Making a fairy-tale princess party boy-friendly?

[catnip]

My daughter wants a fairy-tale princess themed party for her 4th birthday. The invite list is 5 girls and 3 boys, ranging from 3 to 9 years old. There will be a castle cake, and a make-a pretzel magic wand activity. We were talking about a Pin the Kiss on the Frog game, too.

We're toying with the idea of a pinata, but I don't know what to stuff it with that isn't junk food or cheap, crappy disposable toys, so ideas there would be good. Budget is an issue.

I'm wanting to avoid blatantly gender specific stuff, but I also want to respect K's wish for a princess party. Any additional ideas?

[alegna]

It could be prince and princess A game fighting dragons? Or storming the castle?

For decent pinata stuff... we did one for dd's last birthday. I dyed a bunch of little silks and tied them with ribbons. Also little note pads and tiny pens were a hit. Stickers are disposable, but not too bad IMO. We also found small inflatable beach balls that were a big hit.

good luck!

-Angela

[Mama2Bug]

Knights and dragons and noble steeds.

Have lots of "royal" costumes and accessories available. That way, the kids can dress up as whatever they like.

Stick horses might make good party favors. You could make them out of spray-painted dowel rods (with rubber balls glued on the ends for safety) and let the kids decorate their own cardboard horse (or unicorn) heads. They could attach yarn hair. Hot glue the heads on so they'll dry quickly.

Another party favor idea is crowns. Cardboard crowns are pretty gender neutral and the kids can decorate them as an activity.

a few Pinata ideas:

rubber bouncy balls
silly putty
tiny play dough tubs
crayons (break up a big box into bunches of 3 or so)
tiny notebooks (make your own by cutting up white printer paper and then colored construction paper for covers. Use a hole punch and tie together with ribbon.) You could even make these crown-shaped or something.

[um_hanna]

great thread

I am needing to get ideas also keep them coming!:

[flapjack]

My boys had a medieval party once; we decorated the room with a huge cut-out castle, had ramparts over the bannisters at the top of the stairs, the works. We had jousting with hobbyhorses and foam swords, they designed their own coats of arms and put them on their shields (which became the take-home gift). We had a challenge to see who could be the best court fool and tell the worst joke, and everyone who tried got a prize, and themed the food like a banquet. I think they were 7 and 5 at the time?

[meemee]

i went for a princess and pirate party and let me tell you it was a BIG hit. lots of pirate stuff around.

[catnip]

Thanks for the replys. I'm looking at some Dover mini-coloring books as possible favors, they are cheap, and really cool, that and some decent crayons for favors. I'm thinking I might put goody bags into the pinata to ensure an even distribution of treats. Anybody done that?

Sadly, while I'm very into pirates, we have pirate-haters on the guest list. Now, Princesses and Ninjas... that would go over better. (sighs) Really, the 9 year-old boy is the toughest sell. The 4 year-olds are easier, they are not so "No, I'm too old/that's too girly." But because they are family-friends, gotta invite both boys, and I really want to be sure to invite them, especially because I don't want to invite just 1 boy, YK? Still taking notes.

[DaughterOfKali]

I will be doing "Royal Castle" party. Princes, Princesses, Dragons, Knights, Kings, Queens.
They can make crowns. They take the crowns home as part of their favors. I'll probably use craft foam and jewels from A.C. Moore.

I got a Fairy Tale cookie cutter set from William Sonoma. It has a prince in it, too. I'll make the cookies ahead of time and have the kids decorate them.

The movie Jane and the Dragon is really cute ds has come up with some party ideas of his own just from watching that dvd. (the episodes are on tv in some areas).

[Momily]

As the mom of a 9 year old boy, I wouldn't really expect there to be things geared to him at a 4 year old's birthday party. Whether it's due to gender, or simply age (e.g. my son had his own 4 year old birthday party at a gymnastics place with equipment sized for preschoolers, I've been to 4 year old parties with "Thomas the Tank Engine" themes), he would get that it's not his party and that the party should be about what the birthday child likes.

He might just jump in and have a fun time playing, or he might sit out and watch and socialize with the adults. Or he might bring a book and just sit and read that, or he might help out with the littles and all of those things would be fine. However, I wouldn't expect him to be "catered to", and I would expect him to be gracious and well behaved -- and he'd do it too.

I think crowns and stick horses are great ideas. And he's probably enjoy those, but if there was nothing for him to do it wouldn't be the end of the world.

At 4 he would have loved a princess party.

[birdie22]

My ds went to a princess party for a 5 yo. The invitation said "dress up" and all the boys coincidentally came dressed as super heroes.

They had a ball, and really got into the spirit of pretending to be their characters.