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  1. #1
    trumansmom is offline Emerald level (3000+ posts)
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    Default HELP! What do I do with a bunch of 3 year olds?!

    DS's party is next weekend, and I don't have a clue as to what we should be doing! It's from 10 - 12:30. I figured for the first hour we could pop balloons by sitting on them (we have a BUNCH leftover from the campaign, so if this goes over well, we'll do this for awhile!), maybe break a pinata, but what else? I figured around 11:30 we'll eat and then do presents, cake and ice cream.

    Any clever ideas?

    Jeanne
    Mom to Truman 11/29/01 and Eleanor 4/14/04

  2. #2
    brubeck Guest

    Default RE: HELP! What do I do with a bunch of 3 year olds?!

    When I had Amy's 3rd birthday I rented a bounce house. Unfortunately it rained that day so I cancelled it and organized another indoor party last minute! Having very little prep time I borrowed heavily from preschool.

    I had a bunch of 'activity stations' set up around the first floor. One had puzzles, one had stickers and crayons, one had Playdoh and one had Fruit Loops and thin ribbon (to make necklaces). DH also brought out his mini electric (musical) keyboard and electric drums. I made a 'report card' for each child and attached a strip of star stickers. Each parent had the report card and every time a child did one of the activities the parent placed a star sticker there. To make it easy, one of the activities on the report card was 'playing with toys'. I also set up some toddler computer games. If the child got as many star stickers as their age then they won a prize. The kids seemed to have a good time and many of them did not want to stop what they were doing to have cake!

    For an outsider's opinion you can ask Mamahill what she thought because she was there, but from my (hostess) perspective it went extremely well! Keep in mind that a parent for each child is ESSENTIAL unless you want your house destroyed. :)

  3. #3
    klmnyc Guest

    Default RE: HELP! What do I do with a bunch of 3 year olds?!

    My DD's 3rd b-day was a week before Halloween, so I had a "Pumpkin Painting Party". mini pumpkins and craft paint (non-toxic, of course!), and sponge brushes. I laid out a plastic table cloth on the floor, and there was no major disasters!

    Why not a turkey decorating party? Find a line drawing of a turkey online or in a coloring book, and print out a dozen copies. Buy some glue, a bunch of craft store feathers, pre-cut felt or foam pieces.

    Or how about Xmas ornaments. Precut circles, hole punch, small length of ribbon to hang it and felt/foam pieces. Glitter pens. (or Kwanzaa, or Hannukah related decorations...).

    Just do the project early on, so they have time to dry before every goes home.


    Just a word of advice re: pinatas - I've seen way too many hysterical kids watch Dora's head get wacked off!

  4. #4
    raynjen Guest

    Default RE: HELP! What do I do with a bunch of 3 year olds?!

    We had a collar (necklace) stringing activity at my daughter's 3rd birthday last month. We also had our faces painted to look like puppies and each child got a pair of ears and had their picture taken in our "dog house". We had a "Find the Bone" game where I hid cardboard bones. Kids could turn in their bones for bone shaped cookies. We had a "Hop on Spot" game where they jumped from colored spot to colored spot (big construction paper circles taped to the floor). There was no point to this game, but they had a lot of fun identifying the colors and hopping. Lastly we had a "Tape the Tail on the Dog" game.

    HTH

    Jen in Okinawa
    Mom to a wonderful preschooler,
    who just turned three, Noelle!

  5. #5
    RhondaSue50 Guest

    Default RE: HELP! What do I do with a bunch of 3 year olds?!

    I had to smile when I read your post, Jen. I had a very similar party for my daughter's last birthday, but with a kitty theme. My husband face painted everyone at the party, including the adults and I made kitty ears with headbands and fake fur. We have the best pictures ever! (My dad may never forgive me, however...) It was an all-girl party, as far as the children, so I had them decorate "collars" out of wide ribbon using markers and jewel stickers. The best part - a neighbor's cat had had a litter of kittens recently, so we brought those over for a little while. The girls really loved it.

  6. #6
    brubeck Guest

    Default RE: HELP! What do I do with a bunch of 3 year olds?!

    So Jeanne how did the party go?

  7. #7
    trumansmom is offline Emerald level (3000+ posts)
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    Default RE: HELP! What do I do with a bunch of 3 year olds?!

    Not bad. Because it was right after Thanksgiving (we had about 15 people over), I have to admit I really didn't do much to prepare. We ended up just playing with balloons, coloring, pin the tail on the donkey (they were NOT interested in this!) eating pizza, cake and ice cream and that was pretty much it. Everyone seemed to have fun though, and DS had a blast.

    Next year we'll have Thanksgiving at someone else's house and we'll do it right!

    Jeanne
    Mom to Truman 11/29/01 and Eleanor 4/14/04

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