15401

Firefighter Party -3yr- Put Out the Fire Game

March 2007

Marinda in Indianapolis, IN  USA

Honorable Mention

My son loves firetrucks, firefighters, fire hydrants... anything fire related!  For his third birthday party, we decided to have a Firefighter party.  I called a local fire department and signed us up for a visit on the day of the party.  The fire departments usually do these visits free, as a way to teach fire safety to children!  I offered to pay or make a donation, but they refused.  As a small token of our appreciation, I had two dozen fire cupcakes made by the bakery that was making my son's cake.  We gave these to the firefighters after our visit. 

The invitations were sent out a few weeks before the party.    The invitations were made on the computer.  I used a clip art fire engine and changed the number to 3.  I set it up so the fire engine was on the front, and the fold was on the top.  Once they were printed, I cut off the extra white around the edges so the invite was the shape of the fire engine.  The inside said  Calling all junior firefighters!  You are invited to a birthday celebration for Chief Grove.  Saturday, March XX  3:00 pm  RSVP to Captain Grove at XXX-XXXX.  Meet at (our address) and we will all travel together to a special party location.  I did this because I knew I needed to call the fire department right before the party to make sure they were not on a run!  If they were, we would have to do cake, presents and games first, and the visit later.  As it turned out, this happened! 

So it is good we planned ahead.  By the way, we didn't even tell my son about the visit, so he would not be disappointed if the firefighters were gone too long and we could not visit!  WHen the children arrived, they were each given a firefighter hat and badge (Oriental Trading) to wear.  My son's was black instead of red, since he was the chief. 

The first game they played was Put out the Fire!  I had gotten three houses" from Build-a-Bear Workshop.  The week before the party my son painted them.  I then filled the punch out windows with red yellow and orange crepe paper to look like fire! 

The kids took turns trying to put out the fire by squirting the houses with red ketchup bottles (the kind you buy for a picnic set... one dollare for two at the dollar store).  Each child got a chance to race two others to see who could put out the fire first.  The fire was out when all the crepe paper was limp and soggy!  (I covered the floor with layers of towels since it was raining and we couldn't go outside.  It was an easy clean-up!)  I had extra pieces cut to "re-light" the fire for each new child! 

The kids also played Pin the Badge on the Firefighter with a large firefighter poster I had made.  Finally we played "Hot Potatoe" while wearing large firefighter gloves (borrowed from my brother a firefighter). 

The children also decorated foam picture frames with orange red and yellow foam fire stickers.  I kept the frames to send later as thank you cards.  The house was decorated with red orange and yellow streamers that hung vertically in strips from the ceiling.  It made it look like fire was everywhere!  We had fire inspired food…. Hot wings hot dogs hot barbeque chips etc. 

The cake was shaped like a fire truck with the number three on the side.  The candle was a little dalmation dog who looked like he was peaking out of the window!  After games cake and presents the firefighters were finally back so we traveled down the block to the local fire department.  The firefighters divided the children into two groups and took them on a tour of the station.  The kids practiced Stop Drop and Roll and even visited with Sparky the Fire Dog! 

After the tour they got to check out the fire engines and ambulances pose for pictures and visit with the firefighters.  We took a picture of each child "driving" the fire engine and one of the entire group sitting in front of the station. 

After the party my son signed his name to the thank yous including one to the firefighters at Station Three.  The thank yous were written on blank card stock which was then used as the backing to the frames the children had made.  We put a picture of each child "driving" the engine in each frame and then sealed them with the thank you backing.  A magnet was added then the frames were mailed a few days later. 

Goody bags had fire engine suckers Rescue Hero fruit snacks badge stickers fire safety coloring books spray hoses and the hat each child had received at the start of the party.  The party was a blast and I think the adults enjoyed it as much as the children did!      "

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