728x90
my iParenting
From Our Sponsors
e-newsletters
Sign up to receive our free weekly e-newsletters

new terms of use
new privacy policy
award-winning products
The iParenting Media Awards program helps parents find the best products for their families.
Home › Articles › Birthday Time › A Messy Birthday Party

A Messy Birthday Party

Don't Fight the Mess, Embrace It!

By Harmony Cornwell

Pages:  1  2  3  4  

  • Cans of whip cream or shaving cream will provide lots of entertainment and giggles. You can watch the little ones chase each other around with their cans trying to spray their friends or make themselves look like Santa Claus.
  • In lieu of a cake, set up a cupcake buffet or a sundae bar. Give the party guests lots of options to decorate their own cupcake (icing, sprinkles, candies, etc.). Little ones can use a craft stick to spread the icing on their cupcake or you can buy small tubes of squeeze icing for them. For a sundae bar, in addition to the ice cream give children their choice of toppings – bananas, crushed up cookies, whipped cream, candy – they will have as much fun making them as they will eating them.

    If a messy party is a bit overwhelming but you still want to satisfy a toddler's need for hands-on activities with minimal messiness, Sandra Kovacs, a mother of two from Coquitlam, British Columbia, tried a different approach with great success.

    "[We] blew up balloons everywhere the night before," Kovacs says. "Throwing balloons around and playing games with them is entertaining for the kids and gives Mom and Dad very little to cleanup." Another tip Kovacs provides that can help control messes you haven't planned for is to give kids their own take-home sippy cups as part of their party favors.

    Having a messy party can be great fun for everyone, but Franco advises parents to come prepared with one more essential ingredient. "Bring your sense of humor," she says. "If the unexpected makes you uncomfortable, another type of party might be a better fit."

    • A Very Messy Cake

    Why not let the party guests decorate the cake? Pre-bake a cake and frost with white icing. Give each guest a tube of colored decorating frosting and let them go to town! They can make scribbles, drawings, dots or mountains of frosting. Be sure to take a picture before letting them eat it!


    Pages:  1  2  3  4  


    Want to see more?