Fancy dress birthday party for 4 year old girl

[WigWamBam]

My dd will be 4 in May, and has decided that she wants a fancy dress party. We'll probably have it at home (hopefully in the garden) but I don't really know what else I should lay on for a bunch of 4 year olds! Games, music, that sort of thing. Or are these things better off held in a church hall or something somewhere?

I'm also wondering whether a themed fancy dress party would be a good idea ... and if so, what sort of themes would be good for a bunch of 4 year olds? She's quite a girlie girl but doesn't really have any favourite characters, just likes to dress up. There will be boys coming too, so I can't have a Barbie theme or anything like that.

Any thoughts?

[nnosam]

princes and princesse?

[RTKangaMummy]

IMHO I would just have fancy dress so that everyone can wear what they want rather than be confined to a theme IYSWIM

How many are you thinking of?

[LIZS]

Prince and princesses, fairy tales, animals etc. dd wants a Dora party for her 4th !

[RTKangaMummy]

we have never got on well with pass the parcel esp if parents are watching very stressful IMHO

Did great party here for DS 4th

[helsi]

In my opinion I wouldn't go for a theme as it could be expensive for some parents to find something to fit in with the theme. Most kids of that age can pick up some reasonably priced dress up outfits.
It depends on the size of your house but I would lay on a typical old style party with things like musical chairs, musical statues, sleeping logs, hunt the thimble, pass th parcel etc etc.
If the waether is nice most of these can be done outdoors too. If it is nice you could always have a bar-be-que rather than party food or if not then traditional party food is good.

[MunchedTooManyMarsLady]

Peter Pan, then all the girls can come as Tinkerbell, Wendy or Tiger Lily and the boys can come as Peter, Pirates or Lost boys. You may even get a Nana or two.

[WigWamBam]

I don't think there will be a lot of children there, probably 10 or less. We haven't got huge amounts of room inside but we've always been lucky with the weather so hopefully we'll be able to do stuff outside, I just don't know what! I was thinking of a simple theme rather than something complicated, I just have no inspiration whatsoever at the moment!

[RTKangaMummy]

golf ball and spoon race

pin tail on donkey

treasure hunt with mr men piccys hidden round house and garden

[WigWamBam]

Oh, I like the idea of Peter Pan ... perhaps I should insist that the parents dress up and stay too

[helsi]

I like the treasure hunt idea. Could keep them occupied for a while especially if there a few things to find.

[WigWamBam]

It would fit in with a Peter Pan/pirates party too.

[RTKangaMummy]

we scanned the pic off the front of the books and they all had to find 1 of each charcter

[MunchedTooManyMarsLady]

You can do Pin the Patch on the Pirate (tail on donkey).

[WigWamBam]

I think I can feel a theme coming on .

[RTKangaMummy]

And you could wear your wench costume

[MunchedTooManyMarsLady]

Instead of Duck Duck Goose you do Peter Peter Hook (if you think that they are old enough).

[WigWamBam]

Um - what's Duck Duck Goose?

[feeling thick emoticon]

[RTKangaMummy]

you touch heads in circle and when say hook they get up and chase you

[RTKangaMummy]

so kids in circle and walk round outside touch each head and when you say hook that kid gets up and chasing toucher

[WigWamBam]

That's a new one on me (can't you tell I've never done a party for a 4 year old before!)

[MunchedTooManyMarsLady]

don't worry about it then darling. Maybe next year when they are a bit bigger.

[RTKangaMummy]

The child decides how many times they say duck duck duck duck duck before sayong goose then run round circle

[RTKangaMummy]

A brill finale is big big bubble wrap and they jump on it to make the bubbles pop

deffo brill fun

all at same time

you can get from party pieces but can get cheaper at diy or garden shops

[WigWamBam]

I can imagine the confusion with a bunch of hyper 4 year olds ... eeeeeeek!

[WigWamBam]

Bubble wrap - what a fantastic idea!