PARTY IDEAS NEEDED FOR 3YO DD...GAMES/ ACTIVITES

[noonar]

Hi, dd2 will be 3 in a couple of weeks. its been a while since i've organised a birthday party at home, so would be glad of a few ideas/ feedback on my ideas.

the plan so far is that 13 chn aged 2-5 will be there. some family friends will v likely be a little later than others arriving, as they have a longish journey after school. anyway, thought i'd have a couple of craft activities going on to occupy them till everyone arrives.

thought we'd paint terracotta pots and make sunflowers out of green garden sticks,cardboard discs, tissue, bits of felt etc etc.

am i mad doing these activites, with six 2yr olds? or do you think i might get away with it as the others are older?

also, i'd like some traditional-ish games, such as pin the tail on the donkey, musical bumps etc. i might get my friend to do parachute games.

do you have any other ideas for games that require v little preparation, anyone? also- dyou think that bobbing apples would be a health and safety hazard?

am staring to think that i'm over palnning a bit, but can't bear the thougth of them running riot and aimlessly trashing the house for 2 hrs!

Message withdrawn

I wouldn't try and organise too much - at ds's we managed parachute games, pass the parcel and a few craft tables ( we had 30 kids & a church hall) - plus a lot of unorganised running round!

pass the parcel always goes well in the McDreamy household.

Have avoided musical bumps, statues etc as helped a friend with her DD's bday party (before I had my children) and was quite shocked at how the children respond well to being "out"! Gave up in the end, 3 might be a bit young to understand the concept, having said that it will keep them busy dancing around etc

My advice would be keep it simple, amazing how a group of children are happy to amuse themselves.

1 adult to 2 2yo's for craft involving glue/paint
1 adult to 3 3yo's ditto

MIMIMUM (unless of course you are all qualified nursery nurses/playgroup assistants etc)

funnily enough, katy, there will be 4 teachers there! (2 of us teach older ones, though, so we don't count)

had a quick look in archive, but got impatient...

agree that 'being out' is a bit tricky at that age. thought i might give a sticker, to the last one to sit down. the last child to get a sticker is the winner. did that makes sense???? oh gawd...that's too complicated.

what about the bobbing apples?

Split the group into two - losers dance on the right & everyone gets a sweetie/sticker

good thinking, katy.

but what about my bleedin' apples?? yay or nay?

Bobbing for apples is actually surprisingly tricky - not sure if 2-5 year olds would be very successful at it (and they'd probably get their party clothes wet).

There is a variant where you suspend food on strings from a washing line - soft foods like doughnuts or rolls would be easier than apples - and the kids have to try to take a bite without using their hands.

mel, thats a great idea. ring doughnuts would be perfect!

the hat game is a winner

Sit in a circle with silly hats on.

Only one person doesnt have a hat.

Music.....pass the hats round.

Music stops....person without a hat is out but gets a fabarooney sticker.

Lose a hat.

Music....etc etc

I played it with my 2 tonight and we really laughed.

Sillier hats the better.

No to apple bobbing.

good game, collision. i'd need to go to oxfam to buy some smelly old hats, though.

Pass the parcel & pin the tail will be right at the upper edge of their skills imo

Anything more complicated it a no-no

katy, dd2 is very advanced,of course, but i do take your point...

like the do-nut idea - but think they will need help

Do bumps /statues & chairs (using cushions)

Do Beans...they might just get that with enough aduly input