Hey Mommas!!
Just a quick one. I've decided to try to stick to a just kids party this year (see 4 year old's birthday woes). My daughter is turning 4 and loves all things girly, of course, but is pretty cool about "boy stuff" too. She loves matchbox cars and collecting rocks and legos and stuff as well. So here's my question-
Her guest list for kids will consist of 2 boys over the age of 10, one who is about 6, one at 3, a 2 year old girl and herself (plus 2 little babies who don't play yet). How do I have a party that will entertain such a wide variety of age groups? Do I let her pick the theme even if it is princess-tastic and just let the boys fend for themselves? Or do I try to aim her toward something a little more unisex (Jungle animals or ???)? I'm not in a large space (basically confined to living room/dining room combo) so big activities are out of the question, but I'd like to have some things that they can do that would be fun... Help!!
Any ideas that would entertain all and still be possible for the little ones? If it's nice out I'll just take em to the park, but it is March in oregon so good luck to me!!
I had a brainstorm and I think I got it! Thank god for naps that line up with showers so I can think!!
I'm thinking cupcake party! We'll have all sorts of toppings for the kids to decorate cupcakes that can be boy or girl. So far I've come up with Chocolate frosting for mud cakes, or green for grass, that can have gummi worms or dinosaur candies or what-not for the boys. Then maybe blue for water with fish candies and jellybeans for underwater rocks.... sprinkles and decorator's dust can make any kid happy. Woohoo!
I also had someone in a previous post suggest "blind" pinata where you blindfold the kids and they have to crawl around the floor to collect their goodies. I think that is great since I don't have anywhere that is safe to do a real pinata. Maybe we'll let the tiny one's cheat ;)
Thanks everybody!!
Even if she goes princesstastic, the boys could have knight theme a little. Instead of pin the tail, how about slay the dragon? You could do a ball toss (esp. if sparkly/themed balls) and have different toss lines for the different ages.
We just had a birthday for our 4 year old and we rented a bounce house. I suggested the Curious George theme and it she loved it...my daughter is mostly girlie and a little bit monkey.. It was great! There were some older kids there and about 3 2-year-olds, and the older ones made sure the younger ones were safe. The theme resonated with all ages, all genders! For my little one who's turning 3 next Saturday, I'm going to take the family (we have 5 kids) to Lil Monkey Business, a place in Denver where little kids can run around and play and create art projects and stuff while the adults can drink coffee and eat pastries while watching. That way there's a little something for everyone. Good luck!!
I did the princess thing with my daughter last month. Called it a Royal Celebration (to not turn the boys off too much) and utilized "pin the kiss/lips on the frog" and some crafts...wands for the girls and shields for the boys. They also got to decorate their own "goblets" and they all got crowns/tiaras.
Personally, I'd let her pick out her own party theme.
Some activities for all ages:
•Limbo
•Pin the something on the whatever
•Decorate your own cupcake
•The cookie scrunch-face race game from Minute To Win It
Let her pick the theme.
If she picks princess-tastic, then incorporate a 'boy' side to it like knights.
If the girls get tiaras, the boys get gold crowns (think Burger King crowns)
Think up some activities and make the 10y the one in charge
- drawing - think up a theme and then each kid has to draw part of the story.
- Simon says
- Hokey Pokey
- get a bunch of foam blocks or cups and have them build castles.
I'd let her go with her own theme, at 4 they are very opinionated! ;) If she does go with a princess theme, just go the Knight route for the boys, as someone else mentioned. You can order foam wands and foam swords from Oriental Trading and they can decorate them or do games or whatever. You might also consider a pinata. The little ones would probably like it but won't have enough strength to open it and I'm quite sure that a 10 year old boy would LOVE to have a job that includes whacking something until it explodes! If it's not nice enough outside you could always try the garage or maybe under a deck .
you could do a lego party (purchase packages at garage sales on on EBAY) - do a sorting contest, build something and have the kids build the exact same thing (make it harder for the older kids), a tower building relay race, lego cake (bake one in a bread pan and then make cupcakes to put on top as the little nubs, then frost), pin the dot on the lego (instead of pin the tail on the donkey), lego coloring sheets (I would think you can find those online), and kids always love cookie decorating (although I don't know that you could tie this into legos).
I think a cupcake party is a great idea!!
For games, you can do a bean bag toss (Target-cheap), tape the tail on the donkey/eyepatch on the pirate, etc (dollar stores), bowling (Target)....every age will want to participate.
For my son's party each time a child completed the game they got a treat for their goody bag (sandbuckets(It was during the summer)) - you can even have special prizes for the different ages. The pinata was the last game and that topped off the bag.
Have fun!! :)
