What are some great kids' party ideas?

[saddina]

We just did a birthday party for my niece.

We went to walmart and bought a box of "water baloon bombs" with holds 500 water baloons, and 2 filler nozzles. We then put up a red team base in the front yard with ballons, nozzles, and some big 5 gallon buckets of water, and a yellow base in the back, same set up. Guests were told to bring a swim suit and a watergun, and we bought a pack of 8 water guns for $5 for kids who forgot thiers.
2 boxes of cakemix and frostings, and I made 40 Princess Peach cupcakes (the princess from the mario games). I also baked plain sugar cookies for the kids to icing themselves, and served slushies made from crystal light (double strengh so the ice doesn't water it down.)

For games, I grabbed some wrapping paper, and flipped it to the white side and tapled it to the fence. Then I freehanded a mario scene, with the princess in the castle(use sharpies so it doesn't run), and used clear packing tape to take tacks pointy side out. The waterballons could be thrown at the tacks and poped when they hit them (safer that giving 30 kids darts to throw).

The kids had a blast soaking each other, and simply playing, and the whole thing was under $28 for 30 kids (I litterly let her ask every kid on the block, it was August, and it gives the kids something to do).

Water bomb set $5
Spare water guns $5
Baking supplies $10
Tacks and cake tips $8

Kids said it was the best party ever.

 

[Eggs4Sale]

One year, for a Valentine's themed-birthday party, I made two heart-shaped pinatas. The first was smaller and I filled it with dried pinto beans after being talked out of cooked spaghetti by my DH. The look on the faces of those kids when pinto beans flew everywhere was priceless. I still wake up in the middle of the night laughing about that.

The second pinata was hoisted, and it weighed easily 50 pounds. All the little kids had their turns, nothing. The older kids, eh, a little crack. They went three rounds before that thing finally opened. I kinda remember DH finally swinging at it with a baseball bat, but I may have made up that part in my memory. I had several people ask if it was lined with concrete. Nope, just followed the pinata instructions.... About 40 layers, that's all.

 

[Suellyn]

Well, a CHICKEN THEME PARTY, of course

!! I actually did one for my DD last year, she was turning 4, but were kids of all ages & all had fun!!

In fact, I "borrowed" some chickens from a local BYCer to attend... This was BEFORE I had my own.... and pretty much the REASON I do now!!!!

Did chicken related games: An "egg drop" (let the kids package/cushion an egg & drop it off my deck to see which dont break), A chicken VS egg race (cheapie wind-up toys... "Which Came <in> First?"). A "Chicken Fling" (cheapie rubber toy I found, then made target out of cardboard).

Chicken decorations-printed some photos off internet, etc.

Found some appropriate favors, too. PM me if you need more details

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Here's a BUNCH of pix:
The "Guests of Honor"

Chickie cupcakes

Activities/games:

Decor (The one is a "card" that everyone signs/writes on):

The "Birthday Chick" and a friend..

Sorry to be so Pix Heavy", but easier to show it, then describe it!!

 

[mom'sfolly]

A lot of kids have never done old fashioned sorts of party games. People just don't seem to do them anymore. So games like three-legged races, egg races, pin the tail on the donkey (or dinosaur), gunny sack races etc are fresh and new for the kids. If you make the games go with a theme or a TV show tie-in they think it is a hoot.

Some craft ideas are making kites, tie-dying t-shirts, doing simple kits (I found some at Micheals for $1 each), or making puppets and putting on a show.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote:
For both my sons we had parties where they made "king's cups." I purchased acrylic wine glasses, large plastic gems and beads and a dishwasher safe glue. (I believe some type of silicone cement.)

The kids were each given a cup and allowed to decorate it as they chose. It worked better with older kids. For my older son he was in 5th grade when we did this activity; with my younger son he was in 1st or 2nd grade. The kids needed too much individual help, and it wasn;t as fun for them.

We still have the cups they made, and they get used regularly. I

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Call your local museums and see if they have any activities or programs suitable for a party.

We had a party at Pueblo Grande, which is a local archeological museum; they have a program for kids where they do an archeological dig. If is not "real" in the sense of exploring a new area, but is essentially a large area of local sand/dirt that is marked off in a grid system. When items are donated to the museum that have no real value (often because they are extremely common, or becuase there is no data on where they came from), tehy are buried in the dig area. The kids are taught how to dig so that they do not destroy artifacts, and how to mark what they find and where.

This was a bit different and a LOT of fun.

 

[australorpchick]

This is what we've done for my kids (that I can remember):

Rollerskate Land
Build-A-Bear
Backyard Camp-out
San Antonio Zoo

I think my favorite has been the Backyard Fair. The kids wanted pies instead of a cake. I made hot dogs, corndogs, funnel cakes and kettle corn. The kids played in the slide/jumper, had water fights and were pulled around by our backyard tractor in a little red wagon (the suburban version of a hay ride). I thought they'd think it was hokie since they were twelve, but all of their friends loved it.

This year we had a smaller party. We bought pizza from Costco, had milk chocolate and white chocolate fountains with everything I could think of to dip and bought a small cotton candy maker. Then we took the kids and two of their friends to the rodeo and to see Taylor Swift.

We've had a jumper at just about every birthday party. It's a lifesaver for keeping the kids out of the house and helps burn all that sugar I feed them.

 

[lovemychix]

Quote:
That is adorable. We are thinking about doing a chicken theme this year. Cake and all.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Quote:
That is adorable and is a great idea. I had never thought about that, I don't think i could be that creative. haha lol. That is too cute. You guys all have some great ideas. I will have to keep these in mind when I am old and have kids, that is a long way off as I am only in high school myself haha lol. I have this crazy/great idea for this winter. My mom got a kiddie pool at the dump the other day so my idea is to use it like a sled and sit in it and slide down the hill in it but first I would test it on one of the little like mini hills/inclines in the yard to be safe and then move on the bigger/big hills in the yard. I can't wait, it will be fun. haha lol. sorry for the brief hijack.

 

[StupidBird]

Love the chicken party!
I've done a make your own pizza party - homemade dough and lots of toppings, kids made their little pizzas. Not that expensive, either.