Birthday Party Ideas - Germantown,WI

My son has a friend who, instead of gifts for himself, asks his guests to bring a gift for his latest cause. Typically, we bring things to give to the Humane Society. (chew toys, food, etc). Sometimes, we've brought gifts and given them to a local church supporting kids in another part of the world (school supplies have gone all over the world, clothes go to orphanages, etc). Sometimes churches will collect school supplies for local kids, too. Good luck!

I used to work for a foodshelf that collected "Birthday Bags." Basically donors (ie your kids) would put together a bag including all the things necessary for a kids birthday party (cake mix, frosting, candles, plates, napkins, balloons) and donate the prepacked bag to our foodshelf. Sometimes they would include gifts but it's hard for the foodshelf to keep track of which bags contained age/gender specific toys so we usually requested that donors not include toys. The lesson parents can teach their kids with this project is that everyone likes to celebrate their birthdays even kids whose families can't afford to buy all the fun party things and that's how you can make a difference. Of course make sure that all things you put in the bag are shelf stable and non perishable. If you wanted you could get the supplies and have the bag packing as part your kid's party activities or you could ask the guests to bring items for the bags....many ways to do it. Have fun!

I think that is a wonderful idea! I havent done a birthday party with underprivelged kids...but a place where I worked raised money and took some to a baseball game, and a petting zoo. It was really a fun time. At the game I had more fun watching them enjoy themselves. One of our coworkers knew a player and talked them into autographs...they loved that! But you could do like a small zoo, a hands on kids museum, (those are really fun, enteractive and educational too) or a game of some sort. You could call a homeless shelter for ideas also. Unless you already have kids in mind. Those are just some suggestions. It would also depend upon the age of your kids and the guests as to how well it would work, but its a nice idea. Have fun! :-)

My daughter has been invited to parties where the gifts given were donated to a children's hospital, or the invitation stated that if we'd like to give a gift, we should contribute to the support of an animal at the zoo. These parties were for kids who were 6 to 8 and old enough to help choose the charitable cause. Your kids might be a little young to expect to do that, or to see gifts and then give them away. You still could inform parents to bring no gifts but to contribute to a specific cause.

I think other posters have made good suggestions about using the birthday opportunity as a way giving back to the community in some way. Sounds like your kids might still be too young to FULLY understand, and I would hesitate recommending that you give your kids NO birthday gifts. There's nothing wrong with giving your kids gifts, especially on significant occasions. Though helping them understand and appreciate how to give from THEMSELVES is certainly essential. I like what posters have suggested about asking parents to bring a donation to contribute to a certain cause. Since the kids are so young, getting them involved "helping out" for a half hour or so at a local animal shelter might be your best bet.

I would recommend you stay away from inviting "underprivileged" kids to a birthday party. This will only create awkwardness, both for your own kids and the invited participants - especially if those kids or their parents sense that they are being "pitied" or "given charity" in such a way as to be made into a "lesson" for YOUR kids... That will only make those kids/parents feel self-conscious about their situation and role in society and may do more harm than good.

You could make one aspect of the party be to find some of their old toys that they have outgrown or that they feel they would want another child to be able to enjoy and bring them to a donation center together and explain the importance both of reusing and recycling as well as making contributions to families and kids who can't always afford new goods.

Good luck. Please let us know what happens.

I second the idea of having your child use his "gifts" as gifts for other children in need. When we had my son's 6th b-day party, it was his first b-day party with presents (prior to that, we just said skip the gifts). He loved it, but every one of the families invited to the party called me to ask what he wanted! Anyway...I'm not sure how you could spend it with underprivileged children without making the children feel awkward--if you are having a big b-day bash for your kids and taking those kids under your wing, it's still about your child and they feel like a charity case...but perhaps that's not what you're talking about? If you wanted to celebrate your child's b-day doing for others, perhaps you could find an organization that caters to something your child loves--my son loves horses; perhaps grooming horses or visiting a farm where they keep mistreated horses would be great. He would also love a chance to help at the Humane Society. If you are simply looking for a way to remove the "gimme" aspect of birthdays, you can go with no presents; if you're looking for a way to involve your children in something bigger than themselves, that's something that can easily be done any day of the year! Good luck!

Not quite what you're looking for, but what we've always done is send a note inside our invitation telling families that we request all families to bring a gift for donation for a charity that my daughter chooses rather than bringing a gift for my daughter. We've done animal shelters, battered women's shelters, children in long-term wards in the hospital, homeless shelters, etc. Sometimes, we also include a short list (5-8 items) of the most needed items.

My daughter doesn't need gifts, and she recognizes that other people do need basic things. It works out especially well because my daughter still gets to open things and feel like everyone else (she's almost nine now), but she doesn't get stuff that she doesn't need, and other people get something they do need.

Good luck!

You might contact the homeless shelter or womans shelter in your area. I know one here in Omaha is rather small and you would be able to take in pizza balloons a clown- whatever, and maybe take each kid a goodie bag- I think that's a great idea! And I am sure the kids would love it.

Are these kids friends of your kids? I love the fact that you want to do something nice for less fortunate kids and get your kids involved in being charitable, but for their birthdays I would make sure I was sticking to something THEY like and want to do -with THEIR friends! There are plenty of times to learn lessons and be exposed to others who have less than you, but your birthday should be about you!