[1]Last week I shared my system of keeping event notes [2], and how I took my daughter shopping for Strawberry Shortcake items for her party.
Having the guest of honor [3] included in the decision-making process made planning the party simple.
Knowing my daughter’s personality and those of her friends, I enjoyed my daughter’s help in coordinating a fun event for her birthday party.
After weighing the cost [4], I allowed my daughter to choose the order of the party. Of course, I gave her options:
- Which game to play first?
- Which game gets the sunglasses for a prize?
- When serving the food, where would you like your friends to sit?
With her help, we planned this 2-hour afternoon Strawberry Shortcake birthday party:
Greet each guest as she arrives and bring to toy area to play until we begin the games.
Games
1. Pass the Orange (In honor of Orange Blossom, a friend of Strawberry Shortcake): A version of Hot Potato, but instead of passing a potato, the players pass an orange. The children sit in a circle, and hand the orange to the person on their right while the music plays. When the music stops, the player holding the orange leaves the game to receive a prize (Strawberry Shortcake hat). Continue play until only one child remains.
2. Strawberry Spoon Race: Relay race consisting of two teams where each team has a spoon and a plastic fruit (strawberry and lemon). One team represented Strawberry Shortcake and the other Lemon Meringue (another friend of Strawberry Shortcake). Teams race down and around a designated item and come back to their team. The player then passes the fruit onto the next teammate’s spoon. If they drop the fruit, they must stop, pick it up, and then continue. The first team to have all players cross their line is the winner. All girls will receive a Strawberry Shortcake bracelet for participation.
3. Strawberry Strawberry Shortcake: The game Duck Duck Goose with Strawberry’s name. The players sit in a circle with one player being “it.” The “it” player goes around the circle patting each girl saying “Strawberry.” Then she chooses one person by saying, “Shortcake.” The player tapped, then chases the patter back to the tapped one’s spot. Then the tapped player becomes “it” or the new patter. 🙂 Each player then receives a pair of Strawberry Shortcake sunglasses.
4. Musical Strawberries: The girls walk around on colored strawberries cut from paper. (The colors represent Strawberry Shortcake, Orange Blossom, Lemon Meringue, Apple Dumpling, Blueberry Muffin, Plum Pudding, Raspberry Torte, and Angel Food.) When the music stops, a color is drawn from a basket. The child on that circle is the winner and proceeds to the dining room to get her cupcake and ice cream.
Food
Strawberry Shortcake cupcakes, strawberries ‘n cream (white with strawberries) or strawberry (pink with strawberries) ice cream, and water or pink lemonade.
Open gifts
Allow each girl to bring her present to my daughter. While sitting with her friend, my daughter opens that gift. This arrangement offers great photo opportunities.
Thank you
Thank each friend for attending her party and for all her gifts.
Goody bags
Give my daughter the goody bags to deliver to each of her friends. Each goody bag contains:
- Pink, purple, or clear nail polish
- Pink, purple, or clear lip gloss
- Strawberry Shortcake fun sheet
- Strawberry Shortcake stickers
- Strawberry Shortcake top
- Pink kaleidoscope
- Pink ring
Play until friends’ parents arrive to pick up their children.
With our itinerary set, my daughter and I (with additional help) gathered the materials, decorated the space, prepared the food, and waited for our guests. Our plan included time for play, games, food, gifts, gratefulness, and goody bags. Next week, I will conclude this event’s activities with a post on our execution of our planned itinerary.
Question: What is your favorite childhood birthday party game? Please add your answer by clicking on the Leave your Comment button.