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Anything you've seen go over really well at b-day party?

ougrad1ougrad1 member
in Pre-School and Daycare

We're having Emerson's 4th birthday party at the children's museum.  We have the party room for an hour prior to unleashing them in the museum.

I am at a loss of what to do for that hour.  30 minutes will be for snacks/cupcakes/if we decide to open gifts there.  I'm at a loss of what to do for that first 30 minutes.  It's up to me...cupcake decorating, a craft, a game....all parents will be there and most kids will have been 4 for awhile-there will be both girls and boys.

IDEAS?  Anything that you've seen go over really well at a birthday party?  I'm at a complete loss.  The only thing I can come up with is "Emerson is turning four so, come and explore..." for the invite.   

You guys have gotten me out of a rut on more than one occasion...thanks so much! 

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Re: Anything you've seen go over really well at b-day party?

  • PeskyPesky member

    Can you do a treasure hunt around the room?  Bring things to disguise stuff in (flower pots, watering cans, etc.) and give them explorer duties, each taking a turn to "lead" the crew in discovering things they might see at the museum.  You can read aloud the clues/hints and let them go at it. 

    Pinatas are also a good time filler if you can do that without whacking a hole in a wall. 

    They can decorate their own explorer hats with stickers, puff balls and such.


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  • Jen&LenJen&Len
    Do you have any musicians who do kids parties near you?  My sister had 2 of them for her daughter's birthday party.  They brought these huge floor drums that the kids could pound on and handed out smaller hand instruments for the kids to play while they sang songs.  All the kids loved it.  They played for about 45 minutes, but I would say by then, they were losing the kids. 30 minutes would have been perfect.
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  • jlw2505jlw2505 member
    I would have a craft table to 2.  I would not do cupcake decorating as that could be really messy and you are not at home.  An hour is a really long time.  Can you ask for less time?  I would plan on having a craft or (coloring pages, some stickers that they can put on something, etc) set up and ready for when the kids are arriving.  I would then sing Happy Birthday and eat the cupcakes and then do the gift opening.  The kids might also be fine just hanging out for a bit.  If you have a good song or dance leader - get the kids doing that or playing some simple games liek Duck, Duck, Goose.
    Jenni Mom to DD#1 - 6-16-06 DD#2 - 3-13-08 
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  • ironmommyironmommy

    I don't feel like it's all that much time. The kids will be excited and want to run around, and some might arrive a few minutes late. I would do a simple activity -- probably a craft, a pinata is a good idea or I've seen kids really enjoy pin the tale on the donkey -- for 30 minutes and then do cake.

    You could also consider a face painter as an option for entertainment.

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  • katmacwvkatmacwv member
    I've seen kids of all ages get into crafts at birthday parties. 1 party had a flip flop theme and the kids decorated flip flops with glitter puffy paint and stick on gems (only girls).  At another party, there was a fairy theme, so the kids used glitter glue, sequins, glue sticks and foam stickers to decorate their fairy houses.  If you're doing an explorer theme, maybe they could decorate little bug houses with bug foam stickers.
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