For Charles' 5th Birthday we decided to do a party with his friends from church and his cousins. The theme we picked was Construction! We got the idea from a Family Fun magazine last year and ran with it. I had a great time get the party organized and Charles and his friends had a great time playing. When all the kids arrived we had them find their chair that had an home depot apron hanging on the back with their name on it. Once they found their chair they were to put it on and then sit down and put their name on their construction workers hat. When they were done they put their hats on and we headed to the garage for the first game. I told them that we had lots of work for them to do tonight. In the garage I had a wrecking ball game set up. We attached a tennis ball to the string and hung it over the top of the garage and then set up 8 old boxes for the kids to knock down. It was demolition time!!! The kids took turns knocking over one box at a time. Each kid got two turns and then we let them each have a turn trying to knock over as many boxes as they could. (We didn't do prizes for the game, we just let them all play and have fun.) It was great to see the kids enjoying the game.
Once we finished the demolition we went back inside for some dinner. Yummy Pizza! Charles choice! The boys enjoyed talking around the table while they ate their dinner.
(Charles' cousins who live in Texas called and sang him Happy Birthday while they were eating dinner. I think he enjoyed it!)
After dinner I told them they had more work to do, so we headed outside to the construction zone. I made two houses out of big cardboard boxes and gave the kids paints and markers for them to make their houses beautiful. They each had a good time getting messy.
While the kids were outside constructing their houses John went inside and hid some tools around the house. Once they finished with their houses I told them a story about a Construction worker named Joe who was very clumsy and tripped on everything. And today he tripped and spilled his tools all over and the kids needed to help him fill his tool box back up.
After they found all the tools we took them back outside for the Pinata. This was a different pinata then normal, no HITTING involved. There was a trap door that one of the pieces of construction tape was attached to, so the kids had to keep pulling pieces off until they pulled the right one.
I made the mistake of telling Charles how it worked and he saw me making some of it, so we decided to tell everyone also. He also told everyone that the one attached to the trap door was in the middle. So John had to cover the kids eyes so they would pull the trap door before everyone had a turn. Turns out the candy was make it's own trap door inside. When the trap door was pulled open the candy didn't budge. So we let them keep pulling hoping that the movement would get the candy to fall out. It didn't. So when they were all done we had them line back up along the wall and then John shook it to get all the candy out and then they ran for it. I think they still had fun! I learned not to share secrets with a 5 year old.
After the Pinata we brought the kids in and had them sing Happy Birthday so Charles could blow out his candles and share his cake with his friends.
He was very excited and had a great evening with his friends!!!
Luckily at the last minute I decided to ask my parents to come help with party. (They don't like to miss out on their oldest grandson's party's.) They were such a big help with all of it, especially since John's train was running late and he got home much later then I expected.
Thanks MOM & DAD!!!! Love you!
Once we finished the demolition we went back inside for some dinner. Yummy Pizza! Charles choice! The boys enjoyed talking around the table while they ate their dinner.
(Charles' cousins who live in Texas called and sang him Happy Birthday while they were eating dinner. I think he enjoyed it!)
After dinner I told them they had more work to do, so we headed outside to the construction zone. I made two houses out of big cardboard boxes and gave the kids paints and markers for them to make their houses beautiful. They each had a good time getting messy.
While the kids were outside constructing their houses John went inside and hid some tools around the house. Once they finished with their houses I told them a story about a Construction worker named Joe who was very clumsy and tripped on everything. And today he tripped and spilled his tools all over and the kids needed to help him fill his tool box back up.
After they found all the tools we took them back outside for the Pinata. This was a different pinata then normal, no HITTING involved. There was a trap door that one of the pieces of construction tape was attached to, so the kids had to keep pulling pieces off until they pulled the right one.
I made the mistake of telling Charles how it worked and he saw me making some of it, so we decided to tell everyone also. He also told everyone that the one attached to the trap door was in the middle. So John had to cover the kids eyes so they would pull the trap door before everyone had a turn. Turns out the candy was make it's own trap door inside. When the trap door was pulled open the candy didn't budge. So we let them keep pulling hoping that the movement would get the candy to fall out. It didn't. So when they were all done we had them line back up along the wall and then John shook it to get all the candy out and then they ran for it. I think they still had fun! I learned not to share secrets with a 5 year old.
After the Pinata we brought the kids in and had them sing Happy Birthday so Charles could blow out his candles and share his cake with his friends.
He was very excited and had a great evening with his friends!!!
Luckily at the last minute I decided to ask my parents to come help with party. (They don't like to miss out on their oldest grandson's party's.) They were such a big help with all of it, especially since John's train was running late and he got home much later then I expected.
Thanks MOM & DAD!!!! Love you!
