Shirley's party advice part 3 - in which Shirley may make a guest appearance

[stealthsquiggle]

We appear to have filled another thread

I'm taking a Mumsnet break.

Stealth, I'll still be on Twitter. DW, you have my mobile number. Everyone else - Happy Party Planning :)

You probably won't see this Blathers, but I hope nothing bad has happened to make you take a break. It made me that you were thinking of me when you were playing pop up pirates.

I am glad the pirates went well - are you hooked now?

If anyone needs a girly (but not pink) theme then we went to the most brilliantly done pony - themed party today, which absolutely merits copying

• investment of time, rather than money, required.

Completely hooked!

Hi I was asking about teddy bears picnic party ideas earlier in the thread but haven't been back for a while.

I'm hoping to get the DC to make bear ears when they arrive but everything I have seen on google is made of fabric and takes ages to make. Does anybody have suggestions for what they can do that isn't too expensive and can be done by under 4s with help from parents in less than 15 minutes.

Thanks.

Thing3. Ears are a bit tricky for a party craft activity. I made some for my dd's party before the day. If you're doing tesdy bears pucnic, blathers made gingerbread bears and everyone decorated those. That would probably suit under fours better?

Thank you. I am not very crafty so making as many as I need would be very time consuming but I have seen some on eBay for 97p each. I though of printing off some pictures that they can colour if they want. There is 15 minutes at the beginning before the entertainment starts and I'm guessing about 40 minutes after the food is eaten.

I'm panicing already!

Ok, how many have you got coming and tell me what you have planned already. Lets see if we can minimise the panic.

Right there are 31 invited including my DD2 and DD3 who are having a joint party. DD2 will be 4 and DD3 will be 2, the guests will range from 1 to 6 but most will be 3 or 4. The party will be middle of August so I'm expecting some to decline.

10.45 party starts as children arrive I will give them ears and paint on bear nose with brown face paint.

11.00 entertainment starts. Lady coming who plays music and gets DC dancing with different props.

12.00 picnic type food on the floor

12.20 not sure! Was thinking printing off pictures to be coloured in and maybe a game or 2.

Any ideas would be great!

Right paint their nose on and THEN get them to colour pictures as they will keep them all contained, allow for any late comers and ensure everyones ready for the lady. Do party games after the food then any prizes can go into party bag as they leave.

Pass the parcel, musical statues or musical bumps are all good.

Thank you. Once I have all replies back I can buy the ears and get any supplies.

What do you think I can do for prizes? Do all kids need one? If I do pass the parcel should I do one for younger kids and another for older kids?

Sorry for all the questions. Thanks again.

In pass the parcel you could do a number of things, one parcel for all with maybe a crayola set inside (spans the ages) with sweets in each layer. Do two parcels with seperate prizes, a teddy? One of those bear face woolly hats, winnie the pooh book or dvd etc? But be warned two parcels is a bloody nightmare to monitor trying to ensure everyone has won.

Or lastly get a bag or jar (make a honey pot as bears like honey?) and then everyone just takes from the pot rather than unwrapping layers.

Blathers did a teddy bears picnic and she got a pack of teddy themed books for her dd. maybe find similar and do a lucky dip instead of party bags as should work out cheap per book.

Thank you for the suggestions. I'm hoping to have help so maybe I could do the older pass the parcel while the little ones do pin the heart on the bear then swap?

I am doing bubble wand with little bags of haribo instead of party bags as Morrisons are doing the wands for 50p each, I have 27 waiting upstairs :)

I think I have more of an idea what I'm going to do now thank you!

marking my place before I lose it again. I need to get going on dragon party stuff soon.

I've popped in for a flying visit to ask some advice about DS's writing so I thought I'd say hi.

Get your teddy bears picnic questions in quick before I strop off again

Thing3 are the Haribo bags Gummy Bears ?

Quick thing3 honestly blathers is so good on teddy bears theme pick her brain.

Hi everyone (it's the Scottish one with the pirate party here - had a name change).

One of the most popular games by far at DS's party was sleeping pirates - could adapt to sleeping bears? Or for the little ones, how about sleeping teddies rather than sleeping bunnies?

We had pass the treasure chest at the party - a bit like the DoctorsWife's suggestion. Everyone took something when the music stop (just cheap party bag fillers that I had bought from amazon and wrapped). It avoided any need for winners and prizes as such.

Blathers - while you're here (if you still are) did you ever use your gingerbread skeleton cutter and if so, how did they turn out?

Stealth put out the gingerbread klaxon and poof I appear

I've not tried the gingerbread skeletons yet but am hoping to over the holidays. Really hoping the bone indents are deep enough to flood with royal icing for nice, white bones. I shall report back....

That's what I want to know - if he isn't good and white then I don't want him much. I still need to try out my letter press ones on the same basis, though - I have only had them a few months

I met with the vicar today so all sorted with dd's christening type affair. I practiced my flowers n sent blathers the proof two weeks ago. She said they are nice so i'll order them. Dd1 has her dress n shoes. Dd2 has hers. Ive got a cream dress in two sizes as i'd planned to slim into the smaller. Well now i cant see dd2 being off the boob and the dress zips up the back! So now i'm on the hunt for a new one.

Does anybody know of any bear themed music? The woman doing the main entertainment brings her own but I need some for games after.

Yes stealth I was hoping to find little bags of bears

food wise I am going to do sandwiches, pom bears (obv!), chocolate fingers, chocolate mini rolls, cheese and pineapple, sausage rolls and little cartons of juice.

Cakes will be teddy bear themed. DD3 is having a car with a teddy driving but not sure about DD2 yet!

4 weeks to go!

Thank you all for your advice it feels like it might not be a complete disaster now!

Thing3 iTunes is your friend.

Teddy Bears Picnic
Bear Necessities
Anything from a 'Pooh' movie if you can stand it
..there must be more if you search. DH has done secret agent, dragon, science (that was fun - lots of Tom Lehrer) and jungle playlists for past parties which are still cluttering up my ipod

Teddy bear music was surprisingly hard. We had "Teddy Bears Picnic" and "The Bear Necessities" as mentioned above plus "Teddy Bear" by Elvis and "The many songs of Winnie the Pooh" just played on loop.

No one seemed to notice thankfully :)

Thank you, all comments have been a huge help.