Kristin Maxwell
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Cooper’s Buggy 4th Birthday Party!
I. Am. Exhausted. Now, I’m going to warn you up front, this is going to be a long post, but I have so many fabulous photos I have to share them all!!
Yesterday was my son’s 4th birthday party. For months he’s been asking for a “bug party” and I was determined to make it happen for him!
Here’s the invitation:
I didn’t want a “cutesy” bug theme, but more like “nature.” I purchased artificial grass at Home Depot. It was enough to cover three tables and cost me just $12. The burlap, also from Home Depot was just under $4 for each 80″ x 80″ sheet. I added a few potted mum plants and a whole mess ‘o plastic bugs, snakes and lizards.
For the food table, I utilized the same tablescape design. The Happy Birthday banner was created in photoshop and the flash card garland was from a Target Dollar Spot pack of insect flash cards.
The menu was my favorite part:
Cricket Nuggets (chicken nuggets)
Snail Shells (Turkey Rollups)
Butterflies (Italian bowtie pasta salad; recipe here)
Caterpillars & Cheese (Mac ‘N Cheese)
Antenae (Carrot sticks)
Ants on a Log (Celery with cream cheese and raisins)
Roly Polys (Black grapes slice in half lengthwise)
Wings (potato chips)
Bug Juice (Lemon Lime Hawaiian Punch)
My friends and I had fun coming up with silly bug themed names for all of the food! I really wanted to float some gummy worms in the punch, but it didn’t work (note the red figure at the bottom of the container!).
The dessert table:
Cupcakes and matching rice krispie treats made by my good friend Diane. I also added some white chocolate dipped marshmallows.
Who needs birthday “cake”? Cooper isn’t a big fan of cake/cupcakes so he asked for Worms in Dirt for his birthday dessert. I think he just wanted the worms!
In my online searching for party inspiration, I came across a party that had featured Steve the Nature Guy. We hired him for the party and he was awesome! He brought a scorpion, lots of lizards and snakes, a tortoise and a frog!
At first Cooper was unsure, but he warmed up pretty quickly!
The kids all got to take a photo with this albino boa which they thought was pretty cool.
I, however, did not.
Cooper enjoyed the presentation so much that he was playing “Steve the Nature Guy” all evening!
Each of the kids got take home a goodie bag with a bug catcher as well as their own set of insect flash cards.
They also got a bug hat (which I made with construction paper, black pipe cleaners and puffy balls and hot glue),
and a bug coloring book (can’t find the photo) that I made in photoshop.
If you made it all the way though this post, thank you! I had so much fun putting some creative touches on this party. We all had a really great time!
I noticed that a couple of the little ones are wearing Big Ben’s #7. Are you in/from Pittsburgh? I am, born and raised. After high school graduation I moved to California (46 years ago) but still remain loyal to the Black and Gold.
I’m not sure! Those are the children of a friend and this was a while ago.
Love your ideas! We’re having a similar bug themed party for our 5 yr old daughter. How did you affix the pipe cleaner antennae to the construction paper band?
Hi Alora, It’s been so long I can’t remember! I think I just taped them though. You could use tape or hot glue would actually be my recommendation.
Amazing birthday!
Just came across your blog through a pinterest pin. Adorable birthday parties you are having for your children. Mine are in their 20s but, like you, I had so much fun with their birthdays. My oldest let me throw him a ‘theme’ party every year until he left for college. I love seeing that you are having such a great time and putting so much creativity into your children’s life. And I’m busy converting your daughter’s ladybug party into something for adults. 🙂
So super awesome!! “borrowing” a couple ideas – thanks!!
wow..that was very creative and awesome! I Loved it!
What is the name of the font in your invitation…the Cooper is turning Four part?
What a fun party!
Wow! You did an awesome job on all your children’s b’day parties! I love them!
Melly<>< Stapler’s Strategies for Sizzlin’ Second Graders!
WOW! What a fun party and that Nature Guy was pretty amazing! EEK!
Thanks for linking with What are little boys made of?
Looks like a great time!
He is too cute!! You get Mom of the Year for letting them wrap the snake around you, that is the ultimate in being a good sport!
Another fantastic party, Kristin. I love the names of each food item… too clever!
Such an amazing party and Cooper looks like he had a blast!
you are seriously amazing! you covered everything with this birthday, down to the smallest (and creepy crawliest) detail. i LOVE the turf as table runner, and all the labeled food. holy smokes!
What great photos of happy times for you and your little ones. Wow, how did you handle that snake on you? I think I would have freaked out! Seriously, there isn’t much that frightens me, but snakes and lizards, yikes! Cooper is so darn cute. I enjoyed all the pictures.
Take care, Sue
I LOVE LOVE LOVE this!! Great job Mama =) What a memory to last a lifetime, what a blessed little 4 year old =)
What an adorable party!!! You did such an amazing job with everything!! I love the food and you are WAAAYYYY much more braver than I am with that snake! I would have been in another state. 🙂 I am so glad that he enjoyed himself, he is so adorable.
xoxox
My birthday is Wednesday. I’d like a ‘No More Hospitals’ theme please. 😉
You are AMAZING!!!
I hope my children never EVER see this post! My birthday parties are pathetic next to this one! I’m glad everyone had a wonderful time, and I hope you get to relax a little this week!