I just posted the handmade invitations I made for my daughter's first birthday party. I have plenty of time because it isn't until May 23rd but we are planning early to spread out cost, make it less stressful, and because we are having a new baby shortly afterwards.
I have a ladybug cake pan already, and I have ordered the plates and some basic decorations from here.... http://www.birthdayexpress.com/browse/_/N-i/Ntt-ladybug/results1.aspx I have been finding little things like ladybug stickers that I can use to help me make a big sign to decorate with and for her to have as a keepsake for later.
If anyone has any craft ideas for things I could make and decorate with they'd be much appreciated! Just remember she's little so pinatas and party games are out, which is too bad because otherwise I'd do pin the wing on the ladybug or something equally cheesy and fun! *LOL*
Here are a few ideas I found.
For a first birthday party create a banner to hang where the guests will arrive saying, “Our Little Lady is Turning One, Come Out Back( or in as the case may be) for the Birthday Fun!”
Cover the party table with a red table cloth, place black circles made of black felt around the table to make spots.
Create a festive balloon bouquet centerpiece using
red, black and Mylar ladybug balloons, tied to a weight. Place the weight into a red gift bag. Fill the bag with tissue or artificial flowers. Red and black streamers would work good also.
To REALLY set the scene for this party create a GIANT garden
for the ladybugs. Use colored butcher paper, poster board or fabric
to make giant flowers, butterflies and stems of grass. Attach them
to the walls, doorway etc.
Give each guest a pair of ladybug antennas, made with a headband, pipe cleaners and Styrofoam balls. Buy any cheapheadband. If you find red just add pipe cleaners to them. make them curly by winding around a pencil. Add your pom-pom to the top. If you do not find red plastic headbands buy any color and wrap by winding with red ribbon.
A game that even the smallest child could play would be Help the lady bug find her spots
Before the party, make a large cut out of a ladybug body using red and black poster board (red body and black head & legs) and several black bean bags. Do not make black spots on the ladybug body. Place the poster on the floor. Players help the lady bug "get her spots back", by taking turns
tossing black bean bags onto Miss Ladybug's body.
Another game that would work with younger children might be this one. Real young children could be helped by the adults. Even my youngest grandkids love searching for Easter eggs.
Find Miss Ladybug
This Ladybug birthday party game is similar to treasure hunt. Hide plastic Ladybugs (or anything to do with Ladybugs) around the party area. At game time, divide the kids into groups, give each group a small bag and ask them to find as many Ladybugs as possible. The group who finds the most, gets all of the Ladybugs as present
Make ladybug aprons for all the girls or if real young bibs. -- use red canvas or cotton material and add black spots with fabric paint.
Paint terra-cotta pots white and plant daisies inside. At a craft store buy wooden, painted ladybugs and glue them to the sides of the pot. You could use the tiny pots in this manner as name tag place holders so guest know where to sit.
For cute party favors decorate sugar cookies to look like lady bugs. Tie in clear cellophane and tie with with red and black ribbons.
Goody bags or favors.
Buy red lunch bags and use round black construction paper circles to decorate them. Fill the bags with Ladybug stickers, a colouring picture, a red pencil, a tiny bottle of bubbles (decorated with bug stickers), candy.
For this Ladybug birthday party your little princess should dress up as a Ladybug. Buy or make your own dress for your little girl. Make one by adding black spots to a red dress and let her wear it with black tights and a Ladybug antenna.
Crafts. How about an egg carton lady bug. Seperate cups from your egg cartons and paint to look look like ladybugs. punch 3 holes on each side and run chaneille stems through for legs. Add 2 small hols where the antennae would be and add antennaw. Add googly eyes and set around the party area.
This site has a lot of cute ideas. ONe is a ladybug claypot windchime. Would be cute to hang a few of them around as decorations and you could enjoy them even after the party.
http://www.dltk-kids.com/crafts/insects/crafts-ladybug.htm
this is the chime.
http://www.dltk-kids.com/crafts/insects/mladybugchime.htm
or if you dfo not like chimes just do claypot ladybugs.
http://familycrafts.about.com/cs/ladybugcrafts/l/blcpladyb.htm
simole foam ladybugs
http://www.allfreecrafts.com/kids/ladybugs.shtml
An idea too for each guest to recieve would be to buy the paper mache frames. Paint red or black and trim with ladybugs around the edge. Then take a picture of each guest or child at the party and frame it for them in the decorated frame. And don't forget a nice one of your daughter.
If having an outdoor party paint rocks to sit around to look like ladybugs. You can do these in all sizes. Or paint the patio pavers to look like lady bugs. These can be enjoyed all year.
HOpe that you find something here that will help you.
Wowsa! My mind is reeling!!!! What wonderful ideas!!! I am SO excited and SO glad I asked!!!
To answer the question there will only be 5 children at the party counting my daughter only two of them are older than my daughter and they are 2 years old. One is almost exactly her age, and the other is several months younger.
Quoting xosparklesxo:
Wowsa! My mind is reeling!!!! What wonderful ideas!!! I am SO excited and SO glad I asked!!!
To answer the question there will only be 5 children at the party counting my daughter only two of them are older than my daughter and they are 2 years old. One is almost exactly her age, and the other is several months younger.
Then you really only need one activity.....B U B B L E S ! ! ! ! ! If you have a bubble machine, even better. Another "activity" that works well for this age is a parachute. If you don't have one, a small blanket works just as well. For added excitement, add ping-pong balls. Have fun!!!!!
I was thinking of the antenae for all of the guests. You could just use black head bands which I am sure you may be able to find at michaels or something...or order online. Then use pipe cleaners and hot glue little puff balls to the top of the pipe cleaners. It would at least be cute for pictures.
I am in the process of planning for my little boys' 1st bday in April. I made magnets for favor bags...I found flat wood painted monkey things at Michaels and I am hot gluing magnets on the back. I wrote on them with a sharpie, Thanks for coming, Love, Whit & Parker. I am sure they may have ladybugs. I also ordered plush monkies from oriental trader and am going to put those in the bags since all of the guests will be young.
I would def. say use red table cloth and put black dots on it...either with paint on a vinyl table cloth or felt on a cloth tablecloth.
Make red punch and find some sort of black balls to have floating in it...
I also ordered the monkey birthday banners from birthday express that you can get personalized. I think they were 15 each. I am going to have everyone sign the banner before they leave. I am SURE they have lady bug ones.
As a snack, use english muffins and make them into pizzas and put black olives on them (or just use pepperoni) and make them look like ladybugs.
hope this helps! I love birthdays!
Lindsay Wilson
Adventure Time Party!
- xosparklesxo
on Feb. 14, 2009 at 12:46 PM