• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to header navigation
  • Skip to footer navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Yellow Bliss Road

Easy, approachable and family friendly recipes for any home cook.

  • About Me
    • Meet the Team
    • My Favorite Tools
  • Contact
    • FAQs
    • Disclosure
    • Sharing Policy
    • Privacy Policy
    • Accessibility
  • Collaborate
  • Signup >
Display Search Bar
  • Recipes
    • View ALL Recipes
    • Appetizers and Snacks
    • Asian
    • Beverages
    • Bread
    • Breakfast Recipes
      • Casseroles
      • Egg Recipes
      • Muffins
      • Pancakes
    • Desserts
      • Brownies and Bars
      • Cake and Cupcakes
      • Cookies
      • Fruit Desserts
      • No Bake Desserts
    • Dinner
      • Casseroles
      • Easy Weeknight Dinners
      • One Pot Meals
      • Pasta
      • Pork
      • Chicken
      • Beef
      • Seafood
    • Lunch
      • Easy Weekday Lunches
      • School Lunches
    • Cooking Method
      • Air Fryer
      • On the Grill
      • Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker
      • Slow Cooker
    • Dips and Sauces
    • Mexican
    • Sandwiches
    • Salads
    • Side Dishes
      • Vegetables
    • Slow Cooker
    • Soups and Stews
  • Holiday Recipes
    • Valentine’s Day
    • Halloween
    • St. Patrick’s Day
    • Fourth of July
    • Seasonal Recipes
    • Easter
    • Thanksgiving
    • Christmas
    • Seasonal Recipes
      • Fall
      • Spring
      • Summer
  • Free Printables
    • Christmas
    • Thanksgiving
    • Halloween
    • Easter
    • Valentine’s Day
    • Fourth of July
    • School
    • Birthdays
  • Home/Crafts/DIY
    • Crafts and DIY
    • Gift Ideas
    • Home Decor
    • Photography Tips
  • Family
    • Adoption
      • My Adoption Story
    • Birthdays
    • Travel
Follow me on Facebook! Follow me on Pinterest! Follow me on Instagram!

Home » Holiday Recipes » Cooper’s Buggy 4th Birthday Party!

Cooper’s Buggy 4th Birthday Party!

Published on September 26, 2011, Updated August 18, 2020 by Kristin Maxwell | 22 Comments

160360shares
  • 7
  • 160351

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!

Previous Post
Next Post

About Kristin Maxwell

Kristin Maxwell is the creator and main recipe developer, writer, and photographer of Yellow Bliss Road. A self-taught cook and self-appointed foodie, she specializes in easy, flavorful and approachable recipes for any home cook. Read more about Kristin HERE.

5 Secrets to Dinnertime Sanity

free email bonus
Tested, Tasted & Terrific!

Reader Interactions

Join the Conversation

    Leave a Comment Cancel reply

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  1. Bob Kubik says

    November 2, 2019 at 6:15 am

    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.

    Reply
    • Kristin Maxwell says

      November 8, 2019 at 7:38 pm

      I’m not sure! Those are the children of a friend and this was a while ago.

      Reply
  2. Alora says

    August 18, 2015 at 3:58 pm

    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?

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      August 20, 2015 at 9:28 am

      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.

      Reply
  3. BlueCat says

    July 5, 2015 at 1:09 am

    Amazing birthday!

    Reply
  4. Gwen says

    March 23, 2014 at 11:29 am

    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. 🙂

    Reply
  5. Anonymous says

    September 18, 2013 at 6:44 pm

    So super awesome!! “borrowing” a couple ideas – thanks!!

    Reply
  6. Anonymous says

    September 14, 2012 at 4:39 pm

    wow..that was very creative and awesome! I Loved it!

    Reply
  7. April says

    February 25, 2012 at 6:00 pm

    What is the name of the font in your invitation…the Cooper is turning Four part?

    Reply
  8. Vanessa says

    October 14, 2011 at 2:34 pm

    What a fun party!

    Reply
  9. Mrs. S. says

    October 10, 2011 at 3:49 am

    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!

    Reply
  10. Kim @ seven thirty three says

    September 29, 2011 at 4:56 pm

    WOW! What a fun party and that Nature Guy was pretty amazing! EEK!

    Thanks for linking with What are little boys made of?

    Reply
  11. Hollie - TheSevenYearCottage says

    September 29, 2011 at 3:04 pm

    Looks like a great time!

    Reply
  12. pam {simple details} says

    September 29, 2011 at 2:25 am

    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!

    Reply
  13. Gwen @ Gwenny Penny says

    September 29, 2011 at 1:35 am

    Another fantastic party, Kristin. I love the names of each food item… too clever!

    Reply
  14. Adriana says

    September 28, 2011 at 2:46 am

    Such an amazing party and Cooper looks like he had a blast!

    Reply
  15. the cape on the corner says

    September 27, 2011 at 7:59 pm

    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!

    Reply
  16. Sue says

    September 27, 2011 at 2:11 am

    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

    Reply
  17. Kelli says

    September 27, 2011 at 12:43 am

    I LOVE LOVE LOVE this!! Great job Mama =) What a memory to last a lifetime, what a blessed little 4 year old =)

    Reply
  18. michelle says

    September 26, 2011 at 11:17 pm

    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

    Reply
  19. Noelle says

    September 26, 2011 at 8:07 pm

    My birthday is Wednesday. I’d like a ‘No More Hospitals’ theme please. 😉

    You are AMAZING!!!

    Reply
  20. [email protected] says

    September 26, 2011 at 7:06 pm

    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!

    Reply

Primary Sidebar

Hi, I’m KRISTIN!

I'm a busy wife and mom who loves to cook, bake and create. All of the recipes and tips you will find here are created with your busy family (and mine!) in mind.

Read More »
Follow me on Facebook! Follow me on Pinterest! Follow me on Twitter! Follow me on Instagram! Email me!

5 Secrets to Dinnertime Sanity

free email bonus
Tested, Tasted & Terrific!

POPULAR TODAY

  • Healthy Ground Turkey Teriyaki Rice Bowl
  • Oven Baked Chicken Breasts
  • Creamy Chicken Pesto Pasta
  • Slow Cooker Crack Chicken Sandwiches
  • Tortellini Soup with Italian Sausage & Spinach
  • Crispy Baked Chicken Wings

ALL-TIME FAVORITES

  • Oven Baked Chicken Breasts
  • Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes (Au Gratin)
  • How to Make Authentic Mexican Rice
  • Cheesecake Cookies
  • All-Natural Mattress Cleaner – How to Clean Odors and Stains from Your Mattress
  • Healthy Ground Turkey Teriyaki Rice Bowl
  • Crispy Baked Chicken Wings
  • How to Cook a Thanksgiving Turkey
  • Tortellini Soup with Italian Sausage & Spinach

Yellow Bliss Road, Inc. is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Browse Around

  • Chicken
  • On the Grill
  • Pasta
  • Dinner
  • Soups
  • Sides
  • Salads
  • Desserts
Follow me on Facebook! Follow me on Pinterest! Follow me on Instagram!
  • About Me
  • Contact
  • Collaborate
  • Privacy & Copyright
  • Recipes by Category
Copyright © 2021 Yellow Bliss RoadTheme by Once Coupled