Author |
Message |
Deesandy
Member
08-12-2003
| Friday, February 13, 2004 - 12:28 pm
My daughter will be three years old in March. We are having an outdoor party. Any suggestions to make it a successful one? There will be around 50 people of all ages attending. I know that sounds like a lot but we live in a small community and cannot leave anyone out due to hurt feelings which would in turn affect our work. How can I let the older people be entertained and not feel ignored while I tend to the Birthday Girl and her little guests?
|
Lkunkel
Member
10-29-2003
| Friday, February 13, 2004 - 1:24 pm
Dee: What type of climate, setting, etc. are we looking at? What ages are you considering "older"?
|
Deesandy
Member
08-12-2003
| Friday, February 13, 2004 - 1:56 pm
Okay... There will be 4 three year old's and a up to ten kids up through age 4 to age 14. Then there will be several adults ages 30 through 80. See my problem here? 
|
Resortgirl
Member
09-23-2000
| Friday, February 13, 2004 - 2:34 pm
Dee, My two kids birthdays are 2 days apart in July and we did a combo 3 year old/12 year old party. So we did have the split in age groups. We did an egg toss for the older kids 12 thru 60 (Big Hit!) A scavenger hunt for the older ones too... just around the yard and asking the adult guests for different objects. The little ones just played on the swingset and joined in on a break the balloon with your hiney race..... I have probably the funniest video ever of my 3 year old trying to break that balloon.... Of course the highlight was the gift opening and once that was over the little ones had plenty to keep them occupied. I made my first bday cake that year (other then a sheet cake)... it was a carousel and I practiced 3 times before hand... we were so sick of cake..LOL! And then the day of the party it was 90 degrees and the darn thing melted all over the place. Still had fun though!
|
Deesandy
Member
08-12-2003
| Friday, February 13, 2004 - 8:03 pm
LOl Resortgirl! Do you have a recipe to share? I'll give anything a shot!
|
Fabnsab
Member
08-07-2000
| Saturday, February 14, 2004 - 2:26 am
http://birthdaypartyideas.com/ This is a great site for some awesome ideas. Carnival parties are always fun! They have tons of inexpensive carnival games you can buy online. You can have the adults work the booths. Give all the kids tickets then they can go to booth one, use a ticket and an adult can give them popcorn- booth two, they can redeem a ticket for a ring toss game. Theres so much you can do with this idea.
|
Egbok
Member
07-13-2000
| Saturday, February 14, 2004 - 7:34 am
Dee, since we live in Southern California, we are usually blessed with pleasant weather and so we always held our kidlets birthday parties out in our large backyard. DH (the gym teacher) would create an obstacle course that would accommodate any age group. He would time the kids and do rounds of eliminations, always giving a little prize to anyone as they were eliminated. I'm not sure if it was his technique of including the older kids with tasks such as holding the clipboard and writing down the times or even holding the stopwatch, but the thing that always seemed to happen was that the older kids would help out the younger kids during parts of the course so that all ended up having a fun time. This event entertained the adults just as much as the kids and sometimes an adult would want to run the course too...LOL! We also always had a pinata hanging from our large tree. DH would create a huge circle with the green garden hose and the kids were told to stay behind the green circle as each kid had a turn at hitting the pinata with a small wooden bat. We would start with the youngest and go up to the oldest. The parents would help out by standing behind their child to ensure they stayed behind the green circle. Every now and then DH and I will run into one of the invited kids (who are teens to young adults now) and they always reminisce about the obstacle course and the pinata! I'm not sure an obstacle course or a pinata would fit your needs, but I thank you for allowing me to fondly remember a time of yesteryear, which passed much too quickly. Good luck with your party!!
|
Deesandy
Member
08-12-2003
| Sunday, February 15, 2004 - 6:25 am
Edbok, do you have any ideas on what household items can be used for an obstacle course? I am thinking that I can get some large boxes. I have ordered a Hello Kitty pinata so I suppose that will be the theme. Thanks!
|
Seaworthy
Member
01-29-2004
| Sunday, February 15, 2004 - 6:38 am
Deesandy... How about plastic storage containers (sizes vary of course) filled with water, sand, jello or whatever instead of the "tire-type" obstacle course???
|
Deesandy
Member
08-12-2003
| Sunday, February 15, 2004 - 8:02 am
LOL! That would be a lot of jello! (not that kind of party!) No really, it is a great idea minus the jello. Thank you for the suggestion. Living by the beach it would make sense to have sand involved!
|
Seaworthy
Member
01-29-2004
| Sunday, February 15, 2004 - 8:24 am
Glad it's NOT that kind of party I do have another idea tho, but not necessarily for the obstacle course. We did this once (a group of adults, mind you) & had a ball!! We built sand castles lined up in a row & hid clues, or directions or passes to next game or whatever in them,(prizes, party favors, etc.) drew numbers from a hat & had each guest STOMP on the one of their choice & then follow the instructions. I realize that it would need some modification for your party, but just a thot!!
|
Egbok
Member
07-13-2000
| Sunday, February 15, 2004 - 10:14 am
Dee, my hubby is gone for the day but when he gets home tonight, I'll ask him for suggestions regarding household items for your possible obstacle course. Since hubby is a gym teacher, he would create feats that "exercised" the kids...LOL! We had a swing set in our backyard (long gone..sniffle), which had one of those straight across monkey bars and he would include that in the obstacle course. As I'm typing this I'm remembering some other ideas that you might be able to use too. One station was "crab walking" backwards to a finish line. Another was taking 3 basketball shots. Another was dropping wooden clothespins into a jar. Another was moving a soccerball around a straight line of orange cones with their foot only..kinda zigging in and out of the cones. And one of my favorites was one that I know you wouldn't be able to do but I'll share anyway. Hubby owns a huge (like 4' tall) type of ball. It's got a inside bladder which must be pumped up and it's covered with a durable type colorful cloth material. He would have the kids push and roll this huge ball towards a finish line and the kids loved it the best! Anyway, I'll ask him and post again soon.
|
Tabbyking
Member
03-11-2002
| Sunday, February 15, 2004 - 11:17 am
egbok, was that what we called 'moon ball' when i was in high school? it was huge and had a canvas-type shell. it was impossible to get over a net without 2 or 3 people hitting it at the same time. i got under the ball a few times all by myself.....where it squashed me like a bug...
|
Egbok
Member
07-13-2000
| Sunday, February 15, 2004 - 11:20 am
I think you're right Tabby...it's got a canvas-type shell and I remember using it on raining days in the Gym when I was in middle school.
|
Urgrace
Member
08-19-2000
| Sunday, February 15, 2004 - 12:30 pm
Sometimes the rental shops have those kind of objects - like the canvas ball. They have the blow-up ball-filled castles to jump around in and trampolines, saw horses, horseshoes - all kinds of things. You might go to one and ask them what they have to offer for a one day rental. Your local Target or similar store probably has an all-in-one sports set with badmitton, horseshoes and other things too. Those easy to set up games could be a part of the activities.
|
Deesandy
Member
08-12-2003
| Sunday, February 15, 2004 - 6:02 pm
Seaworthy, we are going to renew our vows on the beach next year and that sandcastle game will be perfect! You rock! 
|
Seaworthy
Member
01-29-2004
| Monday, February 16, 2004 - 9:16 am
Deesandy.... renewing your vows on the beach... How lovely & romantic!! Congrats . We need a clipart of a champagne glass so I can propose a toast to both of you. Hope the birthday party is a huge success!!
|
Jmm
Member
08-16-2002
| Monday, February 16, 2004 - 10:37 am
Seaworthy, Ask and you shall receive. LOL

|
Deesandy
Member
08-12-2003
| Monday, February 16, 2004 - 11:31 am
Yes, I wanted to get married on the beach but my husband wanted to get married somewhere historical so we ended up at the lighthouse. I loved it there too, but would have liked a more causal event since it was my second wedding. I am looking forward to running on the beach in a white dress, this time with my daughter in tow!
|
Seaworthy
Member
01-29-2004
| Wednesday, February 18, 2004 - 1:51 pm
Jmm... thanks for the "toast" glasses ..Now I will have to come up with the perfect toast to go along with your champagne glasses!! Deesandy... "running on the beach in a white dress, with your daughter in tow!!" sounds too good to be true!!! Can't imagine anything better!! When is the Big Day?? and will we get photos??? Best wishes for you to keep on "running on the beach" forever with all of those so close to you!! ((((Hugs)))) & sorry to have gotten off-track on this thread,,,...
|
Deesandy
Member
08-12-2003
| Wednesday, February 18, 2004 - 3:06 pm
Sea, you can come! It isn't until next September. I am a big planner. For our actual wedding we sent out invitations in a bottle with sand and shells from our beach included. It was fun! For the vow renewal I believe we will send out invites on candles and ask people to bring them to light at the ceremony. Any ideas for birthday party invites are are unique?
|
Tabbyking
Member
03-11-2002
| Wednesday, February 18, 2004 - 8:15 pm
well, a wonderful party a neighbor gave for her 3 or 4 year old daughter when my dd was young was: she cut out pink ballet slipper shapes, punched holes with a hole punch and laced and tied a delicate pink ribbon. she used them for the invitations. all the little girls wore leotards or turtle necks and tights to the party. then they were given little tutus made of that cheese-clothy material in various shades. you know, the netting stuff. they tied on at the waist. then the mom put on some music and the little girls danced. they had a blast! for her son, she had a pirate party. all the boys had little bandanas to tie on their heads and she bought those cheap eye patches at a dollar store. you have a lot of sand around...my friend had the boys dig into sand and recover little pouches of chocolate coins, real pennies, wrapped candies, etc. she also had a captain hook/crocodile game. a child would be blindfolded; my friend would take a kitchen timer and hide it in the family room. the other kids would be in the room when it wasn't their turn. their normal noise made it so the player couldn't instantly go in the direction of the ticking noise... the timer would be set for one minute or 90 seconds or something and the child would have to follow the ticking sound to try and locate the clock. it might be behind a couch cushion or under the coffee table, etc. she made sure there wasn't too much in the room they could damage by walking into it! anyone who got the clock in under the time limit got to have their name put on a paper. at the end, my friend drew a name out and the winner got a little prize. they all had a little treasure bag of things to take home so no one felt slighted by not being the winner. her husband had an old row boat put into the backyard and those boys played pirate for probably an hour or more! nothing else but climbing around a 10-foot rowboat. there were snacks and juice on a picnic table for when they were hungry.
|
Deesandy
Member
08-12-2003
| Friday, February 20, 2004 - 8:24 pm
I think my daughter would rather have a pirate party! LOL!
|
Secretsmile
Member
08-19-2002
| Saturday, February 21, 2004 - 11:16 am
One year I had an outdoor party for my youngest son, that not only our kids, but the other kids in the neighborhood are still talking about. We had the kids bring their bikes, big wheels, tricycles, and they decorated them. I had big bins of balloons, streamers, crepe paper and the adults got just as involved. After every one was done we had a "parade" around the block. I gave out prizes, one for each child, and made up titles. This party was about 15 years ago but it was a huge success and inexpensive. I learned a few months ago that an elderly neighbor, took pictures, her son gave them to me after her death. He said she showed everyone when they visited for years afterward, and she wasn't from the party, she was just watched the parade from her porch.
|
Deesandy
Member
08-12-2003
| Saturday, February 21, 2004 - 12:42 pm
Secret, that is awesome! I will do that one in the future. Not only did you have a great party, you made someone else's day happy too!
|