| If you're tired of buying day-glo matching birthday | | | | common party games to have the garden theme |
| plates and napkins bearing your child's favorite | | | | you're looking for. For example, pin the tail on the |
| cartoon character, perhaps it's time to try a more | | | | donkey becomes pin the bee on the flower. Just |
| meaningful party theme: the garden. There are a | | | | create a large cardboard "bee" for blindfolded kids |
| number of aspects of gardening you can latch | | | | to pin/tape onto a larger paper "flower" on the |
| onto according to your child's personality, such as | | | | side of your house. |
| bugs for your little fans of all things creepy-crawly | | | | Frog toss: This game also serves double duty as |
| and flowers for those who prefer the more | | | | a craft. Provide enough (child's) palm-sized smooth |
| refined side of the outdoors. | | | | stones for each child, and paint pens for |
| Decorations/Party Crafts | | | | decorating. You'll need lots of green. If you're |
| Encourage your child to help make decorations, | | | | really into preparation, you could pre-paint the |
| cutting down on cost and encouraging reuse of | | | | stones green with waterproof paint, and glue on |
| materials around the house. Plus, you might | | | | googly eyes (using waterproof glue.) Then the |
| actually get something done while your little ones | | | | kids just add decorations with the paint pens, |
| are temporarily occupied with their artwork. You | | | | saving your green paint pens and possibly your |
| and your kids might want to make some of | | | | sanity. |
| these party crafts beforehand for decorations | | | | Then you paint lily pads with flowers onto the |
| and to serve as examples so that kids can | | | | bottom of a plastic kiddie pool (using permanent |
| visualize what it is they're trying to make. | | | | waterproof markers or paint.) After it's dry, you |
| Tissue Paper Flowers | | | | fill the pool with water, and the kids toss their |
| Provide an assortment of colorful tissue paper | | | | "frogs" into the pool, trying to land on a "lily pad." |
| and pipe cleaners. To make a flower, stack 4-6 | | | | Whoever hits one wins a prize. Of course, |
| sheets of tissue paper. They can be cut into | | | | everyone gets to try until they win! |
| rectangles or ovals around 5" x 7" , larger or | | | | The Cake |
| smaller if you wish. This is not an exact science, | | | | This is your big chance to make a "dirt" cake: that |
| and they'll be pretty no matter what. It works | | | | disgusting-looking treat of chocolate sandwich |
| well to accordion pleat the stack of paper on the | | | | cookie crumbs and gummy worms presented in a |
| longer side, but this is tricky for smaller kids and | | | | clean clay pot. There are a few different ways to |
| not really necessary. | | | | do this: |
| Gather the stack in the middle and secure with an | | | | You can either plan on one or two large (clean) |
| end of a pipe cleaner. Then, gently separate the | | | | clay pots you'll be serving from, or you can make |
| petals to make a flower. | | | | tiny individual desserts in little 2-inch pots. Then, |
| Egg Carton Creatures | | | | choose whether you'll be baking a cake (or |
| Begin collecting paper egg cartons a few weeks | | | | cupcakes) directly in the pot(s), or serving a |
| before the party, enlisting the help of friends. | | | | goopier trifle-like dessert of layered chocolate |
| Allow one carton for kid. You will also need pipe | | | | pudding, and chocolate cookie crumbs. And, of |
| cleaners for legs (6-8 per creature), and other | | | | course, gummy worms. |
| decorative stuff such as markers, construction | | | | You can find bunches of recipes for this on the |
| paper, googly eyes, glitter, etc. You'll need lots of | | | | internet, but here's what it boils down to: |
| small bottles of glue to avoid sharing issues. | | | | Whatever size of pot you're using, make sure |
| You can make a caterpillar by cutting out 4-6 | | | | you plug the drainage hole! I used aluminum foil to |
| "cells" of the egg carton. Add pipe cleaner | | | | line the bottoms of my pots, and it worked fine. |
| antennae and decorate however you see fit. | | | | I successfully baked cakes directly in brand new |
| A spider is formed with one "cell," poking through | | | | 8-inch clay pots I'd washed thoroughly before use. |
| 4 pipe cleaner legs on each side. | | | | I just followed the mix directions (I like the |
| An ant can be made with three "cells," plus 6 pipe | | | | organic brands Dr. Oetecker's and Whole Foods), |
| cleaner legs and two antennae. | | | | and poured the batter into the clean, well-greased |
| The real fun starts when kids start inventing their | | | | pots I'd lined with foil to cover the drainage holes. |
| own bugs! | | | | I set the oven 25 degrees cooler, as I didn't want |
| Favors | | | | the outside to overcook before the center was |
| I am not a fan of the goodie bag full of cheap | | | | done. I started testing for doneness by inserting a |
| plastic baubles which end up in a landfill the next | | | | toothpick into the center when the package |
| week. Here are some ideas for useful, meaningful | | | | recommended, but it definitely took a while longer. |
| garden-themed favors for your party: | | | | I topped the cakes with a thin layer of chocolate |
| Seeds: Choose seeds which can be planted now | | | | pudding (you could use frosting, too,) and then I |
| and are likely appeal to kids, so maybe skip the | | | | made gummy worm-sized holes in the top with |
| rutabaga seeds. | | | | the handle of a wooden spoon. I poked in the |
| Kids' gardening tools or gloves: If you're really on | | | | worms so most of them were exposed, and |
| the ball, you purchased these at the end of last | | | | then topped with crushed chocolate-filled sandwich |
| year on major clearance. I have purchased | | | | cookies. I used the organic Late July brand , which |
| adorable red wooden-handled trowels at Target | | | | is delicious, and not loaded with chemicals. To |
| for $1 each, regular price! | | | | crush, I put them in a heavy plastic bag and then |
| Plants: This is what I did at my son's 4th party. I | | | | rolled a rolling pin over them until they looked like |
| purchased a bunch of tiny clay pots at Hobby | | | | dirt. |
| Lobby and preplanted each with a pansy plant, in | | | | To finish, I poked in a bunch of fake flowers, |
| bloom. I provided paint pens (expensive, but really | | | | which are much easier to deal with than real ones. |
| easy to use) for the kids to decorate their own | | | | If you do attempt to use real ones, avoid flowers |
| pots: a craft and a favor all in one! | | | | from the florist, as they are generally loaded with |
| Birdhouses: For my son's 3rd party, my found a | | | | pesticides that you don't want near your cake. |
| bunch of $1 birdhouses at Hobby Lobby, which | | | | You'll probably want to remove them soon after |
| each kid then painted. Another fabulous craft | | | | the birthday song so they don't wilt depressingly. |
| favor combo! | | | | If you don't want to bake a cake in your pot, |
| Games | | | | you can just layer chocolate pudding and crushed |
| If you are doing a number of crafts at your | | | | chocolate sandwich cookies, topping with gummy |
| party, you may not need any further organized | | | | worms and flowers. |
| games. However, here are some garden-themed | | | | Hopefully, you'll have just as much fun at your |
| party game ideas. | | | | child's garden-themed birthday party as your child! |
| Pin the bee on the flower: You can alter many | | | | Good luck! |