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Farmer's Market Party -3yr- Crafts & Food

October 2013

Kathleen in Rockford, IL USA

Special Mention

Farmers Market Birthday Party- 3 year Old  This party was geared for children from the ages of 3 to 14.   We invited many of her cousins and neighbors with all of their kids. 

INVITATION: For the invitation I used a photograph of our daughter with a farm in the background.  I took her to a local park where there is a petting farm.  In the background is the farm.  I dressed her in a red and white checked dress.   I made my own cards by using cardstock 4 ½ by 8 ½ paper.  I creased the paper at 6 ¼ for the front pocket of the card.  I glued the pocket on both sides so the photo and the paper would not fall out. I put a strip of red and white polka dotted paper on the front pocket and a cute label saying Happy Birthday over the polka dotted paper.  I put the 4 X 6 photo of Lori inside the pocket and on another sheet of cardstock I wrote the details of the party.

The inside of the card said:  Lori’s Farmer’s Market, You are invited to come spend the afternoon celebrating Lori’s birthday at her very own Farmer’s Market, Sunday, September 29, 2013, 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.  The kids will enjoy making crafts to sell from 1 to 2.  The adults can shop with fake money from 2 to 3 p.m.  At 3 we will sing happy birthday and have some cake and ice cream.  *All times are approximate!  I have no idea how long it will take them to make their works of art! 

DECORATIONS:  The decorations were simple.  I used my Cricut machine to make the birthday sign.  I cut out black triangles using Close to my Heart Art Philosophy cartridge.   I used the letter chalkboard letter cartridge for the lettering. I hung the sign on the pergola.  I bought a helium tank and inflated red and pink balloons.  I scattered these all around the back patio.  I covered the food table with brown wrapping paper to look more country. 

COSTUMES:  My boys wore jeans and white t-shirts.  I dressed our daughter in a jean dress with red strawberries on it. 

GAMES: When the guests arrived I sent them out to our back patio.  I took the 16 kids around to each station, and described each kit. I had set up three farmer’s market tables.  Each table was labeled with a theme and had a toy cash register.  The first table was labeled jewelry.  I wrote this on a chalkboard and set it on a miniature easel to give it the country look.  I purchased at Michaels three jewelry kits.  One kit allowed the kids to make rubber band bracelets, another one was for necklaces made out of small tiles and the third one was thread friendship bracelets. 

My next station was labeled art.  I also wrote that in chalk on a small chalkboard and put it on an easel.  This station had the large easel stand for painting water color pictures.  I bought two kits of the plastic stained glass sun catchers.  I also bought from Michaels the Spin Art kit.  I switched the paint that came with the kit with washable paint.  The spinner spins the paint and paint can fly out of the opening. 

The last stand was labeled homemade.  I used the chalkboard idea again to label the station.  Here the kids could make handmade potholders and foam door hangers.  I also made some mini homemade loaves of bread for the kids to sell at this station. 

After about an hour and fifteen minutes, the kids were finished with their crafts.  I handed parents some fake money, a brown gift bag, and they went around and bought their kids crafts.  All the kids wanted their own crafts back, and didn’t want anyone else to take their goodies.  After their shopping was finished, we brought out the riding lawn mower. 

My husband attached the wagon that goes with the John Deere.  My son gave rides to our guests around the yard.  I also set up my daughter’s stuffed pony for the little ones to bounce on.  I had a giant tin bucket filled with water and I added some apples for bobbing for apples.  Plus I set out Lori’s little plastic mini market with fake food for the little ones to place grocery store. 

CAKE:  I made a three dimensional pig with marshmallow eyes and M&M’s for his eyeballs.  I used a KitKat for his nostrils.  I frosted it with pink icing and I used chocolate icing for mud.  I put the chocolate frosting all over the base of the cake and on the bottom of the pig.  I flung some chocolate icing on top of the pig.  I stuck a happy birthday sign into the pig and three candles. 

PARTY SNACKS:  I set up a food table of chili, nacho cheese, tortilla chips, Fritos, Chex Mix, yogurt covered raisins, M&M’s, and candy corn.  I had bowls for them to make their own nachos or eat chili.  I had plastic cups for our guests to make their own trail mix.  My kids are allergic to nuts, otherwise I may have just put a basket of trail mix out for everyone.  I bought matching baskets at Michaels too for the food.  I served hot cider, hot chocolate, and lemonade. 

FAVORS:  The crafts they made were their party favors.  Plus everyone went home with a mini loaf of homemade bread.  I made a homemade card for thank you notes.  I used 4 x 6 white cardstock.  I stamped an image of a cow, a pig and a rooster on it.  I used a strip of the same red and white polka dotted paper as I did for the invitation.    Overall, it was a very fun birthday party.  Everyone was busy and there wasn’t a dull moment.  If I had to do it over again, I wouldn’t change a thing.

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