5yo b-day party: activity ideas

[Pepe]

Hi! I'm seeking activity ideas for DS' upcoming b-day. Musical Chairs was a disaster at the last b-day party I've never liked that game, anyway...so I am looking for mainly non-competitive activities such as a treasure hunt for the books coming via the book exchange.

The party will be mainly outside in very warm weather. There will be five guests--six kiddos including DS--ages 7, almost 6, 5, 5, 4, and 4, and assorted accompanying adults.

Thanks in advance for your great ideas!

[LaughingHyena]

For a treasure hunt I printed out some pictures and cut them in half. I hid half of each picture and kept the other. We gave each of the children a couple of pieces of picture and the had to find the matching part. Maybe you could print out the front covers of a few kids story books, you could cut then into 4/5 pieces and each child would have to find the remaining pieces of their jigsaw.

Instead of musical chairs we play sharks, you will need a few rugs/sheets of newspaper/hula hoops. While the music plays everyone has to "swim" round the room. When the music stops you shout sharks and everyone has to try to get on an island (ie on the rug/inside the hoop) after a couple of gos you can start taking away the islands, the aim is to still get everyone on the remaining islands.

Touch blue is another easy game. You shout out instructions such as touch blue, touch green, touch a leaf. the children have to run and find something which matches your description. After a few turns you can add the extra rule that if you do not shout touch before your instruction the children should not move.

[odenata]

At my DD's 5 year old party, we did a pull string pinata (at her request). The only other planned activity was the cake. We had our sandbox open and the kids played in the yard and had fun. I had been tempted to plan more activities, but I think it worked out great just letting them play and run around.