Stress Free - Children's Birthday Party

I love a beautifully themed and executed children's birthday party as much as the next Mum but more 'on screen' than actually pulling one off myself at the moment.  It's not that I'm incapable of putting on such a party, nor does the thought of one scare me - I just know the reality of the work involved and..... I also enjoy being married :-)  I know how I can get when I am in 'organise/execute' mode and I can hear a certain somebody saying, "who is this party for anyway?"  A lovely simple gathering can be just as nice.  We started by downloading Amy's picnic invites from Eat, Drink, Chic.  A casual picnic at Floriade was the plan!

 



But of course it rained for most of the week so we decided to hold Anya's 4th birthday at home.  I had bought a healthy selection of food in little individual packs that the girls could choose from the basket with a few goodies too - so we still had our picnic but just indoors on a rug - the girls thought that was wonderful!  As it turned out it was lovely and sunny the morning of her birthday and we could enjoy a few games, along with crafting outdoors.



My daughter had played pin the tail on the bunny at a previous party and when I asked her what games she wanted to play at her little gathering, she said pin the propeller on the Gup-A, ummm ok - so specific.  Thank goodness her Dad can draw!  You'll understand the reference if you know Octonauts. Knowing we were going to be at home I had to really resist the urge to to make a grand cake... I sat on my hands and stuck to the original plan of cupcakes in the shape of a 4. 


 

We only invited the same amount of friends as the age Anya was turning, one couldn't make it so it was a lovely small party of four, very manageable.  We played good old-fashioned games, (freeze, free-style dance party, peg game, hopscotch) with no prizes! ohhhhhhhhhh - scandalous :-)  I bought some face painting crayons from the art store and drew flowers and butterflys on the girls faces.  I didn't fill the kids up with sugar but I did send them home with some :-) One of my daughters favourite activities of the day was going to town drawing all over me once our guests had gone.  Don't discount the simple, stress-free, back-to-basics - the kids will love it and so will you!

The birthday girl enjoying some presents.