Help me with a party....

[Melaine]

....please? My girls' 2nd birthday is coming up next month, and I keep wavering on how to go about the party. Last year we had a very low key family birthday so this year we want to include a few more people. I grabbed a bunch of adorable teddy bears after Valentines' Day (yes WAY ahead!) and originally planned to have a homemade build-a-bear party. After thinking about the guest list, I decided we need to have it somewhere other than our house size-wise, so now we are thinking about a local park. I'm torn because as much as I'd love to have it at our house, some of my nephews who are a little older are basically too wild to be contained by our small floor-plan. But how could we do a build-a-bear theme at the park? So....here are my questions:
Any suggestions for easy to transport and serve food (finger food, casual)?
Any other teddy-bear themed ideas?
Any other homemade teddy bear outfit ideas? (I plan to have various fleece items....scarves, maybe vests, whatever I can easily cut out of fleece without sewing)
Any other advice about park parties? (Parents WILL be staying so we won't be in charge of a bunch of toddlers!)
THANKS you guys!!!

[Globetrotter]

I once looked into doing a teddy bear's picnic!! That would fit in with your theme. I was thinking the kids could each bring their favorite bear or other animal and go from there... You would have the build-a-bear activity to keep them busy for some time, and otherwise they can play in the park.

Serve teddy grahams as part of the picnic food :) Red/white checkered tablecloths would be cute.

At all the park parties we have attended, the kids ended up playing on the play structures if there was one nearby, so you really don't have to do much more. I would take things that can be eaten at room temperature or cold (kept on ice).

Here are some more ideas (I found this ages ago but ended up doing something easier for me :)):

http://www.epinions.com/kifm-review-1F3B-156F572-38C14E89-prod8

Who knew that epinions had an amazing section on kid's parties???

Kris

[niccig]

We did a park party a few years ago and will do one again next year.

Get there early to grab your spot with balloons, table cloths etc. One person can stay there or DH went to set up and then came home to pick up more things.

If you need more seating space - have folding chairs/table or picnic blankets or ask a few friends to bring what they have.

Food - keep it simple. Platter of sandwiches, big bowl of salad, cut up fruit, vegetable tray, chips, snack things for the kids. Drinks in cooler. At many park parties we've gone to, the parents order in pizza. Cake for dessert.

See if someone will help with setting up or cleaning up. We had a lot of work to do and DS was young so one of us had to watch him while the other worked, but we had to bring all the tables and chairs as all the seating are was booked ahead of time - we didn't know that.

[lizajane]

use a teddy bear cookie cutter to punch out teddy bear sandwichs. :)

[Melaine]

Cool....thanks guys these are practical tips! And I'm so glad you mentioned Teddy Grahams; for some reason that hadn't even occured to me!!! Duh....
Red and white tablecloths sounds great too! I'll check to see if we have to reserve tables! Thanks so much!

[Melaine]

use a teddy bear cookie cutter to punch out teddy bear sandwichs. :)


Oh yah great! I'll have to look out for that....anyone seen one anywhere for sale?

[geochick]

Oh yah great! I'll have to look out for that....anyone seen one anywhere for sale?

Check Michaels or any other craft or cooking store.

[geochick]

I think our Michaels craft store has rice crispy treat molds in the shape of bears too. Walk down the aisles of a craft store. You'll be inspired by something...maybe even paint some little wooden bear shapes. My 2yo would LOVE that. It's always best to break out the paints at a park... :)