Everything will be under control at the birthday corral with this party plan. All you need for good eating and plenty of fun to celebrate your cowgirl or cowboy's big day is right here. With the opening of Toy Story 3 on June 18, 2010 and the return of the endearing characters of Sheriff Woody, Jessie and Bullseye this party will be in high demand.
Invitations: An easy DIY version requires two colors of card stock or construction paper and some small decorative dots. To make each card, simply fold in half a 5 1/2 x 8 1/2-inch piece of card stock in color one. Then from color two cut out a horseshoe and glue it to the front of the card. Be sure to place the horseshoes up for good luck. Apply small decorative dots for the horseshoe nails. You can buy decorative dots from an office supply store or make your own with a hole punch. Use colored markers to add the message and any additional decorative embellishments, then print the party details inside. Encourage your guests to bring a favorite pony to the party and/or to dress-up in blue jeans. Wild West Roundup/Pony-themed invites are available in party stores and on-line from such vendors like Oriental Trading Company or Birthday In a Box.
Decorations: Let your child's favorite pony story or movie characters guide the colors and theme used for paper goods and balloons. Wild West Roundup food choices lend themselves to ranch decor, so you may want to go the red checkered tablecloth and bandannas ($7.99 per dozen) route. Guests can take home the bandannas or tie them on as a neckerchief. Hand out cowboy hats ($14.99 per dozen) upon arrival to solidify the Wild West theme. Exclusive Toy Story 3 party supplies are available at Birthday in a Box.
Activities: A great ice breaker is to take pictures of each cowpoke in his or her cowboy hat with a bandanna tied around the neck. For favors print the pictures off as black and white wanted posters on tan 8 1/2 x 11 paper to give them the authentic touch.
An excellent way to settle kids down before serving the food is a printable maze. A Western-themed one can be found here.
As the party winds down, a game of rob thy neighbor is in order. Before the party, package a party trinket for each guest in a decorative box or gift bag. Vary the wrapping so some will be large and some will be small, some plain and some fancy. Have the guests form a circle on the floor or ground and put all the favors in the center of the group. The child to the right of the birthday boy or girl chooses first. The next child can then either take the first child's choice or choose another. (All gifts remained wrapped until the end.) This continues around the circle until every child has taken a gift from center or from another child. In the end every child should have one favor to take home.
Games: A natural for the Roundup is "Pin the Tail on the Pony".
If you have enough space inside or can take the party outside, organize a galloping relay race. Pair the kids as the front and back end of a horse. Each pair goes the distance as one end and switches places to come back as the other. The first pair to reach the finish line wins.
A hunt in the hay is a fun game, if you can take the party outdoors or don't care about having hay inside - perhaps the basement? If you have to have your hunt inside, think about using shredded paper from a document shredder. Blindfold each kid as it is their turn. In a small pile of hay, hide tiny objects (pennies, small toys). Your local dollar store is a good source of these small items. Each guest has a chance to feel around the "hay" and find objects. Set a timer, so everyone has the same opportunity to find things. Kids can either keep what they find or you can declare the winner as the kid that finds the most stuff.
Set up a "lasso" practice area. Using a hula hoop and a child's rocking horse, have your cowboys and girls try to "rope" the pony's neck.
A challenging game for the outdoors or indoors - if you have space - is Sidewinder Jump. The purpose of this game is to avoid the "bite" of a deadly snake. Make your snake out of an 8-foot length of rope. To play, have two adults hold the end of the rope and whisk it back and forth along the ground. The children try to jump over the wiggling snake without touching it. For older kids, try raising the rope a few inches off the ground.
Food: The chow wagon can serve up hot dogs and baked beans. For a change of pace try Mini BBQ Chicken Pizzas. Kids will love to nibble on baby carrots and apple slices, a diet staple of horses. Add some Doritos Munchies Mix for a bit of crunch and to round out the treats. Wash down the trail dust with root beer or lemonade.
Cake: For a special cake, try one shaped like a cowboy or girl's best friend - his or her trusty stead. It is easier than you think with templates and a how-to video from Betty Crocker. Or try making one using the Wilton Pony Pan (2105-1101).
Favors: In addition to the cowboy hat, bandanna, any winnings and the individual Wanted Posters, each guest can take home a toy harmonica ($6.99 per dozen) or a bag of trail mix, if more bounty is needed.
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