Comments on: They Say It’s Her Birthday

By: liz

liz — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 15:23:03 +0000

I think it must be regional. When I grew up in B'klyn, we opened the presents at the party. But then almost all parties were at home and not at a party place. .-= liz´s last blog ..I love the Hunter Mill Democratic Committee =-.

By: kootnygirl

kootnygirl — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 12:04:25 +0000

Now that I’ve replied to everybody else, here’s my real 2 cents, even though the party is over.

We did my 5-year old’s party last week: 8 kids, no parents (so no booze, tragically):

http://rhapsodyinbeige.wordpress.com/2009/11/06/what-the-hell-was-i-thinking/

I prefer doing a very simple craft over a game, because I hate coming up with prizes, and I don’t want to play any game 8 times so that everyone has a chance to win. And since everyone is getting a stupid, but somehow expensive loot bag, I don’t want to give out prizes just for playing.

2 hours maximum. I made the mistake of having a 3 hour party once…never again. By the time they do the craft, destroy your house (I mean, “enjoy some free play”), eat, open presents (it kills time, people, and contains them all in one room), and bash the pinata (the kind with strings), it’s pretty much all over, except for that one kid whose parents don’t come to pick them up on time.

Hope it went well! And happy birthday Emilia. Four is really the best age, as far as I can tell.
.-= kootnygirl´s last blog ..new year’s resolution =-.

By: kootnygirl

kootnygirl — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 11:56:39 +0000

Really? You don't know what the kids reaction will be to gifts given by other kids the same age? Maybe I wouldn't open that hand-crocheted afghan from Aunt Marge, but a bunch of cheap plastic barbie stuff? The reaction *should* be all good. Heck, my kids would be excited about the afghan, but they're pretty deprived, normally (heh heh). .-= kootnygirl´s last blog ..new year’s resolution =-.

By: kootnygirl

kootnygirl — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 11:50:15 +0000

We've done pinatas for both my girls at/around this age. BIG HIT. We gave everyone a turn to be blindfolded and try to bash it, knowing full well they would never break the thing, but it was fun. Then everyone got a string and pulled the thing open. Zip-lock bags, pre-labelled with the kids names, helps with the candy after. .-= kootnygirl´s last blog ..new year’s resolution =-.

By: kootnygirl

kootnygirl — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 11:48:00 +0000

I've always heard about opening the presents after the party too, and yet I've never, ever seen it in real life. There is no way that would fly with my kids (or their friends). .-= kootnygirl´s last blog ..new year’s resolution =-.

By: Amanda

Amanda — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 02:54:31 +0000

Cupcake decorating station. Bag the cake, 2 dozen cupcakes and little dishes of marshmallows, M&Ms, yogurt covered raisin and sprinkles should do it. Oh, and something frostingish to make it all stick. That and dollar store streamers and giveaways and you’re set. The expense is in the booze for grownups.

By: susiej

susiej — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 01:27:37 +0000

If you pick up cupcakes from the bakery, you do not need plates and forks.

Musical chairs is a great way to pass the time.

The kids just end up playing with the toys in your house at this age… they are so great at entertaining each other when they’re in a mob. No worries.

By: reg

reg — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 20:41:58 +0000

bouncy castle and cake. That is all you need. Oh, and lootbags.

By: chichimama

chichimama — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 13:55:42 +0000

DON’T do pearler beads!!! They are these tiny little plastic beads (think a little bigger than the head of a pin, seriously) that kids put onto tiny pin sized pegs to make patterns. You then have to iron them so they stay together. The beads end up ALL over the floor when one child is doing it, I can only imagine what happens when multiple children whose eye-hand coordination levels are unknown could do.

My five year old loves them and it keeps her occupied for hours, but it is a “mommy has to get some work done” activity, she is not allowed to even mention them if a friend comes over.

I second the butcher paper on the table. Have the kids decorate their own goodie bags (cheap brown paper bags with handles) with crayons, stickers etc. Have a few game “stations,” with a “prize (read: handstamp, sticker or bulk-bin toy)” after each station. For A’s last party we did freeze dance (all you need is music and with 5 year olds it can last a real long time), a dress up relay race (throw all the dress up clothes in your house in a pile and the kids take turns running to get the clothes on, two items per child per turn) and then have them pose for “silly” pictures that you can stick into the thank you notes. We then did pass the parcel which is a big giant ball of wrapping paper with tiny presents (think candy) stuck between each layer. The kids pass it around and when the music stops, whoever is holding it gets to unwrap a layer. Somehow, it magically works out that the music stops when a different child is holding the parcel each time!

By this point it should be pizza/cake time. Decorate your own cupcakes is a fun idea, depends on how much mess and time you have.

Good luck….

By: Hall

Hall — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 04:59:18 +0000

Jeez, I don’t think I’ve ever commented this much on anything. But one more — we played a game called the Hit the Pot. You get a small gift, or, rather, a set of identical small gifts, one for each guest. One of them goes under the pot for each round. Blindfold the kid (as well as appropriate for the age, you know, less for tinies). Give them a wooden spoon. Turn them around a few times and set them loose, whapping with the spoon till they find the pot. Find the pot, get the present, everybody is a winner. And everybody enjoys watching cuz it’s funny. If the kid is really lost, the other kids can help with warmer and colder. This was a hit for several years.