Saturday, April 9, 2011

Birthdays

Our birthday season starts with my younger daughter in March.

Next is the little guy.


Then my oldest.


In our town, the "birthday bar" is set pretty high. The invitations are always adorable. The cakes are to die for. The activities are crazy and over-the-top.
Phew! I'm tired just thinking about it.

But I do think about it. A lot. Ever since my oldest girl turned the Big One I've lamented, pondered, and festered about those big days.

And though they've been fun, I've always prided myself in doing pretty simple parties that end up being fun for all.

We've had Dora parties with homemade backpacks and an adventure with Map ("If there's a place you want to go, I'm the one you need to know, I'm the map!"), pretend sleep overs, cooking parties - at my house and at a cooking school - AND my personal favorite, cupcakes-at-a-playground parties. They've all been pretty basic (Except Dora. Those backpacks were tough for this non-sewer to make!) and I like it that way.

This year my younger daughter wanted a science party.  Awww Yeah. A science party.

It turned out really well and I wanted to share the stuff and site I used in case you wanted to throw your own party!


Notice my over-the-top decorations.  The big "9" balloon, some green twirly things and white paper lanterns.  The gourds are usually on my table and I forgot to move them for the picture.  Keeping it real, people.   I figured the girls would be more interested in the experiments than the decorations and that worked well for me.

Of course I browsed blogs for some ideas- and there are lots out there- of what to do and where to  go.  My top site for science experiments is Steve Spangler Science.  You can buy individual experiments or go all out and get a party in a box.  I did the point and click shopping method and bought the party in a box.  I used the extra experiments as party favors for the girls.

I  used Living Locurto for the invitations.  They are cute and she offers them on her site for FREE!! This is a great blog by a mom who must be my exact opposite.  She's creative, goes above and beyond for all things AND doesn't mind her house being messy!  I need to be more like her...note to self....be more "chill". 


Here are some of the highlights of our little science party.






By far the favorite experiment was the Mentos geyser.  We could have done that all night.

The Einstein bag was something I whipped up the night before.  I used it as their goodie bag.  Each girl went home with a lab coat, safety glasses, their experiments we did at home and some extra Mentos geyser tubes.

My little guy wants a Star Wars/Iron Man/ Ninja birthday.  I've got to get on the stick planning that one!

What do you do for your kids' birthday parties?

2 comments:

  1. Great Party! Parties that are the simplest and focused on something they really like are always the best. I love that your daughter wanted a Science Party...and is that an Einstein tote bag in the background of one of the pictures? Genius idea :)

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  2. Alexis--yes, it is Einstein on a tote. That was my ONE creative thought for that party. :) I was channeling you!

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