How to do a birthday party at the circus

[MomtoGKC]

I am so confused and have already gone way over my normal birthday party budget. For some reason, when I saw the circus would be in town on my DD's birthday, I told her we should bring her friends instead of doing a regular party.

The circus is at 1:00pm. There is a pre-show where we can get pictures with animals, etc. at 12:00. We live about an hour away so will have to leave at 11am. How can I feed these kids and give them a birthday treat? I was planning on just doing cupcakes in the parking lot before we go in or after it is over and getting them popcorn when we were inside. Now that we see the timing (thought we were going to go to a later show) I see I need to feed everybody lunch, too!

So, any good ideas for a quick, kids will like it and can eat it in the parking lot lunches?? Or ideas on how to make the timing work? My first idea was to just skip the pre-show (may be hectic with so many people anyway) and have everyone meet us at a quick pizza place at 11am then leave for the circus by 12. Other than that all I can think of is making pb&j's and bringing fruit & goldfish.

Also, any ideas for a cheap, easy party favor? I'd like to give something from the circus, but haven't been in years and am guessing everything costs a fortune there!

Thanks!!

 

[EllenFrasier]

My first reaction is "isn't every kid's birthday party a circus?",

I'll have to think about this one. Hope you get some helpful advice in the meantime. One thought I had was bring bagged lunches for the ride there and then have everybody back to your house for cupcakes and hand out goodie bags then? How old are the kids?

 

[MomToOne]

The first thing that pops into my mind is "Happy Meals for all!!!!"

 

[WeLuvDCL]

Lunch: Uncrustables, little bags of chips and juice boxes. That is what we take with us to the parks. Don't forget wet wipes to clean up.

For favors: Not sure what you can take to use at the circus besides disposable cameras? (not sure what your budget is). Maybe you can find circus/clown coloring books at the $1 store. Circus peanuts. Or make/find animal masks for the kids to wear - http://www.angelfire.com/dc/childsplay/masks.htm

 

[kayrosek]

I agree with a bagged lunch or a happy meal, or perhaps lunchables as every kid I know likes those. As for favors my number one suggestion would be light up or glow in the dark stuff, even glow sticks. The circus will have tons of LED stuff for sale and kids tend to go crazy around those. Light up or glow stuff brought from home as favors should suffice.
These animal print glow sticks are cool and usually come with a string so they can be used as a necklace.
http://www.orientaltrading.com/anim...icks-a2-24_2371.fltr?prodCatId=388922&tabId=4
They also have holiday colored ones marked down real low (like 4 dollars a dozen if you don't think the kids would mind red and green)

 

[eyes4eeyore]

My kids went to a party like this...they ate pizza bites in the car on the way to the park. I thought that was strange..no plates, no drink, just one big bowl..."dig in everyone"!!? Anyways... I'm sure a bagged lunch is less than a bunch of happy meals. Happy meals would be easy though.


How about a box of animal crackers or a bag of the iced ones? Either in the lunch or as part of the party loot. My kids also like those foam capsules that turn into animals once put in water.

 

[EllenFrasier]

Don't Animal Crackers come in boxes that look like a circus train? It's been a while since I have bought them, but that's the way I remember them. I think the glow sticks would be distracting to those around them trying to watch the circus - do they sell them at the circus?
In reference to your question about the cost of concessions at the circus, if it is at a venue that holds concerts, etc. then the concessions would cost the same. For us, it's like $8.00 for a small ice cream, $6.00 for water, etc. We don't buy food when we go.

 

[drcmk]

I think if you are already buying tickets to the circus, lunch and snacks, you can skip an additional favor bag. It is just another hassle to pack and bring and you are already spending enough. In fact, i would think about telling parents NOT to send their children with spending money for the circus. You don't want to deal with hurt feelings if one child gets to buy something that another one does not and you don't want to be responsible if a child loses money that his parents gave him for souvenirs.

Is there a pizza place near the circus? If you were considering meeting at a pizza place before driving to the circus anyway, I like the idea of meeting up and driving to the circus, stopping at a pizza place near the circus (pizza is usually cheaper than Happy Meals) and then driving to the circus together. I'd be careful about planning to eat in the parking lot unless you don't mind the kids eating in your car if it is too cold or rainy to eat outdoors. Check with the circus--when my mom took her classes to the circus, they always packed a lunch and ate it in their seats while waiting for the show to begin. That is another option and will save you on concession prices if the circus will allow you to bring food in.

 

[HolliePoppins]

A little OT but I would think twice about the happy meals. I have been going to a nutritionist and she has one in her office. It was purchased in 2002 and looks exactly the same. The sign below it says "Real food rots" Yuck!!!!

 

[mjkacmom]

I "think" we went to the pre-show once, and it wasn't worth it. I'd do pizza. I wouldn't do peanut butter anything, with the allergies (plus 3 of my 5 hate peanut butter, so it's not a food that all kids like). How many kids? Circus popcorn isn't cheap (nothing is cheap - at our venue, I believe a bottle of water costs $6).

 

[shoney]

I agree about pizza...seems like a universal choice or stopping at the drive thru and getting happy meals.

I would also go to the dollar store and get something that lights up...those are always popular at the circus...and you don't have to spend a fortune.

 

[DisneyLoverUSA]

The first thing that pops into my mind is "Happy Meals for all!!!!"

I wouldn't buy Happy Meals per se because that would include everyone having drinks with lids on them. I would stop by McD's on your way out and get X number of McDouble's ($1 value menu) and X number of small fries ($1 value menu) and get the cheeseburgers all PLAIN with meat and cheese only so nobody has to eat icky stuff they don't like or pick the crap off in the parking lot. Wait until you got to the circus and give everybody a burger before you go to the pre-show. Carry a cooler with drinks enough for each kid to have one before and after the circus so you don't have to buy any INSIDE the circus.

That's what I would do. I would do the pre-show because the kids will probably enjoy that and it also will be more of a time suck and make the party seem longer.

 

[clh2]

When my DD was around 9 - we did the "kiddie" subs from Subway for the meal with her b-day party. When the parents RSVP'd I asked what type of sub that they wanted. Then, I brought a couple of bags of chips, and some grapes. We had a couple of beverage options (soda and milk) because it worked for what we were doing. Juice boxes would be fine. (The subs were ordered in advance and ready for pick-up when I needed them.)

I love the idea of animal crackers - just brings in the theme! If you "feel the need" for goodie bags - I think that would suffice. HOWEVER...I am not a fan of goodie bags - just too much junk that gets tossed out...so I was always OK if DD didn't get one at a party. My guess - a big bag of animal crackers would be far less expensive.

 

[mjkacmom]

I wouldn't buy Happy Meals per se because that would include everyone having drinks with lids on them. I would stop by McD's on your way out and get X number of McDouble's ($1 value menu) and X number of small fries ($1 value menu) and get the cheeseburgers all PLAIN with meat and cheese only so nobody has to eat icky stuff they don't like or pick the crap off in the parking lot. Wait until you got to the circus and give everybody a burger before you go to the pre-show. Carry a cooler with drinks enough for each kid to have one before and after the circus so you don't have to buy any INSIDE the circus.

That's what I would do. I would do the pre-show because the kids will probably enjoy that and it also will be more of a time suck and make the party seem longer.

Two of my kids would consider the burger/cheese to be part of the icky stuff, one only eats plain burgers, no cheese, but my boys do eat cheeseburgers. However, they all eat nuggets (and you couldn't pay me to eat a chicken nugget ). I know a lot of kids who don't eat burgers.

 

[malibuconlee]

How many kids and how many adults will there be? The pre-show in St. Louis was insane. We were there early before it got too crazy, but holy moly we finally went and found our seats and ordered food because the pre-show was too crowded. How are you going to keep all the kids together?

 

[zoemurr]

because I never buy it.. same w/uncrustables.

I would do what we call "snack lunch". Slices of ham/chesse/crackers, grapes, carrot sticks, individual applesauces, pretzels and other easy finger foods. I wouldn't want to deal with the mess of pizza.

Love the animal cracker idea and I would do Dollar Tree light toys. Most kids have lights at the circus don't they? I believe they are about $15 for spinners.

I agree it depends on how many and ages of the kids. I would only do the pre-show if you have a 1:2 ratio of adults to kids. It can be crazy.

 

[kim929]

I like the subway idea... If it is an hour ride I would be leaving a lot earlier. This way if you hit traffic on the way, parking and walking to where the circus is then finding your seats I personally would want to be there an hour before.

Happy Birthday to your daughter

 

[MomtoGKC]

Thanks for all of the ideas! I've decided we're going to skip the pre-show. It sounds too crazy to try and keep everybody together as it is, I don't need that added headache. A bunch of the parents have decided to come (I'm ordering the tickets so we can all sit together and they'll pay me back) so it looks like it will be about 15 kids and 9 adults.

I like the favor ideas. Today I had a quick errand at Target and noticed the red & white striped plastic popcorn tubs in the $1 spot. They had smaller ones that were 2 for $1 so I got some (am still 4 short!) I will probably just put the animal crackers and a glow stick necklace in there or something. I was thinking about skipping the favor since I'll be spending so much, but for just $1 or $2 a person I decided to do it.

Oh, and I talked to one of the moms and she said just to tell everyone to eat an early lunch and then I only have to feed the kids cupcakes & popcorn. I liked that idea and am close enough with each of the families that I won't feel bad asking them to do that!

Wish me luck - this is going to be a crazy day!

 

[MomtoGKC]

We did it! It was pretty hectic but I think everyone had a great time. I ended up not having enough of the plastic popcorn buckets so I had to do a last minute change of plans for the favors. I decided to just give a box of animal crackers and a packet of the microwave popcorn that pops up into a bowl. I was going to tie them together with a ribbon and attach a little thank you note. When we got to the store there were party favor bags hanging right next to the popcorn that were red and white striped and said popcorn on them! So we grabbed those and put the snacks and a glow stick wand in each one.

We told the kids to have a late breakfast/early lunch, we ate mini cupcakes in the parking lot and then we got tons of snacks when we got there.

We skipped the pre-show which was fine because we ended up with a group of 25 people so it was hard enough to stay together. We left our house at 11am and didn't get home until 4:30, so the day was plenty long enough for me!

Thanks for all of the suggestions!

 

[LJSquishy]

Glad the party turned out so well! Great on-the-spot thinking with the popcorn bowls & the cute gift bags, you couldn't have found more perfect bags than that!

It's all over now...but I think including the Barrel of Monkeys game with the favor bags would have been super cute! I don't know how expensive they are, but thought I'd mention it in case someone else has a circus party...it would even be a good game to play at a party!