We had some sand delivered and Landon had his first "Paleontologist" friend birthday party ever. And it was monumental!
The invites were wrapped in a sleeve map and punched circle.
The day of his birthday we hung this sign on the door and various wood stakes around the yard. Of course there were dinosaur (chalk) footprints as well.
He left for preschool in the morning carrying a bag with a treat inside for everyone in his class. I painted 60+ something of these. (I would have bought them at a bakery if I could have found them though!)
We tried to set the yard like a vintage dig site.(Ryan just came off a looong 24 hours with no sleep and he jumped right in to help me- such a good dad!) I started all the kids in the tent. They each were given a canvas hat and told that in order to be a "true dinosaur hunter" they had to learn how dinosaurs behaved and where they lived. That meant they needed to learn how dinosaurs stomped, what it was like to see a volcano erupt, needed to try to fly like a pterodactyls, and then they could dig like a Paleontologist.
I made these dino tails for the Dino Stomp station. (credits at end)
At the dig site we had a bucket full of different wooden paint brushes and shovels.
This was the happiest place of all. Kids skipped dinner and cake and even the jump castle to dig over and over again.
This volcano erupted coke and mentos- it was super easy to make (insulating foam from the hardware store and then spraypainted). It was a big hit and blew 15 plus feet each time.
The food buffet: Dino shaped nuggets kept warm in chaffing dish. Warmed bread sticks. Fruit, Veggie & Chip cups with Lava fruit punch and Ice Water.
The food buffet: Dino shaped nuggets kept warm in chaffing dish. Warmed bread sticks. Fruit, Veggie & Chip cups with Lava fruit punch and Ice Water.
Wooden Dinosaurs, leafy ferns, textured brown fabrics set the serving tables.
Costco cake with cut-out sugar cookie bones.
Treat bags. Something like 30. It seemed the perfect time for a dinosaur party at the dollar stores- there were hatch a dino egg toys and dinosaur hats. I bought dinosaur gliders and candies and filled little lab like bags with chocolate rocks that I labeled with stickers.
Tag that hung on the outside:
And sticker I applied to the outside to give it a more official feel.
I honestly could not have pulled any of this off if parents had not stayed and helped (I did not expect them too though!)- although I did hire 2 pre-teen girls to help and they were awesome. I kept warm "more gourmet" type pizzas and fruit inside for parents. I had one friend, Lisa, who came and grabbed all my fruit and vegetables early in the day to prep and portion them all ahead of time. She was such a lifesaver! Then I had another friend, Keisha, that stood in the kitchen and baked nuggets and bread sticks all night. I knew little sandy hands would need washed before dinner, and had planned for that with stepladders and disposable towels in my bathrooms, but the pediatrician, who's children were at the party, said, "Forget that! I'll soap them all up from the hose outside!"
Tag that hung on the outside:
And sticker I applied to the outside to give it a more official feel.
I honestly could not have pulled any of this off if parents had not stayed and helped (I did not expect them too though!)- although I did hire 2 pre-teen girls to help and they were awesome. I kept warm "more gourmet" type pizzas and fruit inside for parents. I had one friend, Lisa, who came and grabbed all my fruit and vegetables early in the day to prep and portion them all ahead of time. She was such a lifesaver! Then I had another friend, Keisha, that stood in the kitchen and baked nuggets and bread sticks all night. I knew little sandy hands would need washed before dinner, and had planned for that with stepladders and disposable towels in my bathrooms, but the pediatrician, who's children were at the party, said, "Forget that! I'll soap them all up from the hose outside!"
It went off just as I had hoped- Landon had such a happy day! The rest of the kids in our family were so happy to be celebrating him, it makes all the preparation worthwhile.
credits:
invites: made by me!
dinosaur clipart- pc crafter
Harbor Freight- wooden dinosaurs on table
birthday cake- family fun
chalk board food labels- etsy store: bradensgracewallart
custom birthday boy shirts- etsy store: PricelessKids'
