Birthday Party Ideas for Young Children

• Children can make their own pinata
  Use balloons, boxes, paper bags and other supplies.

  Cover an inflated balloon with newspaper strips that have been dipped in glue with some water added. Hang the balloon to dry, and then cover with another layer or saturated newspaper. After drying a second time, paint the birthday pinata. Add construction paper and other craft supplies to make the paper mache pinata into a planet, character, animal, etc.
• Creative gift wrapping
  Ask guests to use their creativity and wrap their gift with something out of the ordinary or use their own artwork to make the wrapping look unique.

  This also works well for adults or older kids.
• Make-Your-Own-Slushy or Smoothie
  Guests are asked to bring their fruit of choice to the party. Then, they choose from the variety of options and each person blends together ice and fruit (and yogurt, if desired) to make a slushy or smoothie.
• Birthday-Girl Pampering Party
  At this party, girls bring their nail polish, face creams, makeup, and hair ties. During the party, they give the birthday girl (and each other) a full makeover, pedicure, and manicure.
• Cooking class
  The birthday party may be a great time to have a cooking class. The kids can create their own cookies or breads to eat once they are baked.
• Treasure hunt
  Create the clues for a birthday treasure hunt using a theme, a song, special moments in the child's life, the child's favorite things, or a rhyme. These need to be very simple for young children and limit the number of clues to about ten. Each clue can lead to another clue or another treasure (such as wrapped candy or a birthday favor.)