Help me plan cheap Build-A-Bear Party at home

[Bibbidi]

My dd who will be 6 this spring has asked for a Build-A-Bear themed party. She has no BABW toys yet, but has been dying to make a bear for some time. In an effort to curtail costs, I told her that my dh and I would take her and her sister to make one toy for her birthday, then we'd have a BABW themed party at home on another date with friends.

I know I can buy BABW themed party ware, what else could I do to make this a fun party without a huge expense? I have seen the BABW small version at Target, but haven't seen any bargains on those. What games/activities could we play at home? For some reason this is a party I'm having trouble planning.

 

[maggiew]

Are you good at sewing? Maybe you could make a few outfits and have the girls pick out the outfit, like at the store. I'm sure lots of girls have bears already, so just tell them to bring their bear (or any teddy bear).

Also, Michaels Craft store has little bears. They are not build a bears, but they are inexpensive. You could buy these bears (with a 40% off Michaels coupon. Try and gather a few coupons from friends.) They also have little outfits for these bears.

If you don't want to do the whole "pick out an outfit" theme, I would just have the girls bring their bears to the party (or any bear) and you could have a tea party with the bears and the girls. That would be really fun too!

These are just a few thoughts off the top of my head. I will think some more about it and I am sure you will get lots of great ideas from other people.

Maggie

 

[feedindy]

You could also have a teddy bear tea party. We did this with my DD when she turned 6. Ours was actually Care Bear themed, but you could just do a general teddy bear tea.

All her friends wore their party best and brought a stuffed animal. I had them each decorate a Care Bear tummy as their placecard (cut out a bear from colored scrapbook paper and a white circle for the tummy). This is the activity I had as guests were arriving-helps a lot so no one misses anything major if they are a few minutes late.

After that, they donned extra dress-up items-necklaces, boas, hats and ties for the few boys. Then I seated half the group while the other half served the first tea party. They served mini-sandwiches (cut into flower and heart shapes), M&Ms, crackers, pretzels and "tea" (Kool-Aid) to their friends. While the 1st set of girls ate, the 2nd set played pin the Heart on the Care Bear (DH drew a Care Bear on Postboard with a blank tummy and I cut out several hearts).

Then they switched and started all over again.

 

[StephMK]

My DD7 just had a BABW party last weekend. We also did the pin the heart on the bear game - they loved it! Thanks to a thread here, I found infant Ts in the $1 section on clearance at Target - white w/a heart, monkey or bear. They decorated those w/fabric markers for their animals. I think you could probably find cheap tshirts at Michael's to decorate.

Hmm, make crowns for the kids & decorate mini-headbands or crowns for their animals. Bear scavenger hunt through the house, bear pinata, dancing w/balloons & hold them when the music stops.

 

[Bibbidi]

I just love these boards! You've all given me some great ideas that I hadn't thought of.

Keep 'em coming.

 

[ceecee]

I bought fleece blankets for $2.99 at Odd Lots and cut them to BAB Sleeping bag size. Then I cut them so the girls would just have to tie them (like when you make the pillows and blankets). The price was cheaper than buying it at a fabric store and she still has it years later so the quality was okay too. I think I got 6 sleeping bags and pillows out of one blanket.
Have the girls bring their BABs or any bear and make little foods for them as well. You can use sculpty and craft some cute little things for them to keep. Maybe go to Dollar Tree and look for tea sets (you could personalize them with paint) and that could also go into their goody bags along with the sleeping bags and you're set...those goody bags are usually a waste but the kids expect them.

 

[grlpwrd]

These are awesome ideas. I plan to have a teddy bear tea party for my Girl Scouts and I hope you don't mind that I use some of the ideas...Thanks!

 

[rdsx28]

I know in my area there are people that will come to your home with the stuffing machines and do the teddy bears. I'm not sure about the cost however you may want to check it out.Ours is called the ABC store www.abcstoreonline.com. Good luck!

 

[LeeAnn]

I have thinking about doing the same but the cost is just too much.

I didn't want to have at a place beacuse they rush you in a little time.

Then I hear about stuffing machine that comes to your home like www.thefurryfactory.com. That was too much. $595 for 15 kids (1hr)

You hand stuff the bears. They send you the bears and you hand stuff and dress it yourself. This was $225 for 10 kids.

So searched and searched the interent to find $10 for unstuff bear. Then you still need to buy clothes. The do sell (8" bears) kits w/ clothes for $14. www.clickshappen.com/teddybearbirthday/store/category.cfm?Category=36

So I also thought of Michaels and those 40% cuopons. I have the time to buy a little at a time. But this what I came across. They only sold stuffed bears at good price but not cheap enough. And the clothes will make it costly, even if a had a 40% coupon for every item.

I will still like to do this but as now I have scrapped this idea. I hoping to get good ideas from this thread.

 

[Schachteles]

Check out the "come trade with us" thread...I bought a bunch of these for my DDs birthday that I am willing to trade or PM me.

They can be "affordable" to do at home, especially if you compare it to the big prices at BABW.

One thing that we did was just had the kiddos decorate little white tee shirts with fabric markers for their animals. Saved a LOT of $$ on clothes and it personalized it. No one complained.

 

[Melrosgirl]

We had a Noah's Workshop for dd's birthday. Just like build a bear. Consultant came to our house and took care of the party. Lots of fun! $10 per person.

 

[zoemurr]

www.birthdaypartyideas.com Do a search on teddy bear. I'm sure you'll find tons of ideas. Here are a few of mine..

Have different stations: Make food for your bear (a lot of brown snacks and make a trail mix type of thing) , make a bed out of a box decorate with markers and stickers (I like the decorate the shirt/blanket thing too..) brush groom (with a hairdryer and hair ribbons and cheap necklaces) and a few games. Afterward have "awards" for each bear (of course enough for everyone) cutest, biggest, etc. and take photos. Find cute prizes at the $ store. Decorate teddy bear cookies, or serve teddy shaped toast with honey.

Here is a game we do at almost every party 'cause it is always a hit.

Cut out pawprints of different colors and have the girls dance. Stop the music and say something like "Put your elbow on a red pawprint." with the animals, I would rotate and do some that say "Put your animals nose on a green paw" or stand on a blue paw and put you animal on your head." We have adapted this for many themes and it is always fun. Good luck!

Have a "dress the bear" relay. Put the girls in 2 teams. Find some baby clothes that would fit any bear (maybe ask guests to bring one that isn't enormous..) Have the first girl on each team run up, dress her bear (have lots of accessories) then run back and undress him and dress the next girls.

Scavenger hunts are always fun too.. you can hide tons of teddy bear stickers, pencils, or something else inexpensive.

Make a pinata out of a shirt box and decorate it with the BBB logo from the front of a bag. (I can give you better directions on this if you want later.. )

Hope that helps. I'm crazy about planning birthday parties.

 

[PaulaSue]

Great ideas! I am always looking to do something different for each of my girls parties. Thanks!

 

[hollyb]

Remember that not all of the girls may not have an actual build a bear. My DD has 7 . It would be sad if a little girl felt left out at the party.

 

[zoemurr]

but I would just put on the invite to bring a "stuffed friend".. everyone has one (or 100) of those.

 

[sk!mom]

If you're willing to spend on party supplies but she REALLY wants BAB, why not invite 2 or 3 of her closest friends and have a small BAB party? They could each make one and then you could take them out to lunch or home for cake and gifts. If she has never made one then I'm assuming that she has never been to a regular BAB party.

 

[stczt]

Last year I bought a bunch of those mini build a bear kits at target when the were marked down to $2.00. How many are you needing? I was getting out summer clothes and I remember seeing them. I dont think I have alot maybe 5 or so? I dont know if that helps or not.

 

[cancer_survivor_06]

I think this would be fun we have them at our local walmart you might want to see if yours has it to.

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=5301134

 

[Bibbidi]

I think this would be fun we have them at our local walmart you might want to see if yours has it to.

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=5301134

Yes, I remember seeing these at Christmas time. I was thinking about that. If I could find them on sale we might try that as an option and skip goodie bags. I really like some of the ideas of having a tea party where everyone brings a stuffed animal. There are some great ideas coming out of this thread--thanks everyone!

 

[Bibbidi]

Remember that not all of the girls may not have an actual build a bear. My DD has 7 . It would be sad if a little girl felt left out at the party.

Absolutely, I was going to do the invites as "bring your favorite stuffed animal". The BABW part of it is just because my daughter really wants to make one of those animals and have the party plates be that theme, otherwise it will not be BABW specific.