Kids' Birthday Party Inspiration {whew!}

No two ways about it, throwing a great birthday party is a challenge.  Not only the planning and execution but the party anxiety.  Will it be a "winner"? Will my child be happy/feel celebrated/not melt down on me in the middle of the whole thing??  Blurg! 

It's more stressful than a royal wedding.



Betty has some resources to help make it creative, easy, and FUN.  Here are a few ideas from Moms who have thrown out-of-the-ordinary parties and have lived to tell the tale.  



1) Lisa Dickason's World's End Party.  Brilliant.  Read about it here>.  You must be a member, and let the gatekeeper know they'll be roaming around the property.  After that, the games and adventures are up to you.  If you're not the talented cooks and bakers that the Dickasons are, cater the fun from Circe's Grotto- the best sandwiches around + their dessert box {filled with brownies, blondies and their fabulous chocolate chip cookies} will save the day.  They'll never miss the cake.
 

2) A Rec Center birthday. Redhead Betty rented the place, bought Nerf weaponry for every guest {they doubled as party favors} and let a dozen wild boys tear it up for an hour.  Pizza + let them decorate their own cupcakes {set out plain cupcakes in large shallow trays plus frosting + sprinkles} or better yet cakepops and you're done. 

3) A Scavenger Birthday.  For slightly older kids. Split them into teams and give them the same list of objects* to photograph with a disposable digital {or their own phones...}  The first team to come back with images of everything on the list wins.  Send them downtown if they're old enough, to the beach if they're rowdy, or to the park.  The bonus?  You have an immediate gallery of photos for Facebook and Nana. 

* Choose from tangible things like a shoe, a dog, a cloud formation- and some abstract concepts like happiness, action, life...and see what you get!



4) A craft party.  If you have a crafty one, letting her loose where they have all the supplies she might want is pure heaven.  A fashion designer?  Choose Alexis at The Tots, a needlepointer? Choose Joan at Hingham Needlepoint.  They'll be able to bedazzle the time away and you don't ever have to set foot in Michael's...

More resources HERE>