Need your input to plan for my 3 yo's party

[cccat]

Hi all,

My Emily will be three in April. Her previous two “birthday parties" involved only balloons, candles, cake, herself, daddy, and mommy. We don’t have relatives or friends with kids of her age here. Now she’s older and has read about birthday parties, watched some in TV cartoons, and seen other classmates celebrating in her class, I think she’ll enjoy one of her own. So I’m planning for a party in her class. There will be 8 kids; ages range from 2.6-3.3 by April.

For food, we can only bring in kosher food because it’s a nursery school in a YM/YWHA. We also have to avoid food that contains milk or its derivatives because of Emily’s allergy. The children will be home for lunch soon after the party so I don’t want to fill them up. I’m thinking about fresh fruit or fruit cups--have to check with the director and see if they’re considered kosher. What else can I bring that’s kosher, festive, not containing too much sugar, sodium, fat, and artificial additives?

For favors, I have selected the following from orientaltrading.com for each child:
1 zoo animal tote bag (8 1/4� x 3� x 7� vinyl with snap closure)http://tinyurl.com/a9mbn
2 zoo animal stamps (1.5" plastic) http://tinyurl.com/abghl
1 zoo animal slide puzzle (2.5") http://tinyurl.com/77fc2
1 vinyl zoo animal bicycle horn (6") http://tinyurl.com/9r5r7
4 zoo animal book marks (1 1/2" plastic) http://tinyurl.com/cqlhv
2 packs of candies (They are made of juice, in shapes of Madagascar characters, sold in BJ’s in a box of 30 packs. Thought they will go with the theme. I’m not very comfortable with the idea of giving children candies but this is a special occasion, right? Or you have other suggestions?)

I estimate the goody bag will be about $4 (including shipping cost) for each child. Is it a reasonable amount or too little? Will the tote bag be too big for the few items? Shall I also give her teacher and the assistant each a goody bag? I only know that her teacher has a 9 yo dd and the assistant has a gc.

I want it to be special for Emily but I'm not sure if we should bring in our own tablecloth, plates, cups, napkins, and decorations (balloons not allowed). It'll probably be a food-and-happy-birthday-song party for maybe 15-20 minutes. So far her classmates use what the school supply but I think some of them have a party at home as well. What's your thought on that?

TIA for all input,
Cecilia


http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/31795.jpg

[cccat]

Ooops! What did I do wrong? Neither the attached pictures or the tiny url's work?

[wendmatt]

COuld you make a healthy carrot cake or something? I couldn't see the tote bags but I think the things to put in it sound great and enough. I don't think you need to take one for the teacher and assistant, just the kids. My DD doesn't go to preschool yet so I don't know about taking plates etc, but if you want it to be special or a theme, maybe you could take stuff in. You can buy the zoo animals plates at the store. Talk to the teacher and see what they say.
Good luck, hope she has fun.

[JElaineB]

I assume you have talked to the teacher and ok'd a party like this? I guess to me it sounds a little extravagent for a school party. I personally would do what the other parents do, use the school supplies, etc. For DS's 3rd birthday we sent homemade cookies to daycare (they had them in the afternoon) and he got to wear the birthday hat (they have a special hat all the kids wear on their birthday) and they sang happy birthday to him. That was all, but it was fun for him. I don't think you have to do too much to make it special for her. For DS's birthday we did also have our typical low-key family party as well with cake and ice cream on the weekend before.

Jennifer
mom to Jacob 9/27/02