Ideas for fun at an outdoor party for 2yo please?

[pavlovthecat]

Having a day out in the Woods. Want to do picnic so am getting people to bring a dish (have the kind of friends where this is acceptable, before I get slated for that!), so firstly some ideas of things to get them to bring would be great.

Also, what kind of theme? What kinds of things/games should we have? DD is going to be 2 as I said, but there will be boys aged between 3-5 too. Personally DD will just be happy running around!

Its in the woods, with a big open space, so plenty of space to run around. There is a slow flowing river nearby so telling people to bring cozies for children.

We have two bubble machines, balloons that kind of usual things. But need things to 'do'.

What else? I want to keep it cheap ish (ie no bouncy castles!!!)

Teddy bears picnic
Prize for best dressed teddy

Just organise a few running about games like fruit salad/grandma?s footsteps/please Mr Crocodile.

Or take a football and have a giant football match (which will be total chaos with those ages but would certainly go down well with my 5yo!)

Clary, good idea. I only remember please Mr Crocodile tho...will have to look the others up, I cant think that far back anymore!!!

fruit salad - sit in circle of chairs, one child in middle. Tell each child which fruit they are (banana, apple, orange) and then child in middle shouts out eg apple, all the apples have to run to another seat and child in middle has to grab seat.
If you shout fruit salad everyone runs.
Continue until exhausted.

Grandma?s footsteps; one child is grandma (or pirate/teddy/princess if themed party). Turns back on others who have to creep up to him/her. They turn at intervals an danyone they spot moving has to go back to start. When someone touches grandma they take their place.
Continue until everyone has had a go!

Good thing about these is that no-one is out and you don?t need a prize for the winner.

forgot you were in woods, maybe take cushions as seats for fruit salad.

Nature crowns!
Strips of cardboard with double sided sticky strip across lengthways. Punch hole in either end and thread pretty ribbon to tie up. Each child runs around with their grownup finding pretty leaves/grasses/buttercups and daisies etc to decorate. Maybe a small table afterwards to add a few crayon scribbles.

A very very simple teddy bear hunt - place a few teddies/cardboard teddy signs if not wanting real bears. Place around the woods and behind trees. Each can have a little bag tied round their neck with small treats in - sweets, crayons etc. Give each child a plastic cup and go with a grownup to hunt for teddies!

Bagelbird - Love those ideas! The boys that are coming are very into treasure hunts etc, and DD likes to follow

I also like the fruit salad idea too.

Thanks!

Gorgeous idea for a party. They will just love it, I'm sure.
How about a list of things to find? If I do treasure hunts for littlies, I always draw a picture as well as writing the words.

Or making a nature collage together - ask them to bring back something 'interesting', and let them make their own minds up. Wax rubbings?

Maybe take a load of magnifying glasses and cups to catch bugs and examine seeds/leaves. Can you take some face paints and paint their faces as woodland creatures or in camouflage so they can hide in the tress?
Or play listening or smelling games where they lie back, close their eyes and tell you what they can hear and smell. Gets them to use all their senses.

Weaving a dream catcher, where you make a branch frame and wind round some wool a few times. They then find lots of natural things to thread through it.

You can mobiles out of string, then get them to find loads of leaves, pinecones, seeds, etc to thread on. you can then hang them up in the tress.

I wish you much look. It will be brilliant and won't matter too much if it rains. Don't forget your first aid kit (my little one always falls of brances and tree roots!). What are you going to do if they need to use the loo?

pavlov get yourself to Tesco sweetie and buy a parachute - they're down to £7 I think and my lot loved it

couple of balls totirethemout-- chase

treasure hunt (apologies if already mentioned)

There is a great website www.amazingmoms.com very american but has great party ideas on themes.