We just had a little birthday party here at the house so I thought we would share some of the ideas with you and maybe it can help you to make your kids birthday party, simple, easy and fun with almost no stress!
Our theory is that the kids have fun just getting together, having some goodies and yelling and playing! So we don't do a whole lot extra and the party is always fun and exciting and full of what a birthday party should be!
To start with we talk about it weeks in advance so that everyone is excited for the day and your child feels involved in the planning (they may ask for crazy things like a bouncy castle etc, but they hardly notice when everyone arrives and the fun begins!). We have a tradition of doing a color theme, but Franny's color is always pink so I don't even think we asked her this time! We don't make the focus on the gifts it's more of a party and getting everyone involved and helping out. My husband is really good at keeping things moving along, the kids follow him around like the pied piper! Here are some of this years ideas:
- ask everyone to wear your kids favorite color!
- get the kids in on decorating the house, blowing up balloons, taping up streamers and decorating the table
- we try not to serve too much junk food as the cake is usually a big enough "sugar high" for the kids, so we had little cucumber/carrot sandwiches (just yogurt/creme fresh and cucumbers or carrots, we cut off the crust so that they look special), peanuts, pistachios, corn chips, grapes and that's it!
- we splurged on the cake this year but next year it's back to my cake, it's not so hard and much less costly, I like to make a cake in a big square pan and then cut out the number for the birthday, like "4" -- this way you can also control the sugar!
- games! - pin the tail on the donkey, water balloon toss, drop the clothes pin into the pitcher, and a piñata! My husband is really good at taking things slowly and really getting the kids into the games.
- we just let the opening presents be a free for all... and it usually works out fine.
It was a wonderful party for the kids and parents, just a nice laid back day! The most important thing is to have fun and keep the kids moving. good luck!!
I could never forget to mention that "Nana" made the pink princess dress, probably the most favorite of all favorites of the day! (if you want her to make you one I am sure she would!! she's really good at it and the kids love it!!)