Author Archives: Jennifer K

Birthday Celebration Ideas for the 11 Year Old Girl

April 27 8:16 am ⋅

My little girl is turning 11 on Thursday, and that is what prompted this post. I have four children total, and every time a birthday rolls around for each one of them, I get all emotional and start reflecting on just how quickly it’s going – or maybe I’m  just realizing my own mortality and the quick rate of aging I am unable to stop.  The reality is – it will never stop. Our children will continue to grow at an alarmingly fast rate, and we are left in their dust only to look back and think “wow, where did it all go?”

Celebrating birthdays has always been a big part of my family’s life. Somewhere along the line it became an unspoken rule that a birthday – not a birthday party, just a birthday – meant cake and ice cream. Yep, the kids think that just because the cat turns one, there will be cake.  Not really sure how that happened…

Turning 11 is a big deal to a little girl. Of course, every age is a big deal, but turning 11 has it’s thing. I was told “it’s the first double digit age”, as she held up both of her index fingers to make an 11. You know, zero doesn’t count as a real digit, so a one and one together is the first double digit age. Courtesy of my beautiful and creative almost double digit daughter.

If you have a daughter or a special little girl in your life that is about to turn 11, maybe the ideas below will give you something to think about when it comes to celebrating.

Ideas for Celebrating the Girl Turning Double Digits

If you are lucky, she’s not yet at that point where she’s too cool for you. I’m lucky. She still wants to be around me and be seen with me, and it makes her whole day if I show her special attention, no matter where we’re at. We could be in the front of her school where the kids line up to go inside and she will kiss me goodbye.

  • Pick her up from school at her lunch time and take her on a special lunch date. Even McDonald’s will be special. Keep it a surprise though! The look on her face will be priceless when she finds out that you are at her school to pick her up for a while. Also, remember those days, when you wished and prayed that the intercom from the office was to call you to the office?
  • Decorate the house with streamers and balloons while she’s at school (if school is not in, then try to get her out of the  house so that it will be a surprise for her when she returns). Use two different colors, and make sure they are her favorites! 11 year old girls may try to pretend that stuff doesn’t interest them, but I guarantee you she will love it. You can get streamers and balloons at a dollar store.
  • Take her out to a movie that she has wanted to see, but hasn’t been able to because the rest of her siblings are either too young or too old. She will feel like the bees knees for getting to pick the movie, and it will be even more special if she’s the only one who gets to go.
  • When it comes to presents, it has been my experience that girls this age are in an “in between” phase.  They may feel like they are too old to still play with toys, even though they still love toys, but they may also feel like they are still too young for all the “tween girl” stuff. You know, make-up, new clothes, shoes. It’s tough to shop for a girl this age. The best advice I can give is to try to balance it by including both. Give her some fun things that she can still enjoy and play with, but also give her some more mature gifts, such as hair accessories or jewelry. I have found that bath bubbles and great smelling lotions are great presents for girls this age. (Side note : I got my 11 year old daughter a very cheap tablet. In my opinion, it’s a “cool” gift. Something that caters to the kid in her, but also to the little woman that she is turning into.)
  • Ask her what she wants to do – and then do it. Let her plan her day (with boundaries of course!) Ask her to pick a few things she would like to do, and then make a day of it.

No matter how you choose to celebrate your double digit princess, just remember this one important fact – she will love being the center of your attention.  Showing her just how important and special she is will have a life long effect on her. She will forever remember how she felt the day she began the second half of her childhood.

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Happy Birthday Party planning!

 

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Ideas to Celebrate the Birthday Girl Turning 12

October 26 11:49 pm ⋅
Birthday Ideas for 12 Year Old Girls

Image Credit : Zazzle

Wow, your daughter is about to turn twelve. First of all, let me be the first to tell you how terribly sorry I am for you, and I wish you much luck in the upcoming years. I am allowed to say this because I myself just went through it. My oldest daughter turned 12. (I think it effected me more than it did her.)

When your daughter turns 12, it’s an awkward age for us parents. It’s awkward for, well…a lot of things. They are much too old for the things they used to have interests in (barbies, baby dolls, etc) and they’re starting to be interested in boys, makeup, hair and fashion (heaven help us!) As parents we don’t want to let our little girls grow up, either at all, or just too fast. We are torn between “letting” our princess mature, and just the plain ol’ fact that it’s going to happen regardless if we give it our blessing or not. Cold hard truth I had a very hard time accepting.

Below are some ideas for a birthday party for a not so little girl turning 12. With any luck, you can pull it off without crying!

Birthday Ideas for 12 Year Old Girls

She’s over the Disney Princess theme, so why not do a Make-Over Theme?

I had the hardest time thinking of ideas for presents for her, just out of the sheer fact she wasn’t into toys anymore. When I stood back and watched her for a few days, the idea hit me.  She’s been spending hours in front of the mirror trying out different hairstyles. She had also been begging me to put highlights in her hair (gasp!) and I just wasn’t ready to damage her perfectly beautiful and healthy locks. I finally gave in. I bought her a box of do-it-yourself highlights for her birthday from the grocery store. This way I could put them in her hair and control the amount of “grown-up” dose she would receive. I also bought her a 3 pack of different sized curling irons, a blow dryer, about a thousand different hair pieces, hair spray and mousse. Guess what? She loved it. And I didn’t even have to cave on getting her make-up. Bite sized introduction to adult hood, if you will.

Organized “childish” parties will get her eyes rolling, so why not take her out on a special date night?

This is a great idea for a 12 year old girl. Make a special day/night of it. Take her out shopping, let her pick out a fancy dress, and a new pair of shoes. If she’s anything like my daughter, the prospect of a new pair of shoes will light up her day. She may even ask you for a pair of heels…(in my experience, the very low to the ground platform heels are a great starter pair of heels for girls. They dress up her look and she’ll feel a little older, but she doesn’t sport the 12 going on 25 hooker look.) After you take her shopping, take her on a date. A fancy dinner (think Olive Garden or something similar) and possibly a movie. She’ll love spending time with you, and it’s not the typical childish birthday party. This idea works great whether you’re a mom or a dad…or a grandma or grandpa. 😉

She’s a social butterfly, so let her be social…

Yep. Throw her a birthday party. Let her invite some friends over from school. Do a sleep over. I know, it sounds like one of the worst things you could possibly do to yourself. If you’re like me, you’ve done maybe 1 sleepover. I have four children, and the thought of having any more children to deal with at night is not gonna happen. My answer is always no to the dreaded question. Allowing a sleepover may just be the special thing you could do for her. Having things like make-overs, movies, and other girly activities will keep them all happy. Plus, by allowing friends to come over, you’ve bought yourself less presents required, and the painful task of trying to figure out what to buy for her is all of the sudden minimized! 12 year old girls know what 12 year old girls want for their birthday. (Here are two previous posts you can read for more birthday party ideas or birthday party games.)

No matter how you decide to celebrate your 12 year old daughters birthday, she’s going to love it. Take a step back and just watch her for a while. Nobody knows your daughter better than you, and you’ll know what she’s into and what would make her happy. As long as you plan something to make her happy, you can’t fail!

 

 

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Birthday Party Ideas for Kids

August 16 3:11 pm ⋅

Birthday Party Ideas for KidsThrowing a birthday party for children is nothing short of work. A LOT of work. The idea seems innocent enough, but when you factor in all the extra stuff you have to make sure you take care of (goodie bags, food, decorations, etc) it just takes it’s toll on us.

Below are some birthday party ideas for kids that will hopefully give you a little bit of relief from the overwhelming panic feeling that will surely creep it’s way into your day at least once. 😉

Birthday Party Ideas for Kids

Clearly there’s the obvious choices, like bowling, or Chuckie Cheese (and other places that offer kids birthday parties). I love these options because it really does simplify our life. You call and schedule the party, and they take care of the rest. Of course the easier it is on us, the more expensive it’s going to be. Most places have different party options, like do you want to include the invitations and food in the party, and some even include goodie bags for the guests (of course for a larger fee.) Depending on how many kids you are inviting to the party will greatly depend on what party package you choose. But…duh. That’s common knowledge.

  • Other birthday party ideas you could do is let your child invite a few friends over from school and have the party at home. If you don’t feel like dealing with an entire class this may be the option for you. You can find arts and crafts, or even do a theme party for your child. You don’t even have to go overboard with it. For a kid, if there’s cake, ice cream and presents…it’s a party.
  • Playing games at a birthday party is something that can be done easily, and the kids always end up having a blast no matter what games you play. You can get some great and easy game ideas here : Kids Birthday Party Games
  • Giving out gift bags (or goodie bags) isn’t necessarily necessary…but it is something that every kid looks forward to when attending a birthday party. The dollar store and even Target or Walmart have their dollar section…you can get some very cheap and inexpensive goodies to put in the bags for the kids.

Tip : If you have a younger audience (kids between the ages of 1-3), I always like to give out the goodie bags when my child is opening presents. It seems to have keep the kids occupied and eliminates the need for other kids to want to open the presents. It really made it easier for present opening.

Don’t beat yourself up over ideas. You don’t need to overdo it. The party will turn out great and the kids will have a good time no matter what you do. I promise. :)

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Happy Birthday Party planning!

*To get more kids birthday party ideas and kids birthday party games, click on the links below.

Simon Says | The Balloon Ping Pong Game | Obstacle Course Ideas | Charades for Kids | Printable Bingo Cards for Kids

 

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Easy Obstacle Course Ideas – Using Things You Already Have

July 30 8:23 pm ⋅

Obstacle Course IdeasAn obstacle course is a fantastic way to get the kids to have fun, but also it burns some of their energy, which is always a good thing! It does take some more planning on your part, but it’s definitely well worth it. Note : You don’t necessarily have to have an obstacle course outside. If it’s a winter party and you’re stuck inside, you can still make an obstacle course in the house (if you can handle the noise, that is).

Tips and Ideas For Making an Easy (but Great!) Obstacle Course:

  • Laundry baskets are great for making a station in an obstacle course. You can fill them up with other things you have around the house, or you can flip it over and make it a jump (or climb or step) over obstacle.
  • Use balls (or pillows!) and have the kids throw it up once and catch it.
  • Use sticks that have fallen from trees to make an outline of an obstacle.
  • Place a pitcher of water along with a few cups and have the kids transfer the water from the pitcher to the cups.
  • Cut holes in a piece of cardboard and make foil balls. The obstacle – throw the balls through the holes! (Make the holes fairly large)
  • Hoolah Hoops and jump ropes make great stations.
  • Bikes, skateboards, scooters, roller blades – all great obstacles. They don’t even need to know how to ride any of them…just pick it up and lay it back down. Or jump over them. Or put them on and take them off. (Skateboards are great for scooting on.)
  • Cardboard boxes make great tunnels.
  • How about a shoe tying station?
  • Drawing station?
  • Water hose station?

You can make an obstacle course out of anything. If you see it laying around then it can be used. You can time the kids, team them up, or have them do it individually. The sky really is the limit when creating an obstacle course for kids. Once you get the ball rolling, you’ll start to think of things you may never have thought about using. Keep your eyes wide and your mind open, and you’ll be up to your eyeballs with ideas for homemade obstacle courses in no time!

If you found this post helpful, please share it with the buttons to your left or below so others can enjoy it as well!)

Happy Birthday Party planning!

*To get more kids birthday party ideas and kids birthday party games, click on the links below.

Simon Says | The Balloon Ping Pong Game | Obstacle Course Ideas | Charades for Kids | Printable Bingo Cards for Kids

 

Image credit : Juicy Juice

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Bingo For Kids – Printable Cards and Instructions

July 30 6:35 pm ⋅

Printable Bingo Cards for KidsBingo is such a fun game to play at kids birthday parties. Every kid loves playing bingo (and really, what adult do you know who doesn’t?) Below are instructions on how to play Bingo at a kids birthday party. Also, here’s some good news –  you can print the bingo cards directly from here – for free (because that’s what we do!)  The only thing we ask is that you share this page before you leave.

(To print the cards, scroll down to the bottom of the page. You’ll find the print option there.)

Set Up:

  • Be sure to print off enough bingo cards for each child who wants to play – each child will need a different card)
  • Don’t forget to print a “master card” for the bingo caller – generally this will be yourself.
  • Cut your copy along the individual bingo squares
  • Place the cut squares into a bowl or something you can easily draw from.
  • M&M’s or Hershey Kisses are great for game markers – and the kids can eat some too!

How to Play:

  • Set the kids up with one card and a stash of game markers (make sure you tell them not to eat them all – they need to use them for the game!)
  • Draw one square out and read it out loud to the kids
  • If the square says “party”, all children who have “party” on their card will cover up any square with a game marker
  • Draw another square, and repeat the process
  • This continues until someone fills in a row (vertically, horizontally or diagonally) and yells “BINGO!”
  • The winner gets a prize (in some cases, there MAY be more than one winner for each game. Just make sure you have a few extra prizes on hand just in case)

If you have more than 20 children playing, that’s okay. Just print out as many bingo cards as you need. If you end up using duplicate bingo cards, there will be more than one winner for each game. And really…that’s okay. Kids just like to yell “Bingo!” :)

To print the free bingo cards, just click on the link below, or the printer image below. This will open up the cards and instructions in a PDF document. From there, you can simply click “Print”, or you can save it onto your computer to print them later. (You’ll also always have them on your computer for any future uses you may need. Who knows – Bingo may become a household tradition for your family!)

Tip: Print them off on card stock. They look nicer and hold up better!

PrinterPrintable Bingo Cards for Kids – Print Now

 

 

If you found this post helpful, please share it with the buttons to your left or below so others can enjoy it as well!)

Happy Birthday Party planning!

*To get more kids birthday party ideas and kids birthday party games, click on the links below.

Simon Says | The Balloon Ping Pong Game | Obstacle Course Ideas | Charades for Kids | Printable Bingo Cards for Kids

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Charades for Kids – They’re Going to Love it!

July 30 5:14 pm ⋅

Charades for KidsIt has become a family tradition in my household to play charades. Even though it may not be evenly teamed by age, we always do boys against the girls.  I have 2 girls and 2 boys and they range from ages 5-12. It’s a great activity for birthday parties because it has an organized method of playing, and all the kids get to participate.

How to Play Charades – For Kids

The idea of the game is simple. Taking turns, 1 person from each team must act out the opposing teams list, and the winning team is the one with the most correct guesses.

Preparation:

  • Group the kids into two teams
  • Give each group a piece of paper and something to write with
  • Tell each group to come up with 10 different things from 4 categories (Book, Movie, Song or T.V show)
  • Have them write each one down on the piece of paper and then cut them into individual pieces of paper so that the other team can select one.
  • Make sure they write the title and the category. Example : Curious George – Book
  • Once both teams have their list of 10 and they’ve been cut into pieces, now the fun begins!

How to Play:

  • One person from a team selects one of the other teams slips of paper.
  • They get 30 seconds of prep time to think about how they want to act it out.
  • The person acting it out then has 2 minutes to try to get his/her team to guess the correct movie, song, book or t.v show.
  • Once either the timer runs out, or the correct guess was made, that team gets a point, and it is now the other teams turn.
  • Take turns until all 10 items from both teams have been acted out.
  • Everyone gets a turn to act something out.
  • The winning team is the one with the most points.

Rules for Charades

  • There can be no talking from the person who is acting
  • Start with acting out whether it’s a book, movie song or show, and then tell them to give the number of words in the title.
  • Using clues like “sounds like”, syllables, and “small words” – if, and or, but, the, etc. are great ways to get started.

Symbols for Charades

  • Small words – put their thumb and index finger together to make a gesture indicating it’s a small word
  • Book – put their hands together as though they are clapping, and then open and close them to indicate it’s a book
  • Movie – put their hands up to their face and “roll” one hand indicating it’s a reel from a movie
  • Song – put one hand up to their lips and then extend it out, indicating a song is being sung
  • T.V show – draw a box with box fingers in the air, indicating it’s a television set
  • First word, second word, etc – put up the number of fingers to show what number the word is
  • Syllables – put the number of fingers together to indicate it’s a syllable
  • Sounds like – put their finger up to their ear to indicate it’s a word that rhymes with what they are acting out

The only real rule is there is no talking. Let the kids have a good time with figuring out how to get their team to guess what they are acting out. You’ll be surprised at the creativity they come up with! (Or…maybe you won’t be surprised. :) )

Age certainly does not matter when playing charades. Younger kids may need a little more supervision, but the joy and fun they have is all worth it in the end!

If you found this post helpful, please share it with the buttons to your left or below so others can enjoy it as well!)

Happy Birthday Party planning!

*To get more kids birthday party ideas and kids birthday party games, click on the links below.

Simon Says | The Balloon Ping Pong Game | Obstacle Course Ideas | Charades for Kids | Printable Bingo Cards for Kids

 

Image Credit : Spoonful

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How to Play Balloon Ping Pong – A Super Fun Activity For Birthday Parties

July 10 3:56 pm ⋅

Balloon Ping Pong is a great game to play at birthday parties. Not only does it give the kids a fun activity to do, it also incorporates an awesome craft idea (which of course keeps the kids occupied for longer, getting you that much closer to peace and quiet!)

How to Play Balloon Ping PongHow to Play Balloon Ping Pong

What you need:

  • Paper plates
  • Craft sticks (the big ones – think tongue depressor size)
  • Glue or tape
  • Crayons, markers or paint
  • Anything else you want to let the kids decorate with (glitter, streamers, etc.)
  • A bag of balloons

Set the kids down where ever you have chosen to be the craft table. Have them decorate the paper plates any way they want. They can also decorate the handle if they really want to get into it.

After the decorations have been completed, glue or tape the paper plates to the craft stick. Their own ping pong paddle has just been created! (If you are using glue, it’s a good idea to let the glue dry before playing…you could have some very sad kids if their paddle breaks in the middle of the game.)

Blow up a few balloons. The rules of the game are simple – don’t let the balloons touch the ground!

Other tips and ideas for Balloon Ping Pong

  • Decorate the balloons with marker or use different colored balloons and give each balloon a different point value. For example, if the red balloon touches the ground, everyone has to do 5 jumping jacks, but if a blue balloon touches the ground, everyone must freeze for 10 seconds.
  • You can do an organized game of ping pong, or just let the kids go at it. The kids will have a blast just trying to keep the balloons off the ground, but if you think the kids may do a little better (and you’ll keep your sanity) with more of an organized game, play it that way.
  • If you have to let the ping pong paddles dry, make sure you have an activity for the kids to do while they wait. Otherwise you’re going to get an earful of “are they dry yet?” and “can we play now?” Just a word to the wise.
  • This game can be played inside or outside. Obviously if you play inside, make sure all breakables are out of the way…it’s likely to cause a bit of a ruckus.

You can make up as many rules as you want. Use your imagination, and get the kids involved with deciding on the rules (or not).  This game will provide at least a couple of hours of fun, so you can relax soon enough!

If you found this post helpful, please share it with the buttons to your left or below so others can enjoy it as well!)

Happy Birthday Party planning!

*To get more kids birthday party ideas and kids birthday party games, click on the links below.

Simon Says | The Balloon Ping Pong Game | Obstacle Course Ideas | Charades for Kids | Printable Bingo Cards for Kids

 

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How to Play Simon Says – And Fun Ways to Change it up for a Birthday Party!

June 19 4:46 pm ⋅

A great game to play at a child’s birthday party is Simon Says. No matter how old the children are, it’s one of the most beloved games that every child enjoys, and it just never How to Play Simon Saysseems to get old. Remember how much you loved it as a kid? Below are the instructions on how to play Simon Says…and then even further below that, you’ll find some great ideas on how to spruce up the traditional game for even more fun!

How to Play Simon Says – The Traditional Way

  • One person is “Simon” and the rest of the kids stand in a group spread out so they have enough room to move.
  • “Simon” then tells the kids to do something, such as touch their elbow or touch their nose, by either saying “Simon says” or just “touch your elbow”.
  • If “Simon” says Simon says, then the kids are supposed to follow the instruction.
  • If he doesn’t say Simon says, all the kids who do it are out and must move away from the group.
  • Continue on until there is only one person left standing. That person is the winner, and gets to be “Simon” next.

Simon Says is the “basic of the basics” type of game, but as stated above, for whatever reason the kids love it (believe me I know…I have 4 children and each and every one of them absolutely adores this game.)

Try these different and fun spins on the traditional game:

  • Give “Simon” a costume to wear. Even just a silly hat can get the kids more excited to be Simon.
  • Give “Simon” a can of silly string. You can buy this from a dollar store. When someone gets called out, Simon gets to spray them with the silly string to make it official. (Silly string cleans up really easily and nicely, in case you’re worried about the mess.)
  • Divide the kids into 2 teams. Have a “Simon Says” battle off. The winning group can get a prize, or the losing group may have to do something for the winners…or how about give the winning group each a can of silly spray and let the festivities begin!
  • Let the kids make up rules for the game. Obviously, the first rule is this has to be done before the game starts. Give the kids an idea of a rule, and then let their imaginations do the rest. An example of a “rule” is you must hop on one foot before doing what Simon says.

So there you have it! Some quick ways to spruce up the ol’ fashioned game of Simon Says.

If you found this post helpful, please share it with the buttons to your left or below so others can enjoy it as well!)

Happy Birthday Party planning!

*To get more kids birthday party ideas and kids birthday party games, click on the links below.

Simon Says | The Balloon Ping Pong Game | Obstacle Course Ideas | Charades for Kids | Printable Bingo Cards for Kids

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