In the last week, I’ve attended 2 4yo birthday parties.
2
In one week.
Both served pizza. Both served “juice” boxes. Both had crapass cake. Both had cheap “decorations.”
I’m no Colin Cowie, but I do know I don’t want the stock toddler birthday party for my kids. I’m considering not even having a birthday party for The Boss in July for her 4th.
But since she’s been to all these other enjoyable parties, she’ll want her friends gathered together with their moms ignoring them as the kid shoves 1245 grams of sugar down their throats.
So now, what’s a lazy mama to do?
And why am I thinking about this in April?
Suggestions? Ideas?
Anyone wanna hire Colin Cowie for me?
I’ve heard Avitable throws a HELL of a party. But he might scare the kids. And their moms.
That might be fun.
I’m. So. Sorry. Birthday parties were always the ‘talk’ of my preschool class. “You’re not invited anymore.” and what-not.
Can you do a silly/fun theme? Like a tea party? And serve sandwiches? and make the girls dress up and wear boas or something? Just a thought. (and you can have ’special’ “TEA” for the adults. WINK WINK)
Momma Mary’s last blog post..Z is for Zombies.
Yes, the all-sugar parties are a drag. Try picking a fun theme that you can build things around. We had a rocket ship party for my son’s 4th, and I built a rocket ship out of giant appliance boxes for the kids to play in, and made a “pin the alien on the moon” game. Food was simple (I did do pizza), but there was good homemade cake, milk to drink, and veggies and dip.
In the past, we’ve also done a firetruck theme party that included a tour of the nearby fire station. The kids got fire hats as favors.
My sister has done a treasure hunt with her kids — complete with a map to follow and everything. I think the key is coming up with a creative theme and focusing on a fun activity. Dress up, pretend play, crafts, kid cooking.
Good luck!
MommyTime’s last blog post..Stuff about Me(me)
That’s all the talk in my pre-k class. The girls are invited, but not the boys! You’re invited, you’re invited, you’re invited…and I guess you’re invited too…ouch burn!!
My cousin did a princess birthday party where they made wands and read a story on the princess and the pea. They also all came dressed up as princesses….and one fine young prince. It was fun and I don’t think any pizza was given, but snacks and of course the inevitable birthday cake!
If you need more ideas, I’m sure I could help you out! What is your child into? (completely over the top obsesses about??)
Light’s last blog post..A Couple Dad Songs
I hear ya… but I think I am too broke to do anything other than the typical for my son’s 6th birthday at the end of the month. But if you get any fabulous FREE ideas feel free to share!
Tara R’s last blog post..Bloggy friends are fabulous
You are all about supporting small online businesses. Check out Birthday In a Box. They are awesome. The whole kit & kaboodle, including personalized invitations. Very reasonable.
Party Ideas for 4yo Girl:
1. I’m seconding the tea party
2. Renting a hairdresser/makeup artist & “dressing up”
3. You can always have the bounce house party
Anglophile Football Fanatic’s last blog post..HF: Death to the Peacock
just say no! kids don’t remember at that age anyway….wait til it counts!
*kidding*
or am i?
I am definitely feeling you on this one. I just finished a birthday and have another one in a few weeks. I am just tired of parties all around. (I wish I did not go all out during those early years!)
I am trying to start this new thing. The birthday person gets to have a special breakfast and dinner. Gets a gift or 2. Maybe rent a movie for all of us to watch or choose a game for us all to play together. Basically the idea is just it is a special day for them, we do the things they want to do and it is cheap too!
1stopmom’s last blog post..Friday Fill- Ins #66
Thank God I don’t have to go to kid’s parties.
Avitable’s last blog post..Everything comes down to poo
How funny that you posted this right on the exact day of my daughter’s 6th birthday! I don’t have kids parties. (Does that make me a member of the Mean Mommies Club or what?!) We have grandparents over, and sometimes aunts and uncles if its convenient. We have supper, cake and presents. That’s it. Sometimes I’ll buy special party paper plates, sometimes not.
Baby Mamma (Tamra)’s last blog post..Fight the Frump
Remember when the parties were at home and they had games and homemade cakes? And if you had pizza it was actually a big deal?
Then again, no one was throwing big birthday parties until the kids were a little older either.
Too much stress. And yet I’m considering a moonbounce at the end of the month.
UGH!!!
MammaLoves’s last blog post..How He Became Our Son, Part II
Just saw a GREAT idea for b-day parties in the April Cookie magazine…. a science theme party, where you make jell-o in petri dishes with gummi worms and stuff in em. (And they tell you where to get 20 petri dishes for like $5) and fun shakers, where you mix 2 liquids, have the kids shake em and they make green slime (something like $30 for 24 shakers?) AND how to make a “brain cake” (Just use a domed cake pan, like a batter bowl, to make the cake and then for frosting, you take a pastry bag and just pipe on squiggly lines all over for the “brain look”.)
There was a LOT more in there too, and I think it can be geared toward many age groups…
4 years old?
Cake, balloons, some plastic stuff, annoying music.
Done, surely.
Xbox4NappyRash’s last blog post..Ignorance & Bliss
We had our son’s 3rd bday party at Gymboree - you may have something similar in your area. It was nice that the kids were entertained the entire time and it wasn’t a pre-packaged load of Elmo-themed crap. (They do songs/games/play on gymnasium type stuff, led by a “teacher”.) We did cake and juice afterward. I would have just done an in-home party where the kiddos come over to play (love MommyTime’s suggestions!) except that I was far too busy at the time to even clean my house so it was fit to have kids over.
I went to a party recently where the kids played a cute game. The boy’s Mom bought a blue plastic table cloth and made “lily pads” that had a point total on one side. The kids took turns tossing stuffed animals (she had been into beanie babies and the kids tossed aquatic-themed ones) onto the lily pads. Most of them missed, but then you’d flip the pads over where the animals had landed, add up the points and declare the winner! The kids like it so much they played until most of the kids had a turn as the winner. They got a container of bubbles for winning. Probably cost her like $10.
Colleen’s last blog post..Aaaaah…..
Colleen: Thanks for the idea! We have a Gymboree opening up later this month, so that’s definitely an options I’m considering. Yeah, it might be expensive, but 1-it’s not a my house and 2-it’s inside in Orlando in July. Yeah - inside is good.
thanks!
We went to a Gymboree type (it was at “My Gym”) party last year and although Hunter was not quite walking yet even he enjoyed it. There was the cake and juice but there was also Chick-a-filet nuggets (not sure if that was included or the parents brought it extra). The neat thing to me as mentioned above was that the “teacher” kept the kids occupied so the parents were free to chat, take pictures or just sit and rest… Also, the teacher announced that instead of opening gifts the birthday boy elected for them to spend that time playing - thought that was a good idea. However, some kids might want to open and have their friends watch…
Good luck
Toni’s last blog post..O What a Weekend
You must torture the other mothers, they tortured you didn’t they. At that age they only remember it in pictures, so cake and juice, maybe a treasure hunt. Simple instructions given by the hostess, you, and let them run off the sugar!
justmylife’s last blog post..Yet another 25….