Want to help me brainstorm a birthday party?

[MamaSheep]

Dd wants a "time travel" theme birthday party featuring ancient Egyptians, medieval princesses, pirates, and cowboys/western gun slingers. I am not sure why, but this is what she has her heart set on. I have a limited budget, and would be happy to do any ONE of these themes for her, but I am not sure about incorporating all of it. Any ideas?

 

It would be at home with 8 or fewer girls. (We limit guests to the same number as the age the child is turning. It's worked out well.) The party's not until July, and I was hoping she'd change her mind and pick an easier theme, but she's been stuck on this one since last fall and I'm starting to think I'd better at least make a good faith effort at figuring out a way to manage time travel. I think a refrigerator box time machine would be way cool, for example. But...then what?

[Starr]

Each child could dress from a different time period.

[kwg]

My friend made a timeline with toys...maybe you could set up different areas? And have either a craft/snack/toys to play with at each?

 

My ds would love a time travel bday!

[Denise in Florida]

That sounds like an awesome theme, your daughter has a lot of imagination. I would provide a big box of dress up items and a 'time machine' (your idea about the refridgerator box sounds good).

 

Freebie treats could be cheap egg timer sand 'hour glasses' and a compass (there are very cheap compass' in the Edmunds Sci catalog)

 

Look up decoration and costume ideas under 'steampunk'.

Add in a wall map or globe

Have some type of scavenger hunt.

 

good luck, have fun

[cougarmom4]

Hmm, it does sound like quite an imaginative girl you've got there! I think it could be a fantastic party...

 

I'd do invitations inviting the girls to a Time Travel Adventure and to come ready to travel back in time. You could build the time machine out of a refrigerator box (or even two together) so that all the girls could fit inside at one time...have them all enter; make a big deal about setting the date to travel to...even have a recording of sound effects or something fun like that & a flashing light. :D Or you could make the time machine something that goes over the top of the girls & you could 'walk' the machine to the next spot around the backyard.

 

Meanwhile, on the outside of the machine, you're getting ready for the 1st Scene...let's say Egypt. You could have some kind of clothing prop for them to put on (hmm, like fabric & a headband on their heads), have Egyptian-type music playing, then a little activity for them to do that represents something about Egypt. Maybe building a pyramid out of sugar cubes or dancing to Walk LIke an Egyptian or even coloring a picture of an Egyptian scene.

 

Then it's time to go back into the machine...and head to...the next destination. I'd say to have maybe 4 different stops...and one of them could even be in the future. Maybe you could come up with a little prop for each time period that the girls could take home with them and do a different kind of activity at each time period. In one you could make a craft (Egyptian pyramid), eat a snack (princess tea party, wearing crowns or borrowed dress up clothes), play a game (shooting water guns at targets, Western, wearing bandannas on necks), go on a treasure hunt (as Pirates, wearing bandannas on heads with a treasure map). Maybe the last scene could be at a birthday party...with balloons & presents & cupcakes. You could also read a picture book at each scene.

 

Gosh, it sure sounds like fun! Maybe I can talk my 8 year old into doing that this summer, too!

[Dandelion]

What a fun theme! You've gotten some fantastic suggestions above...

 

Just had one more idea to add:

As a party craft, you could have the girls make a time capsule together (or have each make their own). If you can't find a "capsule" (although they probably have these at Hobby Lobby, Michael's, etc.), you could decorate a cardboard box for that purpose and then put several mementos in it to commemorate the day. Another fun thing to add would be to have each of the girls write something on a note to the birthday girl so she can read those notes (and relive her special day) when she opens the capsule. If they each make their own (which would be a lot of fun too and make for neat party favors to take home), you might put a note in the invitation that tells them to each bring 5 favorite things for their time capsule (or something along those lines). Your daughter can open her time capsule on her next birthday (or several years from now - that's even better) - should make for some neat memories...

 

I'm sure this is going to be a very special party for your daughter. Have fun!! :)

[m4given]

Dd wants a "time travel" theme birthday party featuring ancient Egyptians, medieval princesses, pirates, and cowboys/western gun slingers. I am not sure why, but this is what she has her heart set on. I have a limited budget, and would be happy to do any ONE of these themes for her, but I am not sure about incorporating all of it. Any ideas?

 

It would be at home with 8 or fewer girls. (We limit guests to the same number as the age the child is turning. It's worked out well.) The party's not until July, and I was hoping she'd change her mind and pick an easier theme, but she's been stuck on this one since last fall and I'm starting to think I'd better at least make a good faith effort at figuring out a way to manage time travel. I think a refrigerator box time machine would be way cool, for example. But...then what?

 

How many people can help you that day with the BD?

 

~ To add into the great ideas ~

What about a station for each time period set up various places:

*Ancient Egypt

*Medieval

*And so on.

 

When each child enters the Time Machine, they each don an appropriate hat for next time period & given a Pass (Card) with related pictures/information.

 

 

Each station is assigned 2 items - Theme (Time Period/Country/People group) & To-do item (Games, Crafts, Snack, Treasure hunt, Pinata . . .). Each station has simple decor related to theme. You could have 2 To-do items per station.

 

Example:

Enter time machine (Play music related to the next theme?) and each child gets next hat and Pass for the next station.

 

#1 Station = Ancient Egypt *Warm-up Game related to ancient Egypt.

#2 Station = Medieval Princess/Prince*Craft related to medieval.

#3 Station = American West * Snack related to the Wild West.

#4 Station = ????

 

 

Just "thinking out loud".

[MamaSheep]

These are some good ideas! I had been trying to think of some sort of inexpensive costumey thing to do, and I like the suggestion of hats. I also like the idea of boarding passes. Maybe a passport would be fun too...hmmm...

 

I do need to make a small correction. She tells me it wasn't Egypt, it was dinosaurs. Dinos, princesses, pirates, and gunslingers.

 

I like the idea of a station with a craft for each time period. I'd love to hear more ideas for crafts and decor. Most of the things I can think of about dinosaurs related to fossils and bones -- like making plaster "fossils", or rubbings of a previously made plaster "fossil", or having a tray of dirt and digging for bones. But obviously time travellers would find them alive, not fossilized.

 

I can't help thinking, with our recently acquired triops sitting on the counter, that they would make a really fun take-home souvenir of dino-land if I can find them inexpensively. Maybe a plastic pirate eye-patch and a bandana for pirates and cowboys. Princesses...hmmm....

[m4given]

Amy - Sounds like your creative juices are on a roll!

 

I was thinking that the stations can be in different areas of your house/property, but don't know how that would work for you. Garage, living room, basement . ..??

 

If not, then smaller stations could be set up. You could gather music related to each theme to help set the mood.

 

Hmmm .. .

*Dinos

*Princesses

------------------- Can these groups be divided this way?

*Pirates

*Gunslingers

 

She's has quite the imagination!!! Are you still going with different time periods?

[MamaSheep]

Amy - Sounds like your creative juices are on a roll!

 

I was thinking that the stations can be in different areas of your house/property, but don't know how that would work for you. Garage, living room, basement . ..??

 

If not, then smaller stations could be set up. You could gather music related to each theme to help set the mood.

 

Hmmm .. .

*Dinos

*Princesses

------------------- Can these groups be divided this way?

*Pirates

*Gunslingers

 

She's has quite the imagination!!! Are you still going with different time periods?

 

We'll go with different time periods if I can figure out a way to do it that's within a fairly modest budget and doesn't involve more work than we're willing to put in...lol.

 

And you're right, there is no shortage of imagination when it comes to that child. I sometimes think she got her share and her brother's both (he's a very literal-minded soul). I cannot tell you how excited she is about this party theme...lol.

[cougarmom4]

Thanks for sparking my imagination, too....you've now got me thinking of a fun thing to do with my kids this summer. I've been thinking of it all day! Time Travel Thursdays...first week we'll build a time machine...then each week will be a different time period that we'll travel to...Egypt, Castle, Pirates, Western, Pioneer, even Astronauts to the moon. With library books, crafts, read aloud, field trip, etc.

 

Good luck with your party plans!

 

Oh...you could color dinosaur eggs...(like Easter eggs) or go on a dinosaur egg hunt (with plastic eggs--inside could be treats or pieces to a puzzle to put together).

Edited May 9, 2010 by cougarmom4

[m4given]

Thanks for sparking my imagination, too....you've now got me thinking of a fun thing to do with my kids this summer. I've been thinking of it all day! Time Travel Thursdays...first week we'll build a time machine...then each week will be a different time period that we'll travel to...Egypt, Castle, Pirates, Western, Pioneer, even Astronauts to the moon. With library books, crafts, read aloud, field trip, etc.

 

Good luck with your party plans!

 

Oh...you could color dinosaur eggs...(like Easter eggs) or go on a dinosaur egg hunt (with plastic eggs--inside could be treats or pieces to a puzzle to put together).

 

What a neat idea!!!

[ImAhomeSCHOOLmama]

Each child could dress from a different time period.

 

 

I agree to have the kids come dressed up, then do crafts for the rest. Craft supplys are usually cheap! (Craft stick to make pyramids, you can buy cheap dino sets a dollar stores, some sort of craft for midievel times, Make cowboy hats, just have fun and make stuff! Pipe cleaners, paint, construction paper, glue and scissors can be used for VERY creative things!

[m4given]

We'll go with different time periods if I can figure out a way to do it that's within a fairly modest budget and doesn't involve more work than we're willing to put in...lol.

 

And you're right, there is no shortage of imagination when it comes to that child. I sometimes think she got her share and her brother's both (he's a very literal-minded soul). I cannot tell you how excited she is about this party theme...lol.

 

:lol: What a fun little girl!

 

I think you already have great ideas of how to put each theme in a good time period.

 

Here are my thoughts -- but please ignore if it's not helpful.

Prize Bags

*For dd's BD we had simple colored bags with handles from Wal-mart placed at the entry door.

*We put each child's name on their bag with glitter glue & a simple design with glitter glue.

*The greeter for the BD informed each child as they came that as the party went on that they would be recieving different things for keepsake. They then were to put the item in their bag, which was kept by the door.

 

Time Travel

Enter Time Machine before entering each time station (or change of scenery).

*In the Time Machine

Get your Passport/Ticket for the next event.

Get your appropriate Hat for the next event--- ETA: I bet you could borrow hats or make simple paper hats.

 

*Music changes with the Mood/Time

-------------------------------Time Periods

Ancients -- Dinos ~ Activity: Hunt Dino Eggs (Plastic eggs with dinos in them?) ~Decor - Big Background Picture with Dinos? (Kid-made)

 

Medieval --Princess/Prince ~ Activity: Simple Craft - (Make simple jewelry? Paint? Draw their silhouettes then they decorate their likeness with princess garb/tiara?) ~Decor - Big Background Picture of Castle?

 

Renaissance -- Pirates ~Activity: Game with Variations of Tag ~If in-door, then-- Decor - Big Background Picture of ship(s) & pirates?

 

Modern (1850 to present) -- (West) Cowboys/Gunslingers ~Activity: Eat from the "Food Wagon" ~Decor - Big Background Picture of the West?

 

Decor Pictures - Made from poster board? packing paper?

Balloons - Maybe your kids would like to draw simple pictures with markers?

I like the idea of an hour glass that someone else suggested. That could be throughout your party.

************

 

Sorry if I seem to be getting too involved here. I love thinking about planning events for some odd reason. :glare:

 

ETA: My experience is that I found that most kids pay more attention to the fun & not the decor.

Edited May 10, 2010 by m4given

[MamaSheep]

You guys are GREAT!

 

(And can I say, I'm in love with Time Travel Thursdays. If I didn't have other plans for our summer adventures I'd be all over that. Maybe next year...)

 

I hadn't thought much about going outdoors, but someone mentioned having the stations at different parts of our property, and that got me thinking.

 

We have a "fort" on stilts in the back yard (we call it the treehouse, but there are no trees) that could make for a really fun pirate ship with a little imagination. I could get some Nerf balls (or some other non-injurious projectile) and have them all stand up on the porch and throw "cannonballs" at some sort of target--like maybe a cardboard cutout of a pirate ship--until they knock it down.

 

Also, there's a gazebo at the neighborhood park that's right across the street from our house that could make for a really good castle, with a smidge of imagination.

 

So maybe we could start out in the garage with dinos (garages are kind of darkish, echoing places that could make music sound a little ominous and prehistoric), go out the back door to the pirate ship, around front to the castle, back to the front yard for the cowboy thing, and then inside for cake, ice cream and presents. And then they can play with the sets until time to go home.

 

Oh! This is not only starting to sound manageable, but even fun. The hive is the BEST!

[Allearia]

For my ds8's birthday we did a time travel through prehistory theme, sort of based on Prehistoric Park. For each period they got a animal to bring home with them. For a girl's party how about a paper doll from each period - you could print these on your computer even I bet. Or make a small craft for each period. Maybe some dollar store watches, or you could make a time travel gauge. They could have a bag to collect their treasures from each time period, and maybe wear some sort of explorer hat while you trek around to each spot? It sounds like a lot of fun!!

[m4given]

Can I come too???!!! It sounds like it's going to be loads fun. I think you have lots of resources at your finger tips already. Is your dd liking some of your ideas?

 

I also love the idea of Time Travel Thursdays.

[m4given]

For my ds8's birthday we did a time travel through prehistory theme, sort of based on Prehistoric Park. For each period they got a animal to bring home with them. For a girl's party how about a paper doll from each period - you could print these on your computer even I bet. Or make a small craft for each period. Maybe some dollar store watches, or you could make a time travel gauge. They could have a bag to collect their treasures from each time period, and maybe wear some sort of explorer hat while you trek around to each spot? It sounds like a lot of fun!!

 

How neat!

[MamaSheep]

I started talking over some of these ideas with dh. He thinks the garage itself would make a nifty time machine because it's dark in there, and we could break out some of his fancy party lights that he uses to turn the front porch into a mini spookhouse for Halloween. There's one that's supposed to be kind of like a laser light show that makes lots of colored lights swirl around, and he also has a strobe light. Wouldn't that make for a fun time travel machine? Especially with some kind of fun sound track. And ds could be their time travel tour guide and stand on a box and turn a cardboard dial to point to the next stop, and then give a short description of the time period they are about to visit. He loves to be in charge, and he gives lectures much more easily than he converses. (In fact, the other day we went to the aquarium and he went ahead to the penguins while I stayed with dd while she finised petting the stingrays. We caught up to him just in time to hear the lady next to him say to her friend, "Oh! Did you see that one jump out of the water?" Ds said, "That was pretty cool, wasn't it. When penguins jump out of the water and back in again like that, it's called porpoising." The lady looked a little startled (since she hadn't been talking to him--she was standing next to him, though, and he has a hard time telling who people are talking to) and she responded, "Oh, is that right?" She sounded sufficiently interested (which doesn't take much) for him to continue. "Yes. Porpoising, in penguins, has three purposes. One. It lets them get a breath of air. They can hold their breaths for...oh...about twenty minutes or so, but they have to come up for air. Two...." And so forth. The poor lady just stood there with her mouth open listening to my walking encyclopedia. Maybe I need to get him a part-time job there or something.)

[cougarmom4]

The garage time machine sounds perfect! And your ds sounds like the perfect one for the job of time machine attendant...complete with info about the time period. How awesome. Yep...you're well on your way to a terrific birthday party.

 

PS, I love walking encyclopedias! :D

[KJsMom]

This sounds like so much fun! I love the garage time machine idea. I was trying to think of some way to do the dino scene and all I can come up with is maybe painting a dinosaur in the background on a large piece of cardboard. You can make those jungle type trees with rolls of colored paper. I'm going to have to think about this some more!