06 January 2009

Moms of the Blogosphere - I Need Your Ideas!

Bii is turning 5 next month. Gasp

The kid is beyond excited about everything this milestone will reveal: Kindergarten, new friends, organized activities he can finally participate in. And, of course, the actual BIRTHDAY PARTY itself. Oh wait. That might be all he's anticipating.

I might actually have to change his name to Martha because he has already started planning the party and all the things he and his friends will do, eat, play - or more likely what his friends will bring him. (How did I raise a greedy child?)

The problem is, his birthday is at the end of February. And we live in Maine. It's damn cold out there. Why couldn't he have been a summer baby? Then we could just go to the beach!! (Oh, wait, that's my fault for PLANNING a February baby. Idiot. Must learn to think things through!)

Our house is too tiny for his small army of pals. I despise Chuck E. Cheezit (as Bii calls him) and all of the other organized birthday party ideas cost a small fortune. The Planetarium sounds like a cool idea (for me anyway) but he's never been and then there's the added frustration of coordinating food, drinks etc that they don't provide. We did a bowling party last year and it was terrific. But we can't do that again. There's an indoor play place but it's nearly $20 a kid. Renting a hall and a magician just doesn't seem like enough. sigh

Even though I'm sure he won't remember it as an adult, I long for him to have a memorable and unique 5th birthday party. (Yeah, I'm an overachiever) I need your help, oh creative blog friends. Do any of you have any ideas for a party for my nearly 5 year old baby?!?

I'll go sob now while I wait for you geniuses to save my ass. Oh, and thank you in advance.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Nell,

Every Feb. for the past 4 years we have gone to a sliding party. Our youngest was only four at the time. It's always worked well. Find a big hill, parents bring kids, usually 6 to 10 non family kids show, and kids slide for about 45 minutes go back to house for cake and cocoa.
Alos, I'm just full of ideas, a bon fire in the back yard, a little one, with cocoa and marshmellows. Kids love it.
One more thing my friend just told me... She used to rent a room at a hotel with a pool and pay for the kids to swim and have the party in the hotel room.
Boy I'm rambling tonight.

Anonymous said...

Terrific!! All great ideas! Love the bonfire - as long as the SoPo police don't arrest us! :)

Ms. Tee said...

Hmmm. My son is now a teenager :) but when he was 5, we did a train party. We took him to the train station, and he and a few friends got to go on a train ride. Then when we got back, we had a cake, chips, and drinks that we brought, and set it up in a little room at the train station. We also had some little train favors. I do remember that it didn't cost much, and that he was crazy over it. :)
Thanks for your sweet comments -Happy New Year to you, too!

Dysd Housewife said...

We are living a very creepy parallel life. MY son turns 5 in Feb!! When you think of ideas let me know. Cuz I am totally jacking your plans. LOL

She She said...

When Owen turned 5 (January baby), we had a jungle party. Green crepe streamers hanging from the doors for jungles vines, pin the tail on the lion, make your own wild animal mask (using paper plates, feathers, glue, etc.), decorate your own explorer hat (you can get the cheap plastic ones at Ben FRanklin along with animal stickers), and a Madagascar cake. It was pretty fun.

This year we're having a sledding party. If it's too cold, we're taking them to the movies.

You can also do a day-long thing (instead of just a couple of hours) with a few special close friends.

I go through this trauma every year. Along with giving the kids a bath (the splashing! stop the splashing!), throwing a kid bday party is in my top 3 LEAST favorite things to do.

When did kids' parties get to be such a BFD, anyway?

Good luck. Let us know what you do and how it goes.

Unknown said...

Can you rent a room at a rec center and do a themed party there instead of at your house?

Anonymous said...

Whereever you do it, incorporate this...

http://www.bigredkitchen.com/2008/08/shark-attack-movie-night.html

Maybe not the movie for 5 year olds but the drink/food part..boys will love it.

Christina Schmidt said...

You are totally going to hate me but the first party I remember was my 5th birthday but that is neither here nor there. It was totally just a plain out simple party at our house and I remember playing pin the tail on the donkey (I was born in November but we moved from Upstate NY to CA so November wasn't so bad any more...) Do you have a YMCA? Sometimes you can get a good deal on parties there. Is there some local eatery that has a private room that might not cost too much? What about a party at an ice rink? Finally, this is the best I have. A friend did this back in the day - do you have one of those paint your own cermics places? The friend who did this had a four year old's party at one of those and it was pretty easy. She did make a bunch of food and brought it but other then that the activity was there for them.

Familia said...

everybody at the movies with lots of popcorn and candy? get 'em all sugared up and then send 'em with their parents!

Jackie said...

We rented a room at our community centre and did this for Spud's 3rd:

http://living.weelife.com/2008/04/just-monkeying-around.html

And my friends did this outdoor party in October, which was pretty chilly, for his boy's fifth:

http://living.weelife.com/2008/11/indiana-jones-themed-party.html

or what about kid's gymnastics? or paint your own ceramics? hmmm ... I'll think some more on it ... I hope you post your results!

Good luck!
: )

FishermansDaughter said...

I live in southern NH and have TWO winter boy babies so feel your pain. The past couple years we've gone to local indoor rec parks with slides, trampolines, rope ladders, etc. and the kids have loved it. Next year I'm thinking indoor pool party at the local Y.


Good luck!