birthday party ideas

[PrincessFiona]

party!

Nellie,

It sounds like the party was awesome....what is a pull-string Pinata?? Did you guys end up using the pinata treats for the gift bags or did you go all out with little surprises?

I am always so relieved when the party is over! It seems like so much stress goes into the planning, cleaning of the house and execution of the event 8) Thank goodness we won't have any more birthday parties until December!!!! Then I'll be hitting you up for ideas...I have a feeling Andrew will want some kind of a Harry Potter party.

kris

[Rapunzel]

I'm curious, too. What is a pull-string pinata?

Good question! It is a much, much safer alternative to blindfolding three year olds and giving them sticks to swing around.

I bought a kit for it ($2.99) but would do it myself next time. You attach one string (like curling ribbon) - about 12-18 inches - to the trap door with some tape. The trapdoor string needs to be secure so that it can pull it open. Then you tape on a bunch of additional strings to other parts of the bottom of the pinata. Each kid gets to pull on a string to try to open the pinata and one lucky kid will choose the trap-door string. The other strings just pull off.

We went to a 4 yo b-day party a few months ago were the kids used a stick (but were not blindfolded) -- it bordered on dangerous.

Kris -- that was a GREAT suggestion to fill the gift bags with the pinata goodies. I had to fill the pinata anyway, the kids were getting plenty of sugar as it was, and it saved me some $$$. I also put banana chips (get it, monkey party), monkey stickers, and those blow-out dealies in the bag. They also took home their monkey mask and monkey cookie.