If you’re all out of birthday party ideas for kids and need a little inspiration, Robbie from Fractured Family Tales has chosen this week’s Monday Listicles topic - birthdays!
One of my favorite things about being a mom is planning and hosting children’s birthday parties.
Kids *love* bobbing for apples, so we do it every year. Just do it outside! (-:
I love to plan parties and host them at home with all the traditional stuff: pinata, musical chairs, freeze dance, games like Pin the Tail on the Kitty Cat, face painting, a moon bounce, and even though it might be chilly, swimming and bobbing for apples.
Hosting parties at home can be exhausting, but I always seem to have my BFF there to help me along the way, and to stay afterward and help me clean up.
I love everything about celebrating a child’s birthday, right down choosing a craft to make, to the pizza, cake, and the goody bags!
Ella’s birthday parties are a little trickier to plan since her birthday is in November so it’s often cold and raining. One year when we had a moon bounce, even though it rained:
It rained this year, and the cake-shaped moon bounce didn’t even have a roof on it!
We ended up buying a cake at the supermarket and using mine as part of the Haunted House experience – that’s how scary it was!
The big challenge for me with kid’s parties is that I am the world’s worst cake baker. One year I tried to make a “simple Frankenstein cake” but it collapsed and became truly monstrous. It took me a few years of trying to recognize that baking is just not a strength, ahem.
So now we have a friend’s dad bake Ella’s cakes. And this dad can bake. He made this Barbie cake for her 5th party (isn’t it amazing?):
Just don’t let the children see you cut into the Barbie cake – cut it up away from the table, otherwise they will see you as a Barbie killer. (-:
And he made this one for her elephant-themed party (can you believe he’s a dad, and doesn’t do this professionally?):
Luckily, Fiona loves the simple, gluten-free Smiley Face cake I make for her so we do this one every year (and it’s simple enough for me to make, thank goodness):
Our all-time favorite party game is musical chairs – even my 10-year-old loves it:
Playing musical chairs is always a hit with the 10 and under set.
My friend Erin owns an event planning company, and is one of the most creative people I have ever met – so her children’s parties are nothing short of amazing. For one of her children, she has an annual “Where in the world is…?” theme, so every year my kids get a mystery ticket in the mail with a clue as to the location of the party. This year’s theme was “Brazil.” She created a magical Brazilian tree made of lights in the forest for it:
Magical!
One year her theme was Hawaii, so of course there were boogie boards:
And she had an Aloha cake, and an exploding volcano cake (which she made, ahem! and it actually exploded!):
Aloha cake.
One year she transformed her entire front room into a fancy tea room to host a tea party-themed birthday for her daughter. She hung pink, silky drapery all over the room, and draped card tables in more pink, and used real china teapots and cups. Everyone got to decorate their own cupcakes, ate dainty tea sandwiches, and had lemonade tea!
Tea parties are a wonderful theme for four and five-year-old girls – they can arrive at the party in their princess costumes, or play dress up at the party and put on a fashion show, and they can take their tea cups home as gifts.
If your child has an October birthday, a popular party for kids age 9 and older is the Haunted House party, which we did for Fiona’s 9th birthday – we transformed the storage room into a haunted house. We had a CD of Spooky Sounds playing, sprayed a bunch of spider webs, added some spooky grave stones and body parts, and invited the kids inside to explore it in pairs.
At the entrance we had taped a bunch of Hefty garbage bags that we had cut into streamers to give them an extra-spooky sensation that they were entering a scary zone (and oh boy, were they!)
The door to the dungeon. (I wore a witchy wig to get into character. It didn’t really work on me…)
Inside, they had to walk past what they assumed was a big frozen zombie statue sitting in a chair to feel a tray of “eye balls” (olives), and “dead fingers” (hot dogs), and “worms” (cold spaghetti).
…but while they were trying to figure out what the dead fingers were, the Big Zombie jumped out of the chair and scared the bejeepers out of them!
Look how terrified this kid is that the frozen zombie got up out of the chair and is standing right behind her!
…and after all the kids had gone in two by two, the Big Scary Zombie chased them around the garden. (I only recommend this for older kid’s parties, that zombie really scared the bejeepers out of some kids. Okay, alright, so one or two were crying and I still feel badly about that…)
Since Ella’s birthday is in winter, we have hosted some parties off-site at places like Little Gym (which was fantastic mainly because I didn’t have to lift a finger)…
Little Gym party
…and we also had a Dance Party at the dance studio. The best thing about these parties for parents is that you can let someone else do the work, so you get to sit around with the other parents and chat, while the kids shake a leg:
Other ideas for off-site party venues are: bowling alley, ice skating rink, gymnastics party, Karate class, nature party in the forest, tree-top adventure park, going to the movies, or even an outing for a small group at a museum.
Next week we are going to what is probably going to be the most amazing and extravagent off-site birthday party ever. Ella’s friend is having 7th birthday – the American Girl Place in New York. Her mom rented a van and will drive a small group of moms and daughters up to New York (a four hour drive, but worth it) to spend the day at the AG doll store, where we will have lunch and can even get their AG dolls’ hair styled at the doll salon.
I mean, really. Talk about extravagant and fabulous! Parties sure have changed since I was a kid!
Anyway, in my opinion the best thing about off-site birthday parties is you don’t end up with a big mess!
Best Party Games:
- Musical chairs
- Freeze dance
- Pin-the-tail on the Donkey (cat, or elephant etc. – make your own!)
- Bobbing for apples (do it outside, preferably in swimsuits! It’s messy!)
- Red-light, Green-light.
- Freeze tag!
- For an older kids’ slumber party, you need a Ouija board! (-:
Ideas for Crafts/Misc.:
- For haunted parties, older kids can decorate Frankenpumpkins with nails, chain-smiles, thumbtacks etc.:
Decorating take-home “Frankenpumpkins” is a big hit! (So is spray-painting everybody’s hair orange!)
- For tea parties, decorate fancy cupcakes.
- Have a big poster board on hand with lots of pens so all the kids can sign it and draw a picture.
- Hire a face painter, or buy a do-it-yourself kit! Kids love getting their faces painted.
- Pinatas stuffed with candy and tiny toys are always a hit (pardon the pun) – just make sure you get one that doesn’t have a face, otherwise kids don’t want to bash it. (-:
- Don’t forget to take a group photograph with the birthday kid in the center.
- Balloons, always have balloons!
Linking up as usual with Monday Listicles.
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So we are NOT the celebrating kind around these parts and Monkey’s never had a birthday party (he’s 3 in December) and will likely not until he’s er, 5.
Wanna come round and plan his party? (the irony is, I WAS an event planner)
The truth is kids don’t really “get it” until they’re 3 or 4 anyway so up until then we were pretty low-key. I will happily flit over to Malaysia and plan Monkey’s next big bash for you, PR GIRL! (-:
Amazing! You put me to shame! But there’s no where but up from here. Great ideas for future parties. Thanks!
All you really need to throw a party (the basics) is two people (one of them being the birthday person!), a cake, a candle, and a hug. All the other stuff is fluff.
Fun parties! I made a Barbie cake, mermaid cake and beach party cake for my niece over the years. And a dinosaur cake for my nephew. I do love to make them. Oh, and we did the bowling party for my son one year – the kids had a blast and no mess to clean up at home!
Wow – a mermaid cake?! You must have a PhD in cake baking to make a mermaid cake! (-:
Wow, you really do it up right! I love planning parties, too, but I never have them in my own home – too small, and I’m just not good with people up in my personal space. Guess it works out well for me that Lilah and her baby-brother-to-be have summer birthdays.
I have several good friends who are moms who have the space in their homes to host parties but choose not to because it is very chaotic, messy, and exhausting!
I hope you come and throw me a birthday party next. Between you and I we will clearly have to purchase a cake,maybe a fancy chocolate truffle box instead?
Great ideas and fab fun. Love it!
Yes! Truffle cake!
Children’s Birthday Party Ideas http://t.co/CaY7mbDz via @adothemomalog #MondayListicles
What a fantastic post! Love it. Q’s birthday is in October, so when he gets a little older, maybe we will try the Haunted House idea. I second what Stasha said – will you throw my next party?
Yes! (-:
Forget the children’s birthday parties, I need you to help me plan my BIG one next July. All great ideas. I have one with a birthday right before Halloween. Poor guy, you would think that would be the best time, but seems we are always so busy that time of year. I need to take your lead and give him a great themed party this year.
You’re on!
Nice post. It is always nice to have someone close who can bake. That is sweet!
Fabulous ideas…fabulous photos…looks like a good time was had by all.
Those are some awesome ideas! I know where to come when I have to plan a party next January. Planning kids birthday parties is NOT my strong suit!
Great post, am pinning it so I remember to come back for all these great ideas for my two kids’ winter birthdays!! Thanks!
Yeah just remember not to get an open-top outdoor moonbounce if the parties are in the winter! (-:
Great party ideas! Especially the games – some of them I had never even though of as options! My oldest turns 5 in October and we are doing a tea party – she is very very excited
It’s always the classic games that are the most fun. And if it’s warm enough to go outside, I find breaking up the time with outdoor games before they go indoors really helps.
Wow lots of great party ideas! I wish I would have had your imagination when my kids were growing up. They got MacDonalds parties, and an occasional pinata if the party was at home. Nothing fancy at all. You must be a very fun Mom!
I have my flaws – and in the fun department I’m not the greatest at everyday playing, so maybe I make up for that with the once-a-year parties or something…! (-:
Children’s Birthday Party Ideas http://t.co/6guh9HIb via @sharethis @adothemamalog
I feel like we are kids’ birthday party sisters separated at birth! I love throwing kids birthday parties! My cakes are just the tip of the iceberg. I have transformed my living room into a dance studio, my basement into a rock stage, and my back yard into a carnival complete with a dragon I had hand-painted on a bed sheet (and hung on a PVC frame) so the kids could “joust” it. This year my oldest had a 20 foot water slide. (I almost added in the backyard, but duh.)
You cracked me up with your cake becoming part of the haunted house props.
Ellen
Birthday-party-soul-sistahs! (-: I love moms who get into throwing the fun birthday parties. (-:
Every year I have a theme for my daughter’s bday. One year it was a Positively Purple Party and I gave all the children attending a purple shirt they had to wear. Another year I had a rock star party for her and we made a disco ball pinata and the invitations were done like backstage passes and the kids had to wear them to the party and I gave a CD at the end of the party with a cover with her in rock wear.
The other day our neighbour comes over and tells us she’s going to be six in 3 days and my daughter asks her “what’s the theme?”. That little girl looked so perplexed!!
Those are so cool! Just watch – your daughter might grow up to be a mega-event planner, with skills like that at such a young age already!
WOW…where were you when my boys were young!
What great ideas! I loved the out-of-the-home parties when the kids got older too especially the “sit around and watch” part. ;P
I do love planning birthday parties…but then again I love sitting around on my a** while someone else does all the work just as much so it’s a toss-up!
Wow. Um please come over and take care of my son’s birthdays this Saturday. Thanks! *LOL* Seriously impressive!
I think birthday party planning comes naturally to me just because my mom used to do it for me. (-:
Great ideas! I’m not nearly creative enough on birthdays!
Holy cow!! I REALLY need to hire your friend to come and do my kids’ parties. I’ve been a total slacker in that department this year. The Hawaiian theme party looks awesome!
P.S. I attempted a Barbie cake for my daughter, but it didn’t look nearly as good as that one!!
I feared what I might accidentally do to the Barbie (like cook her!) so I didn’t even bother trying! You’re brave.
Amazing party ideas! Although the zombie would scare me too! I liked having a party somewhere other than my house
That zombie scared the crap outta me. I ended up throwing the costume away after the party – I thought it was even too scary to give to charity!
I did lots of at-home birthdays, including one demented session for my older son’s entire pre-K class, in our apartment, with crafts and cake and all kinds of nonsense…with my barely 2-month old wrapped around me in one of those sling-carry-thingys. Thank god my sister came to help or I would’ve had an utter nervous breakdown – I think I was compensating for the newly displaced older brother (“You’re still important, I promise!”) … then I got over myself and began outsourcing: LOVE IT. The gymnastics, the outdoor soccer party, etc etc. Bliss. But I always bring balloons
There’s a LOT to be said for outsourcing! A. Lot!
That friend of yours is quite the party planner. I would like to be invited to one of those fetes.
I love the Zombie by the way!
I will be sure and send Zombie over to your house for your next party. (-:
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Holy moley! (bowing down) These are some amazing ideas. I’ve seen similar Barbie cakes before. Haven’t tried my hand at that yet. So cool.
Thanks (-:
Amazing ideas! Thanks
Great ideas! We’ve only done parties at the house with family. I’m going to outsource next year. I made a few cakes, but Wal-Mart does just fine:)
Yeah, I have had to run to Giant or Safeway after one of my yearly disaster cakes more than once and these cakes turned out better than fine! They were lifesavers.
Wonderful ideas! Thanks
All of this is awesome. That elephant cake is very, very cool. Thanks for all the ideas. Ben is having a Lego party for his birthday this year and I need ideas for games.
By the way, how kick-ass is that bouncy castle?! Wow.
I hope you’re having a great summer.
I NEVER had a birthday party until my 17th and that was only because I was in Japan and my grandmother insisted my cousins help throw me one. Then I had a 30th bash thrown by my coworkers. I only attended a handful of bday parties or parties of any kind as a child. So I find your party ideas very intriguing because birthday parties are like some rare alien cultural festivity to me. I can’t properly conceive of them.
We are probably going to have to throw V one in September instead of October because there are so many other bdays in October and because if we go with an outdoor venue like V is interested in, their bookings end in September.. Sept-mid December is absolute madness. There are parties almost every weekend, sometimes several, and not all of them are kid parties…both my parents are in September and Mike is in October, too. I think that’s another reason why V has never wanted one of her own. Besides being introverted, she was often too partied out by the time her own day rolled around. But now that she is going to be 8 she finally is showing some interest. Last year she had an impromptu one with her friend Kai because they just happened to run into each other outdoors while the relatives were over for the family party. She got a taste of the party life and I think she’s ready!
My problem is V only really wants a handful of girls. She is still overwhelmed easily. But our social commitments are such that the guest list has to be humongous. How do I deal with that?
Hey wow!!! The Doll cake looks awesome… Hope you had a lot of fun…
These birthday party ideas are awesome! I like the zombie themed party but maybe that is for older kids so they will not be scared. Another interesting and amusing birthday party is the grim reaper theme and it is hilarious.
lovely birthday party ideas… thank you for sharing.. surely I’ll stop by again to see more of your post.
Children’s Birthday Party Ideas http://t.co/rYm3lobo via @sharethis