Awesome birthday party activity ideas

Sure, you can drop hundreds (or even thousands) of dollars on your child's next birthday party... but why would you, if you could find really fun, really easy activities the kids can do... without breaking the bank?

Here is a wonderful list of activities that would be great for boys or girls - and they come with the bonus of getting the kids moving, running, jumping, and healthier... all in time for a slice of your amazing cake!


HealthNews Blogs - Kristen DeLeo - Do-It-Yourself Active Birthday Parties for Kids

Hot, hot, hot! Birthday party ideas for the summer

It's reached that point. You know - the time of year when it's hot and sticky outside. So hot and humid that you need to towel off twice after your shower!

The last thing you might want to do is invite a dozen kids over for a party. Can you imagine the stink in the bouncy house with a bunch of sweaty kids, no shoes, and 90+ degree weather? P.U.!!

So, are you stuck with a Chuck E Cheese birthday party? No way!! (Unless you like it there - to me it's less painful to bash my own head into a wall, but I know moms who can tune out the bells and whistles.)

Here's an article with a LOT of great birthday party ideas that won't have you steaming:

Cool birthday parties (for one hot summer) - Roanoke.com

Ever try baking with your son?

It's messy! There are eggs cracking, flour flying, sugar everywhere - just the kind of disaster area my son likes! We've done some baking together - and as long as there's no fruit, coconut, nuts, or vegetables in sight, he's happy! (no allergies, just very picky)

Here's a mom and daughter team who's learning cake decorating together. Check it out!


Equal Opportunity Kitchen: She Said - She Said - Cake Decorating Class 4

Think kids can't decorate cakes? Think again!

I get the willies every time my daughter asks if she can "Make a recipe" in the kitchen... alone. She's not allowed to cook, but likes to just assemble miscellaneous ingredients into... something.

It usually means a lot of sweeping and wiping after she's "cleaned up" - oh, and one time she made me a special drink in a pink glass and had me take a big sip. Salt water.

But hey, she's trying, and she's interested. And when we work together in the kitchen, she does a lot better. If we can just get her to believe that a recipe is a good thing...

Well, here's another mom who went the extra step to enroll her daughter in a cake decorating class. Check out the homework!

Little Pink Studio: Anybody want some cake?

Tips for Cake Decorating with Your Kids

• Flat is best. Decorating a cake that’s uneven on top – bulging, sagging, sloping, or bumpy cake tops are a challenge for any cake decorator. Making sure your cake comes out flat starts as you bake. After you fill the pan, rap the pan on your counter a few times. This helps get the air bubbles out so your cake can bake evenly.
• Let them experiment with different cake decorating tips and icing colors. They’ll be amazed to see how a different tip makes the icing come out in a different shape. They might enjoy even just piping icing onto a plate, and it’s good practice, too.
• Use plain white icing and add some colorful candies to make the cake look beautiful. Gummy candy, M&Ms, licorice, jelly beans, and Star Bursts are perfect for decorating, and couldn’t be easier.
• Try edible flowers. Your kids might say, “Ew!” at first, but they’ll also be amazed to learn there are flowers that can be eaten. Don’t try this with little kids, though – they’ll have a hard time differentiating edible from poisonous flowers!
  
• Remember it’s just for fun. You’re probably not going to let your kids work on a cake you’re doing for a customer, if you’ve got a business. But if it’s for a family member or friend, there’s really no pressure for perfection. Don’t worry about it coming out as your finest masterpiece – the time you spend together is far more important than the end result.