them as a little surprise to give out along the way. If you plan to travel at night, take along some glow in the dark items, small flashlights, and glow necklaces as a special surprise for the kids.
~~~Here's an answer to the age-old question “Are we there yet?”
To help your young passengers keep track of how long a road trip is, try one of these ideas:
- “Tickets” Give child a ticket to represent each half hour or hour of the trip, depending on the length of your journey. As each time increment passes, they give up a ticket. You can use preprinted tickets or make your own.
- “Stickers” If you have a child who would rather receive than give, try stickers. Make a grid with the same amount of quadrants as the number of hours or half hours that the trip will take. At the end of each time block, give the child a sticker to place on the grid.
- “Paper chain” Make a paper chain with each loop representing a period of time. As the time passes, tear of a loop. This is also a helpful method of counting down to an important day, such as a holiday, birthday, or day to leave on vacation.
~~~Eating out while traveling can be a large chunk of your travel budget. Here are a couple of tips to save money and eat healthfully.
When starting your trip take along a loaf of bread or some bagels, some cold cuts and a jar of peanut butter in your cooler. These foods will satisfy most travelers for lunch. Take juice boxes and small bottles of water too! Pack some ready-to-eat cut fruit and veggies to balance the meal or to use for healthful snacks.
To save time and money, find a grocery store for dinner. Most large grocery stores have lots of ready-to-eat foods for sale in or near their deli department. Some have hot foods and salad bars, too. Grab fresh cut fruit and vegetables from the produce section and your meal is complete. You can eat “out” for far less this way.
While you’re in the food store, stock up on your bottled water- store brands are usually the best buy- and grab a bag of ice for your cooler. You will be back on the road sooner, and your body will be fueled with more healthful food than you can get at most fast food restaurants!
~~~For keeping kids busy on the road, in the hotel, and at the campground keep in mind party games and crafts! The same kinds of things that work at parties, can direct kids energy on vacation, especially when the weather is rainy or uncooperative.
The next time you host a kids party, if you have an extra goody bag, extra prize, or left over craft supplies put them away for vacation! You could even order a couple extra just for this purpose.
The kids might enjoy the reminder of their last party!
~~~A number of national food chains have birthday clubs for kids. Some offer free meals, some offer coupons.
Most require that you sign your child up at least thirty days prior to their birthday, so don't wait! Do an Internet search for “kids birthday club” and get started.
You'll even find that some chains offer birthday freebies for adults, too!
~~~How much longer? Are we there yet? These are two questions that kids can't help asking on a trip! To help young children have a better understanding of how much longer until you get to your destination, try one of these helpful hints:
Give the child a mini book of “tickets” that they can tear off and turn in at regular intervals, maybe every half hour. They can see the progress of the trip by the smaller stack of tickets!
Give the child a chart and at regular intervals, offer a sticker to fill in the chart. The closer you get, the fuller the chart!
~~~Try this fun activity to keep your children busy and help them not feel homesick. Purchase a mini photo album, one that holds 4 x 6 pictures would work well. Cut images from magazines and newspapers . The kids can help do this part of the project.
Using a digital camera so you can print the pictures at home, take some pictures of things around your house such as the backyard, the house itself, each member of the family, a favorite toy, the refrigerator with all the magnets or kid’s art, the family pet, and anything else your child will recognize and feel connected to.
Print the pictures on regular paper with about ten images per page, then cut them out. Or print them onto label or sticker paper. Cut pieces of card stock down to size to fit the pages of the mini album you purchased.
Make collages on the cardstock using the pictures from home mixed in with the magazine and newspaper clippings. On the back of the card, write a list of some items that can be found hidden in the collage.
It’s lots of fun trying to find all the items and it’s a nice surprise for the kids when they find things from home!
~~~Having fun snacks on hand reduces the number of food stops and the amount of money spent on your trip.
Make individual baggies of snacks and snack mix to take on your trip! Filling the bags with assorted healthful snacks makes a great family activity for trip preparation. Make a set of sweet snack baggies with foods such as raisins, peanuts, Teddy Grahams and lightly sweetened cereals. Make a set of salty or savory snack baggies with foods such as pretzels, bagels crisps, and salted nuts. Keep in mind your children's age to choose safe foods.
Single-serving sized fruit cups and apple sauce cups also make handy and healthy snacks.
A special snack that you wouldn't usually give your child can be wrapped and given as a gift for good behavior on the road!
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PARTY THEME IDEAS
~~~ Selecting the theme for a party can be fun and exciting. Keep in mind the age of the birthday child and the guests. While popular movies and television show characters are a great choice for young children, older children may want something that expresses their own style and interests. Except for the youngest children, let the child help to select the theme.
~~~Three Thrify Thoughts!
- Cans of soup or vegetables can be wrapped in colorful paper and used as balloon weights! Use wrapping paper, construction paper, or plain copy paper that is decorated by hand. Theme-related stickers can be added for some color and visual interest!
- Use empty glass jars from foods such as pickles and jellies to make centerpieces! Soak the jar in water to loosen the label then wash the jar. Fill the jars with colored sand, decorative rocks and pebbles or even a variety of dried beans. Add ribbon around the mouth of the jar for an additional touch of color. When your party is over, recycle the glass jars!
- Reusable plastic picnic ware is usually inexpensive enough that you could buy a few sets just for party use. Discount stores often sell these items in the spring, and they are usually available in a wide variety of colors. Though using plastic plates and cups may require a little more cleanup, you will save money over the long run especially if you have just a few children's parties a year.
Running these items through the dishwasher repeatedly can cause them to look worn, but if you set these aside just for parties they will last longer. Additionally, some plastic ware is only safe to wash in the top rack of your dishwasher, so check the labels
~~~A party theme of stripes or dots is a versatile choice! They can be elegant yet, playful and colorful or monochromatic. And they work well for young and old alike!
DOTS:
Turn solid color invitations into custom designs by adding dots.
Use bingo markers to decorate streamers.
Create your own polka dot tablecloth by adding round price stickers to a solid colored vinyl or plastic table cover.
Make cupcakes as dots or do a large cake decorated with dots of round candies or colored frosting.
STRIPES:
Add stripes to a solid color invitation to get the theme started.
The good old stars and stripes comes to mind first, but don't just stop there. You can do stripes of any color!
Alternate strips of streamers to create a striped pattern on walls.
Use decorating gel to draw some stripes across the cake or cupcakes.
A striped bed sheet can be used as a tablecloth.
With a Dots or Stripes theme, you can play party games of any sort!
~~~This party idea is all backwards and can be loads of fun!
Start with backwards invitations! You can write the invitation backwards so that it needs to be read in a mirror or you could do the card in reverse, opening from the left and read from right to left and bottom to top. Another idea is to send a Thank You note for the invitation. Invite your guests to come dressed backwards.
When guests arrive say, “Good-bye, hope you had a good time.” Many people serve cake and ice cream late in the party, but for this party you can serve it first thing! Make upside down cupcakes by inverting the frosted cupcake on individual plates. Serve with a fork!
Decorate upside down with balloons hanging from the ceiling!
Games
- Backward bean bag toss: Take turns throwing the bean bags backward toward the target.
- Pin the donkey on the tail: Same old classic game in reverse.
- Guessing game: Guests guess how many items are in a jar. Use marbles, beans, candy, or other small objects. The person furthest from the correct answer wins, just don't tell them that's the secret until you announce the winner.
- Mother May I: Players have to ask the opposite of what they want. For example, “Mother, may I take three baby steps backwards?” The answer should be the opposite too. “Yes, you may” should mean “No." and “No you may not” should mean “Yes."
When guests leave say, “Hello, welcome to my party.”
Finally, if you sent Thank You notes as invitations, you could send invitations as the thank you notes!
~~~If you are planning a party and you are short on time, you may not be able to run around to a lot of stores trying to find all the right supplies.
A “mixed up” or “clashing” party theme is great for an occasion like that because you don't have to worry about one particular color or cartoon character. Matching tablecloths-who needs them? Just buy whatever!
Be sure to scan the clearance items for some money saving buys. The more variety the better!
For some added fun, invite guests to come in their best mixed up or clashing clothes and make it a costume party!
~~~Have a really messy party! - When guests arrive hand out protective eye wear. Dollar stores often have these in their home improvement section. The children can take these home after the party.
Make colloid putty to play with. This putty will have properties of both a solid and a liquid. Before the party, pour cornstarch into freezer baggies. When it's time to make the putty, just add cold water and knead. One cup of cornstarch will absorb about 2/3 cup of water depending on weather conditions. Try picking up the mixture and it flows through your fingers. Poke it and it feels solid! Allow the kids to play with the substance and discover how the putty reacts. This is not edible. If possible, do this activity outdoors. When the mess dries simply sweep it up!
Vinegar and baking soda can make for some fun scientific discovery! Buy a gallon of distilled white vinegar and a few pounds of baking soda. Also set out a funnel, a clean 16-20 ounce beverage bottle, a clean 2 liter beverage bottle, and some balloons. Let guests add baking soda to the containers then add vinegar for a bubbly reaction. Using different quantities will yield different results. Balloons can be inflated by the reaction. Use caution because you don’t want this to explode in anyone's face!
Another fun and messy activity is to create a fountain by placing Mentos candy into Diet Coke. Search the Internet for videos to watch and to find tips and instructions for this explosively fun activity!
Serve bubbling root beer floats to add to the theme.
Pop Rocks candy makes a great prize or goody bag addition.
Don’t forget to thank guests by telling them you had a BLAST when they came to the party!
~~~Sow the seeds of FUN with a "Farmer For A Day" party! Do an Internet search for “wooden berry boxes” to find a seller of those farm market and roadside stand produce boxes. Kids can paint them. Serve snacks in them. Send home fun goodies like barn yard animal toys and a pack of seeds in a basket!
Take a hay ride if you can or visit a "pick your own" farm!
- Be A Piggy:
Have a pie eating contest, but keep in mind that some kids like them, others don't. You can call it a “Be a Piggy” game if you'd like whether you make it a contest or not. Players should eat without using their hands!
- Farm Obstacle course:
Roll an ear of corn
Push a wheelbarrow
Rake hay into a haystack
Dress like a farmer with overalls and straw hat provided
- Old MacDonald Says:
Play this game just like Simon Says but throw in some Farm theme actions.
Here are some ideas to get you started:
Old MacDonald Says…
Start the tractor
Plant some seeds
Pick an apple
Moo like a cow
Sing Old MacDonald had a farm
~~~If you are looking for a new party idea, consider doing a field trip party!
Ask a local ice cream shop, the bakery section at the grocery store, or even the local newspaper for an educational tour. Many times these tours are free.
If you are lucky enough to have a park nearby, guests could head over to the park for refreshments, presents, and goody bags that relate to the tour.
~~~Since everyday of the year is someone's birthday, why not have a party just for the fun of it and celebrate? No need for gifts or thank you notes, just lots of good fun, food and friends! No one person is the center of attention because everyone is. No need for a fancy themed cake from the bakery. You can make it a potluck and share the workload.
Play old fashioned party games like spoon races, sack races, pin the tail on the donkey, penny toss games, and Mother May I.
You might even want to sing the “Unbirthday Song” from Alice in Wonderland! As the Mad Hatter points out, you only get one birthday a year, but there are 364 unbirthdays to celebrate!
~~~Have BIG fun at a SMALL Party!
- Send teeny tiny invitations!
- Serve snacks such as mini M&Ms, baby Goldfish crackers, tiny cupcakes sprinkled with mini sized baking chips, baby carrots, and other bite-sized goodies. Use the smallest party plates, cups and utensils, too. It doesn't have to be practical to be fun!
- Tiny crafts can be fun. Let partygoers create miniature self portraits, decorate doll house objects, and make itty bitty sculptures.
Try some shrunken party games, too!
- Challenge guests to use a really small set of chopsticks, which are really toothpicks, to perform a task such as picking up grains of rice to fill a small bowl or using the chopsticks to carry an object to a particular destination.
- Do a downsized obstacle course where participants take baby steps, ride a tricycle, roll a marble around an object, crawl though a really small door, and other small tasks.
And don't forget to think small when selecting game prizes, piñata fillers and goody bag items. Think small and this party theme will be a big hit!
~~~ Food and parties go hand in hand, so try a cooking party! There are lots of great children’s cook books available at libraries and book stores. Choose recipes that are appropriate in difficulty for the age of the partygoers.
Buy some inexpensive aprons for the kids to wear. If you buy the plain ones, the kids can decorate them with fabric paint. Ask guests to come dressed in suitable clothes for cooking.
Serve snacks in cooking gear like muffin pans, measuring cups, and even paper chef hats!
When the food is nearly ready, seat the guests. Set the table with coloring placemats and crayons. You could even print menus.
Print recipe cards for the foods prepared at the party and use them as the thank you notes.
~~~To a young child every birthday is a milestone, but there are a few birthdays that sometimes get special treatment: first birthdays, reaching the double-digit age, reaching the teen years, and sweet sixteen to name a few.
On these special occasions, you may be so busy with the planning and keeping the party going that you don't get to enjoy yourself. Do as much ahead of time as possible.
If you are having a really big party, you could have a pre-party gathering of a few friends and relatives to help decorate and prepare food. Asking one person to be the designated photographer means one less thing for you to do.
Most importantly, make sure you sit down and take a break from all the work. Make sure yo enjoy the fruits of your own hard work; before you know it, the party will be over!
~~~ Some ages lend themselves well to an age-related theme! Play with these numbers:
- It takes “2”- Serve everything in sets of two. Hang balloons and other decorations in sets of two.
- Lucky “7”- Decorate with horse shoes, play games of chance/luck, make good luck charms.
- Crazy “8”- Play 8 ball billiards and crazy dress up relay, do crazy tricks/jokes, give out silly string and magic 8 balls, do crazy things like eat cake UNDER the table.
- Decade party for a 10 year old- Celebrate a decade from the past! There are lots of great ideas out there for the 30’s, 50’s, 60’s and even the 80’s!
~~~ Have an Ice Cream Party & make homemade ice cream! Try making a single serving using plastic bags or double the recipe to make more using coffee cans. Combine 1⁄2 cup of milk, 1⁄2 tsp. vanilla extract, and 1 1⁄2 tbs. sugar in a pint size freezer baggie and seal securely. Place ice cubes and some rock salt into a gallon size freezer baggie. Place the smaller bag inside the larger one and seal. Shake the baggies until the milk mixture thickens to desired texture. If doubling and using coffee cans, use a small can in place of the smaller baggie and a larger can in place of the larger baggie. Roll the can instead of shaking it. You may want to handle the baggies or cans with gloves or a towel because they can get quite cold. Tip: use small bowls to make the sundaes as kids often take more than they will eat.
Have an ice cream topper bar with lots of fun toppings like crushed cookies, brownie bits, fresh fruit and baking chips in addition to the usual toppings like caramel, cherries, sprinkles and whipped cream.
Play Mother May I… Ice Cream style! For this variation, players ask, “Pretty please with a cherry on top?” when they request giant steps or baby steps, etc. If “Mother” says yes, players must balance an inflated red balloon or small sponge ball on their head while moving forward. If the balloon falls off they have to move back to where they started and wait for their next turn.
Play Pin the Ice Cream on the Cone. Everyone can be a winner with this game. Make a giant cone from poster board. Cut out scoops of ice cream from various colored sheets of craft foam. Blindfolded players take a scoop and try to get it on the cone.
Challenge party guests to scoop some sloppy sundaes! Make a big bowl of instant mashed potatoes using only hot water to reconstitute the potato flakes. Allow them to cool in the fridge until party time. Buy some inexpensive plastic ice cream scoopers, enough for each player. Players will need to run over to the bowl of potatoes, scoop some potatoes, and race back to their bowl. Once they have the “ice cream” they need to add some toppings. Distribute some bowls of toppings around the yard. Players race to find two toppings and add them to their sundaes. Each player should be given a list of the toppings they need to find. Suggestions for toppings: shredded tissue paper strips for sprinkles, hole punch some circles of construction paper to represent M&Ms, dirt for crushed cookies, a whole unshelled peanut for nuts, or shaving cream for whipped cream. You could even go for totally gross with some not so sweet toppings like fake worms, rubber dog poop, or plastic bugs. Just don't let anyone sample the sloppy sundaes!
Give each guest a flat-bottomed ice cream cone and challenge them to stuff cotton balls in without breaking the cone. See who can fit the most in.
Other ideas:
Bake cupcakes in flat bottomed ice cream cones and frost to look like a soft-serve ice cream. You could also use brownie mix in place of cake mix for a different twist. For more fun at the party, try our Ice Cream Bubble Necklaces or Ice Cream Memo Pads!
Flat bottomed ice cream cones can also hold little snacks!
~~~Turn up the tunes and host a musical party! You could tie in a favorite recording artist to the theme or just feature musical fun of all kinds!
Old 45s target games: Hunt for some old 45s in the attic or at yard sales. Dusty, scratchy ones are perfect for this game; don't use mint condition collector items! Out doors, take turns tossing them Frisbee-style through a hoop. Indoors, lay them on the floor in a triangle pattern, then take turns rolling ping pong balls onto the triangle. Score points for getting a ping pong ball to stop on the center circle of the 45.
Cut out yellow stars and write guests names in glitter glue. Hang the stars all around the party area. Everyone will have fun finding their star! Make one big star for the birthday child and hang it on the front door. A closet door can be labeled a “dressing room” for the star of the day!
Use curling ribbon to hang blank CD’s all around the party area! Using blue painter’s tape, decorate a wall with CD’s, shiny side facing out.
Musical marching band game: This game is played like musical chairs except kids hold an instrument until the music stops. Then they put their instrument down and march around until the music starts again! When the music starts they pick up the nearest instrument. Inflatable Musical Instruments are perfect for this game!
Make a stage area where guests can rock out! Have a CD player with a selection of age appropriate music. Add lots of inflatable instruments and microphones.
Let the kids make their own backstage passes with card stock and lanyards. Partypalooza also has Musical Fun Goody Bags that you could hand out at the end of your shindig. Make this year the year of your own American Idol!
~~~Have an idea about surprising your little one? A surprise party can sound like a great idea, but it's not suitable for every birthday child. Many children enjoy having a say in party plans such as the theme, the guest list and foods served.
If you're sure your child won’t mind being left out of the planning then the biggest concern is keeping it a secret.
The best way to keep the child from suspecting something is to plan the party around their regular routine. For instance, if they take Karate every Saturday for two hours, you could plan to have guests arrive while the guest of honor is at Karate. Or if swim lessons are every Friday afternoon, you could make arrangements to have the party at the pool following the lesson.
Party supplies can be left at a friend's house and brought with when the guests arrive.
Young children who are invited to the party might let the secret out. Let their parents know that the party should be a surprise. The guest's own parent will know best how much to tell their child. Sometimes guests should be kept in the dark, too.
Timing is important. Allow half an hour for guests to arrive before the guest of honor. Be sure to have an activity planned for this time so the guests aren't bored waiting. One idea is to have the guests work on the decorations!
~~~Sports theme parties are great to encourage young children to get out and play! You could pick a specific sport like soccer or baseball, or just do a general sports theme.
Try some of these ideas:
Send party invitations that look like sports trading cards. You could also have a craft activity where guests can make their own trading cards. When guests arrive take a digital picture. Print it out on your computer while the guests are busy doing something else. Preprint some blank cards so they can fill in their personal stats!
Decorate with banners in the colors of a favorite team, team pennants, rubber bases, balls of all sorts, and other sports equipment. If you have a big enough yard, you could paint some lines to make a field. Use Sports Inflatables to decorate and get Sports game prizes to give out too!
Serve stadium treats like warm soft pretzels, popcorn in fun paper boxes, and hot dogs.
Get out and play the sport! Don't make it a competitive game, though. It isn't little league - it's a party!
You could also send the kids home with some of our ready-to-hand-out Sports Goody Bags! We've got Soccer, Football, Basketball</
