Here are some WONDERFUL low cost birthday party ideas for girls from one of my favorite Franklin Moms, my friend Amy. Amy was a school teacher for many years, and is now teaching/pastoring the family service at the church we attend, The Nest. She has a way of using her creativity to bring laughter and meaning into everyday life. Thank you, Amy, for sharing your amazing ideas!
Father / Daughter Bride party
We did this for my daughter's 7th birthday. Daddys were included in the invitation. There was a secret envelope for them in the invitation that was a questionaire for them to fill out about their daughters ... it was basically the outline for creating a blessing they would read over their daughters at the "wedding". The girls came dressed as brides, the dads in their suits. We decorated like a wedding - center aisle, candles at the front. Party favors were a boquet made of flowers from a dollar store. We played the wedding march as each daddy walked his daughter down the aisle. Then each dad had a turn to read the blessing aloud over his daughter. Daughters promised to love and obey and honor their daddies. Daddies promised to love, protect and provide for their daughters while doing the best they can to be a picture of the heavenly Father for them. After the ceremony we had a big reception. A wedding cake, punch, mints and nuts and lots games of dancing. Mothers were invited to come and be the audience at the wedding if they liked. They blew bubbles as the girls and daddys left the wedding. It was a fun, meaningful day with lots of laughter - and tears of joy!
Baby Doll Party
I have done this for a 4 year old and a 5 year old party. Friends bring their favorite baby doll and a doll stroller. As guests arrive they leave their strollers at the "stroller stop" outside, designated with a stroller stop sign. (As girls are inside a volunteer tied a pink balloon to each stroller for the stroller parade later in the party.) Girls came in and decorated a pink gift bag with baby themed stickers to create a diaper bag. Then they packed their diaper bag with a baby doll diaper, bottle, rattle, baby dish, baby spoon (I used the liitle pink ones you get at Baskin Robins) and bibs. (I shopped for all of these items at dollar stores.) We went outside, put the babies in the strollers and walked around the kuldesac for a stroller parade. We came back inside where we learned to put diapers on babies, how to feed them, give them a bottle, and burp them. I read a story to the "mommies" and their babies. I used a story with repetition so the "mommies" could join in on those parts. I LOVE YOU FOREVER is the story I chose, which is a sweet story about a Mommy and her baby. After reading to the babies, the little mommies rocked their babies and put them to bed. I supplied baby blankets to cover the babies. Then we tiptoed to the cake table and had a baby buggy cake and opened gifts. Then the mommies woke up their babies and the played house together.
Karaoke party
We created this party for our 10 year old daughter. Guests were asked to come dressed to perform a song in a karaoke show, though it did not have to be true kareoke - tracs with words were fine. We created a cool looking stage by decorating our garage door opening with plastic tablecloths tied to look like a purple, pink and black stage curtain. We used a microphone from our karaoke machine. We set up folding chairs in the driveway to create the audience. Girls took turns performing. We made a video and watched the show afterwards while eating popcorn in the "theatre" (our den). Then we went back outside for awards. I purchased trophies from Oriental Trading and gave each girl a trophy during the awards ceremony. They received awards based on something outstanding from their performance (best smile, best dance moves, best costume, etc). Favors were blow up guitars and microphones, rock star tatoos and GIRLS ROCK dog tags, all from Oriental Trading.
Princess party
Lots of people have done a princess party, but here was our version: All guests (including adults) came dressed as royalty. We decorated crowns with glitter and sticker gems. We had stations to have nails, hair and make up done. I read PRINCESS AND THE PEA, and then we played a game where they had to sit on three different pillows and guess which had the "pea" (a bouncy ball) under it. We played pin the lips on the frog (based on the idea of a princess kissing frogs to find her Prince). We danced liked princesses to princess songs, then played "freeze dance" where you stop the music and they have to freeze in the dancing position until the music begins again. The girls ate a castle cake with their finest castle manners.
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