3 year old "friend" party ideas

[barbarabini]

Dear All
My son is turning 3 in April. Need some ideas for a less expensive party.
Preface: everyone in his preschool class has the same party at the little gym. Fun, but its about 300 bucks.

I leave for disney two weeks later and can find better things to spend 300 on. Any ideas for a less expensive "friend" party?

Any help?

 

[Bren's Mom]

Can you have the party at home? You can make an AWESOME party for a 3 year old at home! I can't stand spending crazy money on those parties at the gyms, pools, etc. when I can plan something my kids will love at our house. If you can do it at home; can you be outside? Inside only? What's your ds's favorite 'things' right now?

Ds asked for a Nemo themed party for his 3rd last fall. That was SO much fun. (There's a post with b-day themes around here somewhere, I posted details and pics in that thread, there were lots of other creative mommies who posted ideas there too.) Even though it rained the day of his kid's party and we had to be inside he still had a great time!


Happy to help you plan if you give us more info!

 

[lastminutemom]

Can you do a playground party that time of year where you are? I have done playground parties multiple times... just put a rain date on the invite and you are covered.

Around here McDonalds and Chick fil a parties are also reasonable.

 

[RN4Babies]

I've never had big birthday partys for my kids every year (we have a big one for each of them every three or four years). We make the day special inviting family over for a spaghetti dinner, birthday cake and ice cream.

If your son already has his heart set on a party, we had a lot of fun having "old fashioned" birthday parties from that age up until about 8 or 9. We'd allow 90 minutes for pin the tail on the donkey, musical chairs or duck duck goose, a pinata, opening presents, and ice cream and cake. When my son turned four, we had a pizza making party; we had pizza crust ready to go on cookie sheets (we had divided it into personal pizza sizes), and all the toppings for pizza in bowls on the middle of the kitchen table. The kids had a blast making and eating their own little pizzas. Simple, inexpensive fun, and I can't tell you how many kids have told me that we have the best birthday parties!

 

[oldbay]

Bowling parties can be pretty cheap, have them set up the bumpers and you are good to go. Another thing to save cost is to have the party not at a meal time, so it is more snacks/cake instead of serving lunch or dinner.

I also think a park party as another poster mentioned is a great idea.

 

[Bren's Mom]

Simple, inexpensive fun, and I can't tell you how many kids have told me that we have the best birthday parties!

Exactly!

 

[EthansMom]

Have a cake and icecream party (like around 1:30-3:30 p.m.). Blow up a lot of balloons for the kids to run around in. Plan an inexpensive craft/activitiy... for 3 year olds, I've found stickers/coloring and/or Play-doh to be good activities.

 

[newtodis]

I would love to help you out as well...

*If the other kids are having "gym" parties, you could either have "gym" stuff to do at your house (hula hoops, basketball, t-ball, mini trampoline, ect) or go in a different direction as they might like the change. That opens you up to just about anything under the sun!

*Carnival - Can a friend (or another parent attending the party) paint faces (something simple -hearts, balloons, smiley faces)?? Lots of balloons. You could knock over plastic cups with a soft ball, set up a ring toss or try and get a ping pong ball (softer than a golf ball if you have to do it inside or someone gets hit with it) into a small bowl/cup.

*Pirates - You could do a treasure hunt around the yard/house, "dig" for burried treasure (pennies in sawdust, sand or packing peanuts), make treasure maps, walk the plank (balance beam, kind of tying it back to the gymnastics thing).

*Cars - Have races (you can get Matchbox/Dollar Store cars very cheap for each kid), roll "tires" (get inflatable pool tubes and have them roll those), make cars (wooden ones they could paint), if you have space/vehicles, they could draw a road on your driveway and ride bikes/scooters while some direct traffic, some ride.

* Generic Ideas - playdough, coloring, stickers, pinata, pin the "blank" on the "blank" (you can make anything and find something to pin on it), hide and seek, decorate cupcakes (to serve as the "birthday cake").

Good luck!

 

[momma2minnie]

I have found this site to be very helpful http://www.birthdaypartyideas.com/
I like to read thru the "party reports" for inspiration. You can do a lot on a budget. I like to shop the dollar stores for decorations and have even found great favors also.

Good Luck!
Happy birthday to your DS!
Have a magical trip!

 

[barbarabini]

You guys are so helpful - you help me think out of the box
What about an easter egg hunt party? all the kids are two turning three or three.

His birthday is right before easter. I have enough easter baskets for the kids.
-do you think this could fill and hour and 1/2?
Fun activities
1. Easter egg hunt
2. Dyeing easter eggs? I have a lot of paas dye
3. Any other ideas? -- bunny hop race?

One year I had a halloween party at the house for my 4 year old and set up an entire pumpkin patch in back with pumpkins, hay and we took pic of each kid for their parents.

 

[Bren's Mom]

That sounds like lots of fun for 3 year old!

I'd put only tiny amounts of candy (like 3-4 jelly beans), coins or stickers in the eggs that are being hunted for. And then give each child a small basket of goodies as their 'favor'. That way everyone gets equal and no one leaves upset.

There are LOTS of great ideas out there for fun easter'y' cupcakes. That would be a hit with kids that age. Part of the fun could be decorating their own. (I'm assuming most/all parents will be staying at that age to help.) Put out those mini cupcake papers with small amounts of different sprinkles, candies, etc. Let them decorated a pre-frosted cupcake (easy for a novice to do with a plastic ziploc bag) and then when they're done decorating add a scoop of ice cream, sing Happy B-day and you're done.

You can do an egg toss or egg relay race or egg 'roll' game with them. Using plastic eggs of course...

If you have a 2 hour party at that age it's plenty. Do it from 10-12 or 1-3, non-meal time. Have them do the egg hunt, then 2 games, then cake and you're done. They'll have a blast!

 

[jmac323]

My DD will be 3 next week. We are doing cake and ice cream with family only at our house on Saturday. She is beyond excited about it. I figure this is probably the last year I'll get away with a family only party (we have a large family). I did think about inviting her preschool friends but she's only been there a few months and I don't even know the parents. We are doing a Dora theme and I plan to have a small Dora themed scavenger hunt for her and her cousins to keep them occupied. I remember growing up, all my parties were at home and the kids would all play together and the adults would hang out, and that was fine then especially at 3 years old where they won't even remember it in the future. I do plan to try a park next year possibly, depending on weather. Have fun!

 

[momma2minnie]

You guys are so helpful - you help me think out of the box
What about an easter egg hunt party? all the kids are two turning three or three.

His birthday is right before easter. I have enough easter baskets for the kids.
-do you think this could fill and hour and 1/2?
Fun activities
1. Easter egg hunt
2. Dyeing easter eggs? I have a lot of paas dye
3. Any other ideas? -- bunny hop race?

One year I had a halloween party at the house for my 4 year old and set up an entire pumpkin patch in back with pumpkins, hay and we took pic of each kid for their parents.

You could even arrange for a visit from the Easter Bunny and take pictures with the kids for an easy "thank you for coming"