Need help with Bday Party Planning

jf198400

DD is turning 4 this summer. Last year we rented a park pavilion and I hired a kids entertainer, there's also a nice playground. Dd still talks about her party and wants to have it there again. I'm trying to keep it to a smaller budget this year so I'm looking for cheap activities. Here's what I thought of so far: piñata, water balloons, temp tattoos, bubbles. The kids will be 3-4 yrs old, so I'm thinking that may be too young to do organized games/races? Do you think that's enough to do? Would you have the structured activities and food first or start out on the playground? Party time will probably be like 11-1 with lunch and cake.

djm31012

Id probably do the structured part first and then let them run around and play .

jf198400

August is usually in the 80's here, we had gorgeous weather for it last year. Hopefully we won't have a heat wave like the summer dd was born.

jlaOK

I'd skip the pinata because of the mess, but that's just me.  I like those ideas.  Do you know anyone who could do face painting?  What about getting some chalk and letting them draw chalk on the concrete?  I wouldn't worry about having too much structured activities.  My 4-yr-old DS does best with stuff to do w/o structure.

emberlee3

Keep the structure to a minimum.  When DS goes to parties in the park, the kids mostly just run around and play.  Then eat food/cake.  Then pinata.  Then run around and play more. 

EastCoastBride

emberlee3 said:

Keep the structure to a minimum.  When DS goes to parties in the park, the kids mostly just run around and play.  Then eat food/cake.  Then pinata.  Then run around and play more. 

My thoughts too. 

MommaP12

I think it sounds great and with the lunch and free play, the 2 hours will fly by so just do a couple of the "structured activities" right away for for about 30 minutes, then lunch, then free play.  Sounds great!

litzo27

The only "danger" with doing structured first is that some people will be 5/10/15 minutes late. With DS1's 4th birthday party in our backyard (with about 12 kids) we did 15-20 minutes of free play and then I had a bunch of activities for them. It was race-car themed so I had them race with a big inflatable wheel, "fuel" up empty bottles at a water table, etc. It only took 15 minutes or so. And then they played till pizza. I've been to parties where they do Simon says, freeze dance, parachute, hunters and rabbits, etc. Bubbles sound great too!