3 year old birthday party: give me ideas

[sonrisa]

Let's say you have decided to throw a birthday party in two weeks for your three year old daughter. The places that host are all booked, so you've talked your mom into letting you throw it there. The invited guest list would be 15-20 little girls plus parents (given the late notice, it might winnow down to 10-15 attendees). 

You are lazy and cheap. The party would be indoors so no bounce house (which is the only thing I'd consider springing for). I'd like to skip a face painter or other entertainer because I'm cheap. I'm thinking (1) simple theme (2) some easy crafty project (3) finger sandwiches and mini cupcakes consumed on picnic blankets on the floor (adults could eat at chairs and tables). 

Any ideas? 

[shell403b]

Nov 5, 2013 12:51:07 GMT -5 @licia said:

Picnic theme!

You could play simple games usually played outdoors that transfer inside well, like red light, green light, or hide-and-seek, but make it sardines (one person hides, all the kids look for that kid, and when you find said kid, you silently squish into the hiding spot with him/her, until everyone is squished in) since it's inside.

Simple crafts: apple prints - cut an apple in half, dip it in paint, smoosh it on construction paper and see what happens. Bracelets - pipe cleaners and beads.

Food: sandwiches, ants on a log, chips, juice, fun picnic stuff.

I've never heard of that before. Super cute and I'm totally doing that some day with Little E.

[cleo29]

what about a pretend slumber party? wear jammies, maybe watch a short movie with popcorn (or one episode of a show) and maybe an ice cream sundae bar.

[cleo29]

Nov 5, 2013 12:55:49 GMT -5 shell403b said:

Nov 5, 2013 12:51:07 GMT -5 @licia said:

Picnic theme!

You could play simple games usually played outdoors that transfer inside well, like red light, green light, or hide-and-seek, but make it sardines (one person hides, all the kids look for that kid, and when you find said kid, you silently squish into the hiding spot with him/her, until everyone is squished in) since it's inside.

Simple crafts: apple prints - cut an apple in half, dip it in paint, smoosh it on construction paper and see what happens. Bracelets - pipe cleaners and beads.

Food: sandwiches, ants on a log, chips, juice, fun picnic stuff.

I've never heard of that before. Super cute and I'm totally doing that some day with Little E.

I used to love playing sardines. Guaranteed laughter.

[icechalk]

The picnic theme is a cute idea!



Themes :

Hungry caterpillar - tons of internet ideas on this one

Cookies and milk - decorate your own cookie as the craft

Dolls - use washable markers and foam stickers to decorate paper dolls

Animals- pick one or many - could do super cute stuff w her favorite like a kitty

Polka dots - make all the food round, get some bingo stampers and fill w washable watercolor paint and let the kids stamp round paper plates as the craft, simple white
Cake w round fodant circles

Mermaids- would be easy to find coloring sheets or cut outs in mermaid shapes


Keep it very simple with cute finger food and an easy, non-messy craft. 90 min would be ideal.

[glassofsyrah]

For Amelia's third birthday we did "Amelia's Sweet Shoppe" and the kids got to decorate cupcakes. They had a lot of fun.

[sonrisa]

Nov 5, 2013 12:36:30 GMT -5 @cse1960 said:

Simple theme. No craft project. Face tattoos. Cute sandwiches and teeny cupcakes at the 'picnic' style lunch on the floor sounds great. If you want, get a bunch of little cheap baskets for each of the kids with their lunches already in them to carry to the blankets, or use the baskets for treat holders. Sing happpy bday, open presents, everyone goes home.

I love the basket of lunch and goodies idea! Both cute and practical. 

Her friends really *love* craft projects so a simple one (stick stickers on paper type thing) would keep a bunch of them quiet for a while. It wouldn't be mandatory, just stuck in the corner to distract the early arrivers. 

[sonrisa]

Nov 5, 2013 13:39:35 GMT -5 @tambcat said:

Spread out a bunch of toys and turn the kids loose?

This is also high on the list. Blocks in one corner. Train set in another. Craft in another. Blankets in the middle for snacking and chatting. 

[nahoku]

I'm lazy and cheap, too, which means there would be none of this inviting 15-20 girls thing you've got going on, lol. DS didn't invite friends to his bday party until his 5th.

I like the ideas that have been suggested though! What about a pizza party? My 3 year old likes to help put the sauce, toppings and cheese on.  ETA: Oops, reading fail, you already had an idea for the food

[sonrisa]

thanks for all the great ideas!

[sonrisa]

Nov 5, 2013 14:10:06 GMT -5 @licia said:

Nov 5, 2013 13:43:55 GMT -5 sonrisa said:

This is also high on the list. Blocks in one corner. Train set in another. Craft in another. Blankets in the middle for snacking and chatting. 

This is a great idea. My mom did this for one of my birthday parties. Game day: Go Fish at the table, dominoes on the floor, Old Maid at the coffee table, etc.

Yay!  My only issue is there isn't an active option on that list but I could play "ballerina music" (which for dd is anything classical or disney), put out tutus and other dress up stuff to let them dance in a corner. 

Plan made. Now I have to bite the bullet and pick one of these great themes for the food and decorations.

[bittybomb]

I would seriously skip the craft.  Is there a playroom?  Because for all kids parties we've hosted/been to for that age, the kids have all just descended on the playroom and had a blast.  And the parents just hang out.  But I am lazy and the opposite of creative.

[sonrisa]

Nov 5, 2013 14:35:30 GMT -5 bittybomb said:

I would seriously skip the craft.  

I'm curious about the craft opposition. Crafts are my go to lazy parenting solution for when I'm too lazy to read to her or play with her but she isn't feeling like solo play. It keeps her occupied without too much of my time or attention.  

[bittybomb]

Nov 5, 2013 14:45:03 GMT -5 sonrisa said:

Nov 5, 2013 14:35:30 GMT -5 bittybomb said:

I would seriously skip the craft.  

I'm curious about the craft opposition. Crafts are my go to lazy parenting solution for when I'm too lazy to read to her or play with her but she isn't feeling like solo play. It keeps her occupied without too much of my time or attention.  

I would rather read all day long than do a craft.  Crafting is hard work for me!  I am ridiculously uncrafty, and I also tend to have perfectionist qualities so the two aspects of my personality do not mix well at all.  Throw a 3 year old into the mix, and it would be awful. 

I was just on a committee for my son's school where all committee members had to donate a gift basket for a raffle (in addition to other duties).  I signed up for this specific committee because I was certain it would not involve anything creative.  Thank God for my secretary who gave me the idea for my basket, told me what supplies I needed to buy to wrap it, and put it together for me. 

[sonrisa]

Nov 5, 2013 15:08:18 GMT -5 @tambcat said:

If the craft is just pages to color or sticker books or something they can do without my direction, that is one thing. I wouldn't want to have to explain how to make something and/or help the kids out.

Oh yeah. "Craft" is a fancy way of saying "Here kids, play with some stickers." At home, I pull out washable crayons, the easel, glue, scissors, whatever. At a party, I don't want to worry about kids drawing on my mom's furniture or cutting each other's hair.

[megalicious]

Wow, do your friends throw elaborate parties or something? Of all the toddler parties I've been to none have had any of those things. It's normally a few fun toys to share, lots of balloons, pizza, cake, and snack foods. We just hang out, the adults chat, 3 year-olds can entertain themselves with just about anything!!! How about a teddy bear picnic theme?