I'm at a loss this year and hoping some of you can help me brainstorm. We're also on a major budget this year as we're unemployed. DOH!
DS won't turn 4 until July but I like planning early so I can buy stuff along the way, look for sales and such. Last year we did a messy party and it was a HUGE success. DS has asked if we can do that again. I'm open to that but want to change the components so they are more age-appropriate. I'm also open to other ideas.
Last year we did:
-sprinklers
-slip and slide (this ended up being a bit too old for them)
-kiddie pools
-pool of jello with toys buried in it
-pool of rice
-cornstarch goop
-finger paints
-decorate your own cupcakes
I really am not thrilled about doing the jello and rice again - it was really rather expensive and I think part of the success was the novelty of it.
I've thought of pudding-painting and "feet-paints" - put out pie tins of finger paints and let them walk on pieces of fabric or poster board or such to paint. But getting stuff dry is hard before they leave. I could easily hang a line to pin them up but then I need to try and get them to do it at the beginning and last year worked so well because everything was out at once and they could all go from station to station as they wanted.
I have thought of a shaving cream race course - put shaving cream out and let them run hot wheel cars through it. How long would the shaving cream hold up?
I do have a large kiddie pool (like 10 feet across) I've never used that we could set up - I just need to find an air pump that will work with it.
I also have a train cake pan I want to use this year instead of cupcakes. I would decorate the cake instead of the kids. It would be nice to incorporate the train idea somewhere else in the party but I don't know how. I don't want to take his train table outside - especially at a messy party.
DS won't turn 4 until July but I like planning early so I can buy stuff along the way, look for sales and such. Last year we did a messy party and it was a HUGE success. DS has asked if we can do that again. I'm open to that but want to change the components so they are more age-appropriate. I'm also open to other ideas.
Last year we did:
-sprinklers
-slip and slide (this ended up being a bit too old for them)
-kiddie pools
-pool of jello with toys buried in it
-pool of rice
-cornstarch goop
-finger paints
-decorate your own cupcakes
I really am not thrilled about doing the jello and rice again - it was really rather expensive and I think part of the success was the novelty of it.
I've thought of pudding-painting and "feet-paints" - put out pie tins of finger paints and let them walk on pieces of fabric or poster board or such to paint. But getting stuff dry is hard before they leave. I could easily hang a line to pin them up but then I need to try and get them to do it at the beginning and last year worked so well because everything was out at once and they could all go from station to station as they wanted.
I have thought of a shaving cream race course - put shaving cream out and let them run hot wheel cars through it. How long would the shaving cream hold up?
I do have a large kiddie pool (like 10 feet across) I've never used that we could set up - I just need to find an air pump that will work with it.
I also have a train cake pan I want to use this year instead of cupcakes. I would decorate the cake instead of the kids. It would be nice to incorporate the train idea somewhere else in the party but I don't know how. I don't want to take his train table outside - especially at a messy party.
