Party Planning

Ringing in New Years with Kids

December 26, 2017 by Danielle

New Years Eve is not the same as it once was. Now that we celebrate New Years with kids, we’ve changed things up to make things more kid-friendly. Including starting a little earlier than we once did.

Below are a few great ways to have a rockin’ New Years Eve with kids. From fun mocktails and food to fun and games, everyone will have a good time!

Start the Party Early!

There’s no need to wait till midnight in your timezone! Consider starting the party early and celebrate when the kids are still awake by choosing a different time zone. My brother in law hosts a GMT New Years Eve party every year where we count down to 4pm PST (0000 GMT).

The kids get the full experience of New Years Eve without having to force themselves to stay awake. Then the adults can celebrate how they’d like afterwards. Or go to bed with the kids at their normal time. I’m pretty sure I do the later every year even though I make an effort to stay up.

Get Creative with Mocktails

Grab some bottles of bubbly… bubbly apple cider and grape juice that is and start mixing up some fun concoctions (or let the kids make their own). All you need is some sparkling juice or sparkling water and a variety of other juices. Then let the kids have fun mixing them up

Consider adding a few mix ins like maraschino cherries or fresh fruits. And for dessert create an ice cream sundae or ice cream float bar!

Serve Up Kid-Friendly Foods

Miniature or small finger foods work best with the littles. Consider cooking up some mini corn dogs or sticking with a simple cheese, cracker and meat platter. And snacks are a must so consider a variety of bunnies, pretzels, fish, and grahams. And I’m sure the kids would go crazy for this Inside Out Garlic Cheese Bread.

Need something for the adults too? Grab a few bags of Pretzel Crisps, and whip up this delicious hot pizza dip. It’s a crowd pleaser!

If you’re looking for more traditional fare, consider making a batch of black eyed peas to bring good luck with you into the new year.

Have Some Fun

It isn’t a new years eve party without fun and games! Check out these great ways to ring in the new years with kids in style! From homemade balloon drops to creative ways to count down each hour, these bloggers have you covered!

In Southern California? Check out these kid-friendly New Years Eve parties hosted around town!

How do you celebrate New Years with kids?

This post was originally featured on December 26, 2013.

Filed Under: Family Parties, Holidays, New Years, Uncategorized Tagged With: Kids Parties, Kids Party Ideas, New Years Eve, New Years Eve with Kids, party ideas, Party Planning

21 Best Birthday Party Ideas for Children

February 3, 2017 by Danielle

Looking for birthday ideas for children? We’ve rounded up 21 of the best birthday ideas all in one place! And #13 is our favorite, hands down.

If you are looking for some amazing Birthday Party Ideas for Children, I have good news. I’ve gathered up some of the top party ideas for children of every age, gender or interest. With tops tips, tricks, recipes and decor ideas, you won’t have to strain your brain to come up with some wonderful party plans of your own! Jump right in and find the idea that’s right for you!

1. Disney Brave Birthday Party Ideas – All Things Thrifty

This fun birthday party post includes templates and printables to help you plan your very own Disney Brave-themed birthday party. Perfect for little girls OR boys!

2. Planning a Chuck E Cheese Party – Living Mi Vida Loca

Everything you need to know about food, decor and party favors to help you create the best experience at your kids’ favorite pizza place!

3. Ultimate Sports Party – The Joys of Boys

If your kids are the athletic types, it makes sense to give them a super fun sports-themed party. Here you’ll find recipe ideas, sporty games to play and awesome sporty decor, too!

4. Minnie Mouse Summer Party – Simmworks Family Blog

Too often, Mickey Mouse gets all the attention. But if your little one is Minnie Crazy, then you need to feast your eyes on this Minnie Mouse-themed party that features creative decor, food and treats that the whole family and all your friends will love.

5. Butterfly Garden Birthday Party – Lydi Out Loud

For your favorite little girl or boy who loves nature and the outdoors, here is a fun and beautiful party idea.

6. Pirate Birthday Party – Baking with Blondie

Ahoy mateys! It’s a pirate party, and this one has it all. Seafood and other pirate-themed foods, easy decorations and even costumes. Your kids will love it!

7. Pirate Halloween Birthday Party – It’s A Mother Thing

Another fun take on a pirate theme, this one has a Halloween twist! Perfect for your little one’s birthday, OR as a themed Halloween party!

8. Root Beer Float Party – Simmworks Family Blog

While a traditional barbecue may not appeal to some kids, renaming it into a Root Beer Float Party will surely get them excited! And happy bonus for the grownups – you can totally still have the barbecue! This one features healthier options, as well as the star of the show – Root Beer Floats!

9. The Very Hungry Caterpillar Birthday Party – Baking with Blondie

I don’t know a single child that doesn’t love The Very Hungry Caterpillar, and the theme lends itself so well to a young one’s party. It’s an especially good one for those with allergies or health concerns, as it is the perfect party to load up on fruit!

10. Frozen Birthday Party – Dinner at the Zoo

I can’t say enough about the thought that went into this Frozen-themed party. Any child would be delighted to host or attend such a fabulous party, and this will give you a load of ideas on how to throw your own for your little Elsa or Olaf.

11. Angry Birds Birthday Party Part 1 and Part 2 – The Joys of Boys

This two part party post features amazing food and games to help you throw an incredible Angry Birds-themed party that your little ones will be talking about for ages!

12. Fabulous and Fancy Party – The Crafty Chicks

Have you got the girliest girl who loves to feel fancy? Then check out this adorable party plan that just screams fabulous!

13. Reptile Birthday Party – Simmworks Family Blog

Does your child love all things creepy and crawly? They will love this reptile theme! Featuring creative naming of traditional food and drink (Swamp Water? Gecko Grapes??) and ideas of entertainment and decor, this one is perfect for your slithery snake lovers!

14. Under the Sea Birthday Party – Dinner at the Zoo

This super adorable party plan will make your little one feel like The Little Mermaid on their special day.

15. Ghostbusters Birthday Party – Living Mi Vida Loca

This party is perfect for your own little Ghostbuster. With themed games, including a huge pinata, and some fun printable coloring pages, tshirt transfers and Slimer tattoo station, this is one party that will have you saying, “I ain’t afraid of no ghosts!”

16. Princess Birthday Party – The Girl Creative

This is one awesome Princess party plan with some free printables to help you make it easy to throw your own!

17. Farm-Themed Birthday Party – The Joy of Boys

If your kids love animals and the outdoors, you must consider the fun that comes with planning a farm-themed birthday party!

18. The Ultimate Minion Movie Birthday Party – Third Stop on the Right

If your kids are as Minions-obsessed as most, they’re going to LOVE this party idea. Find out how to make an amazing layered minion cake and other fun projects for your party.

19. Easy Cars Party – The Joys of Boys

If you want simple and classic, you can’t go wrong with this fun Cars-themed party. It doesn’t get any easier than chocolate donuts posing as car tires!

20. Star Wars Party – Pretty Providence

I have two words for you: Wookie Cookies. Your kids will love the amazing food ideas from this Star Wars themed party!

21. Princess Tea Party – Dinner at the Zoo

Cuteness cannot be contained when you throw your little one this delightful Princess Tea Party. Edible DIY necklaces, magic wands and fabulous flowers and food are going to wow the adults as much as the children!

With all of these birthday party ideas for children, you are sure to be able to come up with your own take to make your next party amazing.

What is your favorite birthday party theme for kids?

Filed Under: Family Parties, Kids Parties, Party Ideas, Uncategorized Tagged With: Best birthday, Birthday, birthday party ideas, boys birthday party ideas, Kids Party Ideas, party ideas, Party Planning

A Colorful Affair: Adult Coloring Party

December 15, 2015 by Danielle

Sometimes you just need to sit down with your girlfriends, mimosa in hand, and color! And that’s just what I did last week at the adult coloring party I hosted with the help of our sponsor, Prismacolor Premier®. Read on to see how easy it is to host an adult coloring party with your friends!

Over the past few months, the only thing I’ve heard a handful of my friends talk about is adult coloring. No, not adults coloring. But adult coloring books with beautiful intricate designs and themes for grown-ups to sit down and color with. With this craze comes a little bit of sanity for those who hop on board. It’s been confirmed that those who sit down to enjoy a few minutes of coloring each day have actually found that they’re less stressed!

Since so many of my girlfriends have expressed an interest in adult coloring books, I was pleased to host this adult coloring party for a few local blogger friends with the help of Prismacolor Premier® products last week. It was a wonderful morning filled with great conversation, good food, and relaxing coloring for all. I don’t remember the last time I sat down to color but I’ll be doing it a lot more frequently now that I’m hooked!

Tips for Hosting An Adult Coloring Party

1. Fun and Easy Food

Egg Bake + Cinnamon Pecan Pullapart Bread + Fruit and Cheese Tree

When I host get-togethers for the girls I always have one homemade item, and then the rest store bought. Not only does it make things easier on me as I get ready for things but it also allows me to focus more on the guests the day of because I’m not running around trying to finish up making this or that.

For this event, I chose to make a delicious egg bake with bacon, cheddar, and broccoli. I picked up a cinnamon pecan pull apart bread from the store and made a festive fruit and cheese tree with cubed cheese and grapes. The tree was very easy to make. I added two mandarin oranges to the top as a tree topper and the bottom as a tree stump and then added pretzel crisps to the last layer to use with the cheese for snacking.

The egg bake and pull apart bread were served on the main buffet spread and the fruit and cheese tree was set out on the dining room table so we could munch as we colored. Who doesn’t love to munch along as they color and visit?

2. Drink Options

Mimosa Bar

Mimosa bars are perfect for morning get-togethers! They pair perfectly with the breakfast foods I was serving and guests can choose to either pour a mimosa or just drink the juice. For this simple mimosa bar, I grabbed a few glass juice carafes and some champagne glasses.

I paired together orange juice and cranberry juice to bring more color to the spread. As for the champagne, I grabbed my favorite local almond champagne. And some non-alcoholic sparkling grape juice for the non-drinkers.

Grab a few gift tags and Prismacolor Premier markers to make name tags for the drinks!

Hot Cocoa Bar

Another great addition to any brunch or evening event during the winter months is a hot cocoa bar. It adds a little sweetness and some warmth to the event. Plus there are so many fun additions and toppings one can add to their hot cocoa to make it personalized to their taste. Grab a pot of coffee to add to the mix so guests can make mochas too!

I chose to use my single serve coffee machine and some hot cocoa cups I had, however, I’ve also made a delicious batch of slow cooker hot chocolate in the past with this recipe for a little adult fun. I’ve also passed out these cute hot cocoa snowmen as gifts and favors at parties before.

3. Adult Coloring Books + Colored Pencils

And, of course, for the star of the event, adult coloring books are a must! Each guest should have either a few adult coloring print-outs or a coloring book of their own to enjoy during the event. Pair with Prismacolor Premier coloring pencils and you have the perfect outlet for moms to relax, de-stress and re-energize during the often-stressful holiday season.

In the living room and the dining room table I put a few coloring books out with packs of Prismacolor Premier colored pencils. I also used a roll of butcher paper as table runners for both the coffee table and dining room table so guests could doodle and find out what colors they wanted to use.

Coloring together allows friends, families and co-workers an opportunity to take a moment together to reflect and reenergize, sparking creativity and inducing productivity. It’s a relaxing way to reconnect with each other. We enjoyed chatting around the table about work, life, and everything else in between.

What do you love to do when you get together with your girlfriends?

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Prismacolor Premier®.

Filed Under: Mom's Night Out, Party Ideas, Uncategorized Tagged With: Adult Coloring, Adult Coloring Party, adult parties, Coloring, Girls Night, Girls Night In, party ideas, Party Planning, Prismacolor, SITS Girls

Big Game Party Ideas: Creating the Perfect Football Party

January 26, 2014 by Danielle

Last weekend I hosted an awesome playoff party for family and friends in celebration of getting our new, amazingly awesome big screen from Best Buy the week before. We wanted to celebrate the playoffs while talking about our new electronic devices with family and friends.

With the geek squad setting up everything for us, the only thing left for my husband to do was mount the screen to the wall. And invite his friends and family over so we could celebrate! The rest was left up to me. And I was up for the challenge!

I love hosting parties and celebrating just about any occasion. So this party was a blast to plan and put together. We used a few things we already had from past years celebrations and mixed them in with some new editions. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Crafts/DIY, Party Ideas, Uncategorized Tagged With: best electronics, electronic devices, Football, football decorations, parties, party ideas, Party Planning, popular electronics, super bowl, super bowl party, super bowl party food

How to Create the Ultimate Super Bowl Party Food Spread

December 17, 2013 by Danielle

While I might not know much about the NFL teams most likely to make it to the super bowl, I can tell you what super bowl party food I’ll be serving at our house on Super Bowl Sunday.

I find that there are 5 elements to a great Super Bowl: the teams, the commercials, the food, the halftime show, and the actual game. Now most of us like a few aspects while others prefer the whole package.

Me? I’m more interested in the food and the commercials! So I put together some suggestions for creating the ultimate super bowl party food spread.

How to Create the Ultimate Super Bowl Party Food Spread

1. Make-Your-Own Food Bar

One thing that is always super popular at our get togethers are the make-your-own food bars we create. From chili bars (seen above made with Wolf chili), to mashed potatoes, to make your own pizzas, letting your guests choose what toppings and add ins they put on their food is very appealing.

Plus it’s easier to set up and make! Simply choose a base and then add the toppings or add ins on the side in small dishes. This also works very well for desserts too! Make your own ice cream sundaes or floats like we did here at my root beer float party.

2. Classic Football Barbecue

Stick with classics like hamburgers and Hebrew National hot dogs. You can spruce them up by adding some bacon or including them in the chili bar so guests can load their choice up with chili and toppings.

This will take up less time for you because the burgers and dogs can be made ahead and guests can assemble their own.

If you are looking for a more challenging main course for your party, consider going all out with these delicious baby back ribs with homemade barbecue sauce.

3. Appetizers

Ahh… appetizers. My absolute favorite part of any party. Now appetizers can be your main focus, or you can simply add a few easy platters to your spread.

I’ve used a delicious artichoke and spinach dip for my appetizer here. Hot dips are always a huge hit and this one is a crowd pleaser. You can also try this delicious hot white pepperoni dip at your party.

If you’re trying to keep things easy consider picking up a few easy fixes like Alexia waffle fries or H.K. Anderson™ pretzels. And a veggie tray is always a nice addition even though my husband thinks otherwise.

4. Desserts

Desserts can be fun for events like these. I made these cute football brownies from a favorite recipe of mine but you can easily get away with a boxed package! And I let the kids help add the football strings to the tops with icing.

Other great ideas for desserts are Snack Pack pudding treats or an ice cream sundae bar. You could also consider making football shaped cereal treat bars out of your favorite chocolate cereal.

5. Drinks

The one thing I make sure to have plenty of come game day are beverages. From my favorite varieties of Shock Top (love their Honeycrisp Apple Wheat!) to the classic Coca-Cola, it’s always fun to drink from bottles at the game.

Water and iced tea are also a great go-to. Keep a pitcher out with the drinks and another in the fridge so you can switch them out quickly when one is empty.

What’s your favorite super bowl party food?

Filed Under: Appetizers & Sides, Entertainment, Family Parties, In the Kitchen, Recipes, Uncategorized Tagged With: beer, Coca-Cola, party food, party ideas, Party Planning, Shock Top, super bowl, super bowl party, super bowl party food

Kids Reptile Birthday Party (San Diego)

February 17, 2013 by Danielle

On Friday my baby, my first born, will be 4 years old. And I cannot believe how fast time has flown by!

My boy is kind, curious, funny, and constantly moving. He is smart as a whip and picks up on everything and loves his little sister dearly.

For his 4th birthday party my son insisted on having dinosaurs. But since his 3rd birthday party was a dino party we tried to think of variations that would fit his interest. And he decided on reptiles.

Since he’s obsessed with reptiles, bugs, and really anything creepy crawly (he’s the kid digging in your garden for earth worms and other critters) it was perfect!

Miss M’s Ladybug Lemonade Birthday Party

December 10, 2012 by Danielle

There’s something simply magical about a child’s birthday party. No matter what age they are, birthday parties are filled with joy and cheer! So when we asked my daughter what she’d like for her second birthday we were thrilled to hear that she wanted to include her love of ladybugs. And with that her ladybug lemonade birthday party was created.

After quite a few months of pinning great ideas, designing her birthday invitations (and asked the wonderful Cherish Paperie to print them), and coming up with a few ideas of my own for the food, decorations, and entertainment the day was finally here. And we were ready to party!

Lego Duplo Party {The Food}

August 19, 2012 by Danielle

As I mentioned in my party post, I wanted to keep this party focused on the basics. With a few simple decorations and some doctored up fun foods our party was the perfect Lego Duplo

To show off the drink cups a bit more I covered them in yellow paper and drew little faces on each of the cups to represent a different Lego guy. If you look closely you can see that each face actually matches the Lego on top of (and hanging from) the cups.

Munchies were also Lego themed. We went with peanut butter and honey sandwiches and cheese and crackers.

The peanut butter and honey sandwiches were super simple and fun! I made the sandwiches, cut off the crust (and ate them!), and cut the sandwiches in half.

Then I used my smallest round biscuit cutter to cut out small holes out of another slice of bread. I used some more peanut butter to adhere the bread to the top of the sandwiches. Two for each rectangle.

If you have a peanut allergy you can easily use sunflower butter instead. Or make the sandwiches with meat and use cream cheese to adhere the bread dots to the top. I was also considering making cucumber and cream cheese sandwiches as well. There are endless possibilities!

The cheese and crackers used the same techniques. I slathered two crackers with cream cheese and sandwiched in a piece of cheese in the middle. Then I used the cream cheese to adhere some cheese circles to the tops of the cracker sandwiches.

I had all intentions to coat these rectangle sandwich cookies with red, green, and blue chocolate and cover them with little m&m dots but time got away from me so I simply served them as is. Not as exciting but still fit the theme! And the kids couldn’t get enough of them.

As a play on the Lego guy’s head shape I made some watermelon & feta skewers for the mamas. This is my latest favorite combo and adding a bit of basil makes this a super tasty bite on a stick. You can also cube up the watermelon, toss with feta and basil, and serve as you would a salad!

In order to satisfy the mamas at the party I decided to throw together a simple quiche. Honestly, there’s nothing special about it. And really… it’s more of an egg bake in a pre-made frozen pie crust. I simply combined cooked sausage, spinach, 6 eggs, a cup of cheese, a cup of cottage cheese, some salt and pepper and poured it into the crust. I then baked until it smelled done (maybe 35 minutes?) and pulled it out.

And the color is yellow like a Lego head, right? Haha… might be too much of a stretch.

Yum!

If you were planning a Lego Duplo party what would you serve?

Filed Under: Lego, Party Ideas, Uncategorized Tagged With: Kids Parties, Lego, Lego Duplo, Lego Duplo Party, Lego Kid Party, Lego Party, Party Planning, playdate, Playdate ideas, Playdates

Ringing in New Years with Kids

Start the Party Early!

Get Creative with Mocktails

Serve Up Kid-Friendly Foods

Have Some Fun

How do you celebrate New Years with kids?

21 Best Birthday Party Ideas for Children

What is your favorite birthday party theme for kids?

A Colorful Affair: Adult Coloring Party

Tips for Hosting An Adult Coloring Party

1. Fun and Easy Food

2. Drink Options

3. Adult Coloring Books + Colored Pencils

What do you love to do when you get together with your girlfriends?

Big Game Party Ideas: Creating the Perfect Football Party

How to Create the Ultimate Super Bowl Party Food Spread

How to Create the Ultimate Super Bowl Party Food Spread

1. Make-Your-Own Food Bar

2. Classic Football Barbecue

3. Appetizers

4. Desserts

5. Drinks

What’s your favorite super bowl party food?

Kids Reptile Birthday Party (San Diego)

Miss M’s Ladybug Lemonade Birthday Party

Lego Duplo Party {The Food}

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danielle@acraftyspoonful.com

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