18447

Baseball Party -5yr- Make your Penant

August 2008

Kristy in Canonsburg, PA  USA

For my son's 5th birthday, he wanted a baseball theme.  He isn't a fan of a particular team which made it easier.  We wouldn't have enough children to play a real baseball game so I came up with the following ideas: 

INVITES- shape of a penant that said ___ is rounding 3rd base and sliding into home for his 5th birthday!" on inside where when and to wear their favorite baseball hat!  Nine 4 to 5 year olds would be there (I had a couple older siblings to help out). 

CRAFT-As the guests arrived they decorated their own penants- we used foam stickers baseball ribbons and stiff felt cut into the shape of a penant.  Each child had their name in stickers and we put the penants on a wooden dowel- Very cute!  We had the craft set up the day before the party- we put each child's name in stickers in little baggies and had scissors glue and other stickers ready on the table. 

GAMES-  Pin the ball on Home Plate (drew a baseball diamond on poster board cut out baseballs and wrote names on- very inexpensive and the kids loved it!)  Run the Bases (put out the plastic bases found at the dollar store and timed the kids- big hit!) Hit Ball the Furthest (Put wiffle ball on tee and the kids took turns to see who could hit farthest) Pitch the Ball (Had kids pitch water ball into bucket) Squirt the Baseballs - (used small plastic golf balls and put on top of water bottles- the kids tried to squirt them down). 

Our party was in the summer so I tried to incorporate water as much as possible.  They wore bathing suits and in between games I had a slip-n-slide set up.  They also used the squirt guns I had out for the baseball game.  All games could be used without any water so ideas could be used anytime of year!  After the games each kid picked a prize (small candies small baseball toys- balls stickers tattoos etc) from a basket I kept handy.  We gave each child a white paper lunch bag with their name on it and a baseball drawn on to keep their prizes in.  The kids were having so much fun playing the games and slip-n-sliding there were a couple of games they didn't even ask for prizes!! 

FOOD- the party was from 1:00 to 3:00 so I just put out Cracker Jacks chips and fruit.  I had a cooler of water and juice boxes.  After the games we sang Happy Birthday. 

CAKE- My son didn't want a cake instead I made big sugar cookies and chocolate chip cookies iced them with white and piped on red stitching to look like baseballs- Very big hit!  I served little ice-cream cups also.  I had each child sit by the birthday boy while he opened their gift- this allowed for great individual pictures!  As he opened presents I had each guest sign their name to a baseball I cut out of scrapbook paper to use in his birthday scrapbook- very funny to see the handwriting!  After cookies and presents we took a group photo of everyone in their favorite baseball hats. 

FAVORS- As the guests were leaving we gave them a small goodie bag with baseball oriented candy whistle fruity snacks and a wiffle ball and bat!  The kids had a great time- boys and girls alike!  My son loved every minute.  My husband loved it because it was an extremely inexpensive party and I had a great time because it took very little planning and not much stress in the execution of it!  "

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