24507

Preschool Party -4yr- Craft Center

February 2014

Jennifer in Glen Allen, VA  USA

Runner Up

When my middle daughter turned four last fall, she announced she wanted a school themed birthday party. :-)  She loves her preschool! 

INVITATIONS: We set the theme with her invitation it featured a red schoolhouse with a large chalkboard across the front.  On the schoolhouse was a sign that said Welcome to Anna’s School.  I found a great chalk duster font for the party details included on the chalkboard. The invitation included a note on the chalkboard" not to forget to bring something for show and tell. 

DECORATIONS: We set up a "classroom" in our den. Every child's seat was labeled with his/her name and job. Each seat had a chair bag that I made using Home Depot aprons. I embellished them with school themed fabric (I used stitch witchery so it was a no sew project) and added each child's name with iron on letters.  In their chair bags was a pack of crayons a pencil eraser and blank puzzle to be decorated during "Table Time." Their name tags on the tables were printed using a schoolhouse font which uses the solid and dotted lines found on elementary school writing tablets along with a clip art picture to indicate the child's job. For example; the flag helper had an American flag next to his name the calendar helper had a picture of a calendar etc. 

We had lots of brightly colored balloons and a jumbo balloon in the shape of a 4 that had balloons printed on it. I hot glued crayons and to two empty soup cans to hold the brightly colored plastic flatware for the cake. There was a Class Schedule printed out and setup on a small easel on the cake table and surrounding the cake were apple favors individually wrapped for the kids (See Favors).  We had our chalkboard set up with a welcoming message at the front door and a smaller chalkboard on a table to identify the Craft Center.  I hung a sign from the kitchen ceiling pointing towards the garage door indicating the Teachers’ Lounge which is where most of the dads hung out. The Teachers Lounge had a TV and beverages for the adults.

ACTIVITIES: As the kids arrived they found their seats and settled into the Table Time activity: decorating their puzzle purchased from Michaels for $1.  Once everyone arrived and had a chance to work on their puzzles we moved into our playroom for "Circle Time".  My daughter wanted to be the teacher during Circle Time so she led these activities.  Our flag helper led us in the pledge the weather helper showed us the weather and the calendar helper talked about what day it was and of course mentioned it was Anna's birthday.  

Next we read a story and had Show and Tell.  Most kids remembered to bring something but if they forgot we let them pick something out from our house when they arrived. Some were too shy for this activity but it was still cute. After Circle Time was Craft Time. I had a "Craft Center" set up with two craft projects set up with the supplies already bagged in individual baggies. The kids could pick a craft and then go back to their seats to put it together. One was a ladybug clip for the fridge and the other was a school bus picture frame made from popsicle sticks.  Since this was a young crowd I did a lot of prep work for the crafts.  Once they finished a craft they could put the completed craft in their chair bag and go get the other one. Then they finished up their puzzles.

SNACKS/CAKE: After everyone was done crafting we had "Snack Time" (cake).  Everyone got in their seats and the drink and napkin helpers handed out drink boxes and napkins. Our blessing helper said the blessing and then we sang happy birthday. Then the cake helpers handed out the pieces of cake to the kids. After "Snack" was recess.  Once everyone was done with their cake they were dismissed to play outside in our backyard. The cake was frosted in white and had brightly colored fondant crayons on the side labeled with the name of the color.  One the top of the cake the fondant crayons read Happy Birthday Anna.  I used shaped letter and number candles (ABC and 123).

FAVORS: Along with their chair bags and crafts I made chocolate covered pretzels made to look like apples for little favors. You dip the pretzels in red chocolate and then attach a green mint jelly candy for the leaf and a chip off a Hershey bar for the stem. They were adorable. I put them two to a bag along with a little note using the same chalkboard from the invitation and class schedule thanking everyone for coming to the party.

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