LilSugar

50 of the Best Kids' Birthday Party Themes

Rebecca M Gruber — Fri, 25 May 2012 06:02:05 PDT

It's your lil one's special day, so there's no stopping Mom when it comes to planning the perfect birthday bash. Kids wait all year to celebrate their big days, and with one of these amazing party themes, they're sure to have the best day ever. From an Angry Birds-themed party and a Very Hungry Caterpillar birthday to a firehouse soiree, we've rounded up the best themes for the guest of honor!

A First-Class Post Office Party!

Kate Stahl — Mon, 21 May 2012 03:15:05 PDT

When Jenny Dixon of Crossing the Bugger-Dixon Line was looking for a theme for her son Noah's fourth birthday party, inspiration came from the most practical of places: her mailbox. "It hit me one day that a mail party would make such a fun theme!" Jenny says. "What child doesn't love delivering and receiving mail? I contacted my favorite duo at Piggy Bank Parties to create a brand spanking new mail party collection. They delivered the most fun, all-inclusive party collection I have ever worked with!" Keep clicking to see all the creative details, from awesome party favor boxes to a real-life mail truck!

Source: Allison Kaharick for Crossing the Bugger-Dixon Line

A Kentucky Derby Party That'll Have Kids and Parents Alike Running For the Roses

Rebecca M Gruber — Thu, 03 May 2012 09:13:17 PDT

Pull out your biggest hat and get ready to gamble, because this weekend is the 138th annual Kentucky Derby. And while most people associate the "Run For the Roses" with a day filled with mint juleps and Southern style, it's actually a great occasion to throw a party for adults and kids alike. Kids will love the idea of joining their parents to watch an old-fashioned horse race!

Deanna from Kentucky-based Mirabelle Creations created this beautiful Derby party celebrating the first leg of the Triple Crown. She designed red, pale blue, and chocolate brown printables (all downloadable for free!) featuring a modern rose graphic (a nod to the blanket of 554 red roses awarded to the winner of the race each year), horseshoes, and silhouettes of the state of Kentucky. Add in some big hats, a few Southern-style sweets, some hobby horses for the kids to play around with, and a big-screen TV for the actual race and you'll have yourself one great Derby afternoon! Check out all of the details!

Source: Mirabelle Creations

Pippa's Perfectly Purple Party

Rebecca M Gruber — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 05:43:07 PST

Editor's note: The following is a guest post written by Darcy Miller, celebrations expert and editorial director of Martha Stewart Weddings. Having just thrown her daughter's third birthday, Darcy shares the original - and sweet! - way she planned the entire party around the birthday girl's favorite color.

In our house, birthdays are not only a celebration, but also a fun activity for us to do as a family. We always start with the theme (of course it is a negotiation at times), but we end up with fun celebration that we enjoy organizing together. We have done everything from a Daisy Party for my oldest daughter Daisy's first birthday to Pajama Parties and Puppy Parties. This year, for my youngest daughter Pippa's third birthday, her sisters decided she should have a purple party since it's her favorite color. I will admit, although I love lavender, I can't say purple is my favorite color - but purple it was! As you might have already guessed, everything from the favors to the play dough stations was purple. There was purple icing on the cake and purple bouncy balls tossed around the room. I even set up a reading station featuring purple-themed books like Harold and the Purple Crayon on a purple blanket. At Martha Stewart Weddings, we love to start with a palette, and monochromatic is a color theme we've returned to over the years.

Pretty in Pink: A Super-Girlie First Birthday Party

Kate Stahl — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 14:44:33 PST

With my own daughter's first birthday rapidly approaching, I've been obsessing over lil girl birthday parties, and so when I found the pink-inspired bash Jamielyn Nye of I Heart Nap Time recently threw for her daughter's first birthday, I fell in serious love. Emmalyn's beautiful birthday party is as girlie as it gets, with a sweet dessert table, the prettiest rose-covered cake, and one seriously adorable birthday girl. While the party offers lots of inspiration (check out the chandelier-turned-cake stand), there are many completely doable ideas (lemonade in mason jars, a cute ribbon border for the dessert table) for mamas who weren't blessed with Jamielyn's awesome creativity. Keep reading for all the pink, girlie party perfection!

Source: Momentology Photography for I Heart Nap Time

Welcome to Seussville: A Dr. Seuss-Themed Birthday Party on a Budget

LilSugar — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 15:07:39 PST

One fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish! Dr. Seuss would have turned 108 this week and we're celebrating a week worth of Seuss-worthy ideas. Theodore Geisel's children's books are loved by kids and parents alike - and they're perfect for a bright and whimsically themed child's birthday party. A few simple decorating tips from a party pro can help you throw your tot a very special Dr. Seuss party on a small budget. Check it out!

Source: Phronsie + Courtney Dial of Pizzazzerie

Leap Into Leap Day: Fun Ways to Make the Most Out of the Extra Day

LilSugar — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 10:03:07 PST

Whether you have a Leap Day baby (odds are 1 in 1461) or just want to celebrate the somewhat special day with your kids, we've got five great ways to commemorate your extra day with your lil ones. Check them out!

OnSugar Blog: the Cutest Eco-Fairy Party

OnSugar Blog — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 03:17:26 PST

Lots of moms like to think out loud, and House of Anaïs is one of them. Here is one of the latest posts on her House of Anaïs blog.

A little while ago, we went to a lovely birthday party, and the kids absolutely loved it. Give the young son some glue, and he is glued to the activity forever and ever. Give the girls some fairy wings and fancy decor, and they will make their own fairy tale. Give the parents some mimosas and the most amazing sweet and savory treats, and they will not want to leave the party ever.

Since the hosting family is a pretty green family (think of growing chickens in the middle of city), we chose more sustainable wooden presents, and this time, they all ended up being from Melissa & Doug. The presents are always a hard one for me, as the etiquette is not so simple to figure out - when you have multiple kids, should you get a little present for each to give, or just have one together?

And talking about presents, I think it's great experience to let children help shop for the presents and put some thought into what their friends might like, but with so many parties to go to in a year, I am thinking that our shopping might move more online, as everything always seems to be discounted somewhere . . . Sad, but at the end of the day, it will save a lot of money.

Keep reading to see all of the details from the party!

Leap Into Leap Day With a Lil Party

LilSugar — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 07:04:09 PST

In honor of Leap Day, Brittany Schwaigert of Grey Grey Designs hosted an afternoon party for her kids. "Because I am a mom to boys who love slimy and gross things, I thought a frog party would be right up their alley," Schwaigert said.

Shades of green - from chartreuse to lime to Kelly - comprised the color scheme of the soiree, and texture played a major role in everything from the food to the glittered accents. Read on to see more of this "toad-ally" great time, plus Brittany's explanation of each component of the celebration.

8 Ways to Celebrate Valentine's Day as a Family

LilSugar — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 04:27:16 PST

If you can't find a babysitter for Valentine's Day, not to worry - we've come up with plenty of fun ways to celebrate with the whole family! Skip the expensive dinner for two and pick something you can enjoy with the kids. From quality time in the kitchen to holiday-appropriate craft classes, these eight sweet activities are sure to spread the love.