Ideas for "Very Hungry Caterpillar" birthday party

[limabean]

DD will be turning 3 in April and I'm planning a Very Hungry Caterpillar-themed party for her. (Yes, I'm planning it ridiculously early. ) Target happened to have really cute paper goods with drawings from that book on them, so I picked those up. But I'm looking for more ideas -- can any of you creative mamas help with ideas for decorations, food, or favors? 

I'm thinking it'd be cute to do a curvy line of cupcakes in different colors for a caterpillar-shaped cake. And bug antennae would be a cute thing to pass out to all the kids as they arrive. For the food, I'd like to go with ideas based on the stuff the caterpillar eats in the story: 

Apple

Pears

Plums

Strawberries

Oranges

Chocolate cake

Ice cream cone

Pickle

Swiss cheese

Salami

Lollipop

Cherry pie

Sausage

Cupcake

Watermelon

So I guess fruit salad and antipasto-type stuff? Any other ideas? 

[NevadaMama]

That sounds adorable!! I love this idea

I just wanted to pop in and say that I was at Kohl's over the weekend and they had a ton of Very Hungry Caterpillar books & plush toys for $5 each - all of the proceeds from the sale of them go to charity. I bought a plush for DD and it is so cute, she loves to hug him and chew on his antennae Not sure what your budget is or how many kids you'll have there but maybe these would be good favors!

http://www.kohls.com/kohlsStore/toys2009/kohlscaresforkids/PRD~c22283/Kohls+Cares+Eric+Carle+The+Hungry+Caterpillar+Collection.jsp

EDIT: Ooo I have another idea lol! For decorations, how about making some paper chains out of construction paper with a caterpillar head & tail at each end? Those would look so cute hanging over the table

[lindsayinnc]

I love the ideas you have so far!  

You could make a cute cardboard cutout of the caterpillar head and create a beanbag toss into his mouth with different color beanbags as the different foods he eats.  

There are some really great ideas on this site: http://creativepartyplace.com/banner/hungary-caterpillar-birthday-party/

One of the ideas on there were skewers of green grapes with a red strawberry head, to make caterpillar snacks.  

Also saw lots of suggestions for gummy worms as favors.  

Sounds like it will be a super party!

[tzs]

you can make  "hungry caterpillars" really easily out of empty pringles cans and colored construction paper (wrap whole thing in green, cut stripes out of red and wrap, then cut pieces for the face.) 

i've made them as a game for my younger toddler class (with laminated food pictures to put through his "mouth" which is a slit cut in the lid) but they could make cute favor containers.

[butterfly_mommy]

Here are some cute ideas. I wanted to do a hungry caterpillar birthday for DS tis year but he wants a Thomas the Train party.

http://frostmeblog.blogspot.com/2010/06/very-hungry-caterpillar-party-theme.html

[JBaxter]

I made a Caterpillar cake once.      Cupcakes snaked on a long board.   Decorated with various candies with licorice laces for the legs... Mine looked more like a centipede but anyway it was a big hit.  I used natural food dyes to make my icing.

[limabean]

You guys rock -- great ideas, thank you!

[Coconut Chronicles]

Originally Posted by limabean 

DD will be turning 3 in April and I'm planning a Very Hungry Caterpillar-themed party for her. (Yes, I'm planning it ridiculously early. )

:lol A woman after my own heart. I've already started planning DS' 2nd birthday and it's not until August

The food item that seemed most well received at our VHC party was the hotdog catapillars (the "recipe" is here). The kids also really liked the plum jellies. We kept the decorations really simple (and cheap!): tissue paper pom poms (and there are a million tutorials online for these) and pinwheels (which the kids got to take home with their favors). Hope you post pics! It's going to be an adorable party!

[Teensy]

You could grow butterflies with your daughter and do the release at the party (if you can get the timing to work, if not, still very fun to do).

You could also have the guests paint their own butterfly wings to wear.

I saw those party supplies yesterday at Target - they are very cute! 

[Courtney-Ostaff]

http://www.ohdeedoh.com/ohdeedoh/my-party-aanyaatlanta-ga-136796

[limabean]

Originally Posted by Coconut Chronicles 

Originally Posted by limabean 

DD will be turning 3 in April and I'm planning a Very Hungry Caterpillar-themed party for her. (Yes, I'm planning it ridiculously early. )

:lol A woman after my own heart. I've already started planning DS' 2nd birthday and it's not until August

The food item that seemed most well received at our VHC party was the hotdog catapillars (the "recipe" is here). The kids also really liked the plum jellies. We kept the decorations really simple (and cheap!): tissue paper pom poms (and there are a million tutorials online for these) and pinwheels (which the kids got to take home with their favors). Hope you post pics! It's going to be an adorable party!

I've had your site bookmarked for months, but I didn't want to link it here without giving credit to the right MDC mama and I couldn't remember whose site it was. So thanks for posting -- I love all your adorable ideas!! 

[BeantownBaby9]

This is from my son's first birthday

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_x-Bl_BMDAJ0/SlxeTcBN_QI/AAAAAAAAGOk/ZnaCvTY4fbw/s144/DSC_0664.JPG

It's a sheet cake with the mini cupcakes making the caterpillar

We had primary color balloon bunches and VHC stickers on the goodie bags. If not for food allergies, I would have made those dirt and worm cups

[rebecca_n]

that cake is so cute!!!

[Coconut Chronicles]

Originally Posted by limabean 

I've had your site bookmarked for months, but I didn't want to link it here without giving credit to the right MDC mama and I couldn't remember whose site it was. So thanks for posting -- I love all your adorable ideas!! 

Aww thanks Mama . PM'd ya!

[SAHMchic]

You are not too early!!  I just picked this theme for a Nov. bday!!  I have found lots of ideas, most of which came from sites others already posted.  So far my ideas are to have a tierd cake for the adults like this one, http://www.cakecentral.com/gallery/1638279  and then the cupcakes for the kids with a smash cake as the head.  It is a second bday but I like the smash cakes and so she will have another. (Plus, she has a special plate to eat cake off of that everyone signed at her first bday)  I found some great activity ideas here http://www.birthdaypartyideas.com/html/hungry_caterpillar_parties_4.html .  I plan to also do the food from the book.  A few ideas are for the chesse and salami are these cute sandwiches http://minimocha.blogspot.com/2010/04/very-hungry-caterpillar-party.html  and for the sausage I am going to make the Rotel Sausage dip with chips.  I also saw where you can use Trix cereal and Skittles for decor or food becasue of the colors.  These are just a few of my ideas!!! LOL!!! I can't wait to see what others post as well.  What items did you find at Target?  I am going this week and hope that mine still has some!!  Fingers crossed.  And I am going to Kohls as well to get the books and plush.  Oh, and my last idea to share will be to have a copy of the book for guest to sign as they come in.  This is a tradtion I started with our baby shower and had them bring books instead of card signed and then the plate at her fist bday.  I hope you have a great party!!!

[limabean]

Originally Posted by SAHMchic 
What items did you find at Target?  I am going this week and hope that mine still has some!!  Fingers crossed.

Thanks for all your great ideas! 

I found all the paper goods at Target -- they have VHC plates, napkins, invitations/thank you notes, cups, and treat sacks in the party supply aisle. They're not showing up when I search Target's website, but they still had them in the store as of a few days ago. 

Enjoy your party too!! 

[fyrwmn]

now i'm going to have to maek a run to target, lol. this would be the perfect theme for dd's 6th and ds2's 1st bday in november! it's dd's favorite book and would also be good for a one year old.

[SAHMchic]

Originally Posted by limabean 

Originally Posted by SAHMchic 
What items did you find at Target?  I am going this week and hope that mine still has some!!  Fingers crossed.

Thanks for all your great ideas! 

I found all the paper goods at Target -- they have VHC plates, napkins, invitations/thank you notes, cups, and treat sacks in the party supply aisle. They're not showing up when I search Target's website, but they still had them in the store as of a few days ago. 

Enjoy your party too!! 

Thank you so much!! I went today and was able to get everything. Now I have 10 months to wait for it.  Lol!!!

[nukuspot]

I just went to Target and picked the paper goods up too. I'm going to do this for DD's 2nd B-day in April.  I need help with the food situation!  We eat whole and organic foods and are pretty strict about stuff like food coloring, candy, etc (not eating these things) so I am a bit concerned about what I am going to make for the cupcake frosting to get it into all the colors.  I love the grapes/strawberry caterpillar fruit ideas!  Hmmmm...What else to have food wise that I can do whole food/organically that fits the theme....?  (And wouldn't be crazy $$$$ for the amount I would have to buy.)

Thanks SO much OP for the idea and directing me to Target!
 

[oopsadaisy]

 so inspirational love your ideas.