Looking for parties that are inexpensive yet memorable, plus fun to plan together with your child? Here are some fresh kids’ birthday party ideas, from a teddy bear picnic to an indoor beach bash.




by Dawn Franzen, M.Ed.

Certainly the last thing on your mind when your child was born was, “What kind of birthday party will he have?” But now that he’s older, every year you are faced with the dilemma of creating a memorable party. And if your child was born during the cold, rainy, snowy months of late fall to early spring, you have to create the party without being able to go outside. .

Rest assured: You can throw spectacular kids’ birthday parties indoors at home for your child. All it takes is a little creativity and a few inspirations to get you started. Read on!

First, talk with your child about her interests, hobbies, and favorite-fads-of-the-moment. Then together, decide on a theme for her party and draw up a guest list. Keep in mind the size of your house and in what room(s) the party will be held when deciding on the number of children to invite. If you can’t accommodate a large number of guests, remind your child that with fewer kids attending, you can do more creative and elaborate things. This should offset her disappointment with not being able to invite a quarter of the population of China.

Your next step is to visit party stores to see what kinds of paper goods, game s, and favor ideas are available that relate to your child’s theme. This is a “looking-only” expedition, where you begin to gather ideas and seek inspiration. Craft stores and dollar stores are great sources of inexpensive party favors. When you know for sure how many kids can come, then you can go back and purchase supplies.

Now that your child’s party is beginning to take shape, it’s time to get creative! In case you need a little help in that area, here are some not-so-traditional children’s party themes and accompanying activities to help you out. These are especially appropriate for the 10-and-under set.

Teddy Bear Picnic

On the bear-shaped invitation, write “BYOB”—“Bring Your Own Bear!” Purchase a red and white checked vinyl tablecloth and spread it on the floor. Throw a handful of plastic ants down for fun. Serve finger sandwiches cut into cute shapes, tiny cakes, colorful cookies, and raw veggies with dip. Ask your child to raid her plastic play-food stash for “treats” for the stuffed guests.

Read the book The Teddy Bear Picnic and sing the song. Give each child a square of soft flannel to make a blanket for his or her teddy bear. Provide buttons and fabric shapes they can glue on.

For favors, give tiny baskets lined with red and white checked fabric and filled with teddy bear stickers and packages of gummy bears.

Pajama Party Breakfast

Who says birthday parties are afternoon-only affairs? Invite everyone to come around 10:00 a.m. dressed in their pajamas and slippers. Have a “contest” for the best, cutest and weirdest pajama ensembles—have enough categories in reserve so that everyone gets a prize as their take-home goodie. Have a playful pillow fight. Serve doughnuts (with candles for the birthday child), milk and juice.

Cooking “Class”

These are great as indoor parties for a child, parenting with practicality! Simply provide the ingredients and let the partygoers create their own snacks. Try making individual pizzas, tacos, decorated cookies or cupcakes, or ice cream sundaes. Give everyone a chef’s hat to wear—paper hats are often available at party supply stores. You can also provide canvas aprons and acrylic paint pens or fabric crayons, purchased at a craft store, so each child can decorate the aprons as take-home favors. Have everyone write their name on each other’s apron for a nice memento.

Camp-Out

If your child yearns for the joys of warm weather, here’s a party that brings the outside indoors. Cover card tables with sheets to serve as “tents.” Serve mini hot dogs on bamboo skewers for a take on the traditional “wienie roast.” Make S’mores in your microwave. Turn off the lights and play flashlight tag on the walls. Tell scary stories. For favors, wrap plastic lizards or small plush animals, bug stickers, and a small plastic compass inside colorful bandanas.

Beach Bash

Tell everyone to wear shorts, Hawaiian or otherwise colorfully printed shirts, and flip-flops. Sit on old quilts and blankets. Scatter seashells here and there. Give plastic leis and funky sunglasses as favors. Play “Hot Potato,” except pass around a large seashell instead. Serve hamburgers, chips, and fruit kabobs. Bake a plain 9” x 13”spice cake. After it has cooled, remove it from the pan and cut off pieces to resemble a sand castle. Spread with a thin layer of caramel icing and sprinkle brown sugar “sand” all over. Let the birthday child serve it by cutting the pieces with a new clean plastic sand shovel.

No matter in what month of the year your child’s birthday falls, with a little planning and creativity, you can make it fun and memorable. Just remember: The key to success is to have as much fun planning as the children have attending!

 

A parent and frequent contributor to St. Louis Parent Magazine, Dawn Franzen, M.Ed., has taught with the Summer Academies and Learning Labs of the Gifted Resource Council in St. Louis.

© Party invitation illustration by Wetnose1 | Dreamstime.com • © Teddy bear photo by Wh Chow | Dreamstime.com