# we're having a "messy" birthday party - I need ideas



## friendtoall (Dec 29, 2003)

So far, I'm planning a big painting area, flour on a tarp to run cars through, the sandbox, some water play. Any other fun ideas? How about for the invitations?


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## maxsmum (Nov 29, 2006)

painting w/pudding.

cornstarch and water (mix until solid in the bowl, but will "melt" when you try to pick it up)

tubs or buckets filled w/ rice, shaving cream, sand, packing peanuts etc. to make a trail to walk through

mud birthday cakes

water balloons

body painting

invitations: I would make the invites and then leave them on the dinner table to get speckled with stuff, you know like when you have an important paper that gets coffee on it







it that too gross?


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## captain crunchy (Mar 29, 2005)

Oh that sounds fun! I don't have any great ideas but I wanted to suggest cross-posting this in the crafting section here at MDC -- there are lots of creative mamas who I am sure could give you lots of awesome ideas!

Have fun!


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## maxsmum (Nov 29, 2006)

oh yeah, paint popsicles. freeze temera paint in ice cube trays, but in a toothpick pop them out when frozen and let kids paint with them - makes a cool texture.


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## maxsmum (Nov 29, 2006)

ok, two more and I am done

playing with cooked spaghetti - sooooooo much fun

and letting them eat food w/out utensils (or their hands!)

can I come to this?


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## JeanineTheOT (Sep 25, 2006)

oh, that sounds like so much fun!!

Im an OT, and we do sensory day with the kids in the school I work in. We do :
-corn-starch and water ****
- we make gak (you can get the recipe online, it is water, borax, and some other ingredients)
- shaving cream with some paint in ziplock bags or in a bucket
-homemade playdoh (you can add instant coffee powder to make it brown like dirt, then the kids can drive little trucks around in it, or little dinosaurs in it) Or add flavored unsweetened jello mix into the playdoh to color it and make it smell, orange turns out the best)
-moon sand- get it at Target. it is sand that sticks together like clay, real cool
-Snow: this is the coolest of them all. It feels cold and wet, like real snow, but it is non-toxic and stays for a long time. when it dries out, just add more water. http://www.specialkidszone.com/Produ...ProductID=1939

Ill add more if I can think of them.
I think I might need to use this theme for my daughters next bday party! Thannks!


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## friendtoall (Dec 29, 2003)

Okay, this is what I've come up with so far:
glueing with feathers, sticks, etc
goop aka oobleck (cornstarch and water)
bag of flour to play in on a tarp
painting on butcher paper with body parts, brushes, etc
sandbox
play clay, possibly dryer lint clay
a game where they feed eachother blindfolded, maybe applesauce
and after the flour is put away, sprikler and wading pool

For the invites, we've made cards covered in "muddy" handprints. I'll be sure to mention that clothing is optional, spare clothes required, and warn them to get ready to make a mess.

I'll serve a pig cake with mud (chocolate pudding) and send the kids home with some clay or playdough and the recipe.

Thanks for your ideas! I'd love to hear more if you've got some...


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## Stinkerbell (Aug 11, 2005)

I started this same thread a few weeks ago. Its here somewhere!!

We're having a Messy Party this month for DS's 3rd birthday.

In addition to stuff mentioned, we made unusual invites: I bought a 12 pack of cheap washcloths and a 12 pack of individually wrapped Ivory soap bars. I folded the washcloth, placed the printed invite (printed on my computer with a messy handprint background) on top, then the bar of soap and wrapped it up with blue ribbon. I mailed them in bubble mailers.

We're having a bucket of mud cake and decorate your own cupcakes.


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## pixiesmommy (Apr 19, 2007)

We just had one of these, but it wasn't a birthday party- my group on meetup.com organized one and it was SOOOOOO very fun! We kept ours all edible since most of the kids were under 3 yrs old... my daughter is almost 7 though and she enjoyed it as much or MORE that the toddlers!!!

Here is what all we did/had:

Filled a kiddie pool with cooked spaghetti (3 big pots of it) and a little bit of extra water so it didn't dry out.

Put puddles of pudding on a Little Tykes picnic table to "fingerpaint"... although my daughter climbed onto the table and made "pudding angels"









Filled a small tote with whipped cream and banana chunks

Used a small sled and filled it with dry oats

Filled a big bowl with powdered sugar

Let the kids play in gelatin and eat jigglers

Had spaghetti and red sauce or choice or spaghetti with butter for lunch and let them eat with hands or just put face directly onto plate and slurp them up!

Made sugar cookies ahead of time and let the kids slather them in frosting and sprinkles and eat for dessert

For cleaning up we had a kiddie pool with water and a sprinkler

For playing (and it helped clean up a little) was a water table

For toys: Pails, big spoons, ladles, whisks (the little ones loved the sounds the whisks made when banged together), tea-set pots and pans, little dishes,etc. For older kids we had water balloon fight to help "wash off"

I think cooked rice or cooked instant potatoes would have been fun- you could even sculpt with the potatoes if you made them thick enough!

For the older kids we also got a package of cheap-o t-shirts in the little boys section of the store and some fabric markers from Hobby Lobby and let them decorate those after they were cleaned up and the littler ones had left.

I would recommend having parents bring toys/kiddie pools if not food- it can get expensive. I would also recommend you have a clothes changing area outside if you can that offers some privacy if that's an issue. Our kids mostly wore their diapers and/or swimsuits and hosed down and changed outside, but my daughter is getting shy and ran around to a private corner of the house to change clothes.

Be wary of flour and water- this makes paste and is hard to get out of clothes and hair once it dries! I would avoid syrups, honey, etc. for the same reasons- too hard to remove from hair!

Have fun!!!!

Manda


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## Stinkerbell (Aug 11, 2005)

I printed that post, Pixiesmommy. Great ideas!! We're skipping the flour and water because Ive heard it ruins the lawn, too. While messes are fun, I need to know that I can clean up the aftermath with little damage.

We'll have a "Deluxe Baby Wash" with stations for "Wash", "Rinse", "Dry" and "Buff/Wax". Soapy water, clean water, towels and powder/lotions.


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## Robert Goodman (Mar 13, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Stinkerbell* 
I bought a 12 pack of cheap washcloths and a 12 pack of individually wrapped Ivory soap bars. I folded the washcloth, placed the printed invite (printed on my computer with a messy handprint background) on top, then the bar of soap and wrapped it up with blue ribbon. I mailed them in bubble mailers.

I just had a vision of the mailman in the rain, pushing a cart trailing suds.

Quote:

We're skipping the flour and water because I've heard it ruins the lawn, too.
That's a new one on me. What specifically does it do to the lawn? Lower the pH as it's metabolized?

As to the hair and clothes, what doesn't stick? Even shampoo would take a lot of rinsing if you let it dry in place.

Robert


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## friendtoall (Dec 29, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Stinkerbell* 
In addition to stuff mentioned, we made unusual invites: I bought a 12 pack of cheap washcloths and a 12 pack of individually wrapped Ivory soap bars. I folded the washcloth, placed the printed invite (printed on my computer with a messy handprint background) on top, then the bar of soap and wrapped it up with blue ribbon. I mailed them in bubble mailers.

I wish I had thought of that for the invitations! Maybe that can be a take home gift.


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## Stinkerbell (Aug 11, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Robert Goodman* 
I just had a vision of the mailman in the rain, pushing a cart trailing suds.

That's a new one on me. What specifically does it do to the lawn? Lower the pH as it's metabolized?

As to the hair and clothes, what doesn't stick? Even shampoo would take a lot of rinsing if you let it dry in place.

Robert

aw, dont be a killjoy







:

I dont know exactly what it does to the lawn. My neighbor's landscaper told us to skip the flour/water when we were talking about the party. An when we googled it we found a few posts about it being impossible to get out of the grass. maybe taht's it...just that it is difficult to remove so it suffocates the lawn? I dont know.


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## True Blue (May 9, 2003)

For invitations, I had DS paint some posterboard and we cut it up haphazardly and wrote the info on the back in magic marker.

We filled a kiddie pool with jello for them to play in.

Had a big roll of paper for them to paint on (and on each other) outside.

Balloon popping race with balloons filled with whipped cream.

Watermelon eating constest (no hands!).


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## Softmama (Jun 10, 2003)

:


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## Robert Goodman (Mar 13, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Stinkerbell* 
aw, dont be a killjoy







:

You mean about the mailman? That was just a funny, silly thought. Like mailing catnip.


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## Sage_SS (Jun 1, 2007)

I wanted to do a Messy Party like this for my daughters 4th bday. But her bday is Nov.11, and since we live in southern BC, it would have to be inside.









These are GREAT ideas for my other two bdays tho! Thanks y'all!!!!


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## Robert Goodman (Mar 13, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Sage_SS* 
I wanted to do a Messy Party like this for my daughters 4th bday. But her bday is Nov.11, and since we live in southern BC, it would have to be inside.









Recently online I saw a photo collection from someone who, for a birthday party (a niece's IIRC), made a heap of light dry foam from bubble bath in the bathtub and let the girls strew it around. And took part herself.

Robert


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## earthmamma (Dec 27, 2005)

Another edible idea is to cover-plastic table cloth, saran wrap, etc- a table and then put whipped cream and berries on it. The kiddos can use their hands to swirl, smooth, paint and then eat it up. Sounds like a great party, hope you guys have a blast!


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## Igraine (Jul 1, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *JeanineTheOT* 
oh, that sounds like so much fun!!

Im an OT, and we do sensory day with the kids in the school I work in. We do :
-corn-starch and water ****
- we make gak (you can get the recipe online, it is water, borax, and some other ingredients)
- shaving cream with some paint in ziplock bags or in a bucket
-homemade playdoh (you can add instant coffee powder to make it brown like dirt, then the kids can drive little trucks around in it, or little dinosaurs in it) Or add flavored unsweetened jello mix into the playdoh to color it and make it smell, orange turns out the best)
-moon sand- get it at Target. it is sand that sticks together like clay, real cool
-Snow: this is the coolest of them all. It feels cold and wet, like real snow, but it is non-toxic and stays for a long time. when it dries out, just add more water. http://www.specialkidszone.com/Produ...ProductID=1939

Ill add more if I can think of them.
I think I might need to use this theme for my daughters next bday party! Thannks!

I love these ideas!! Thank you!


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## muttmom92 (Mar 20, 2005)

I'm planning my dd's 3rd b-day messy party for the end of this month.

So far my plan is to:

*Hang art paper on part of my fence and have bowls of paint out for fingerpainting

*Have a couple of buckets with bubble solution and large bubble wands

*Regular kiddie pool with water b/c I'm sure it'll be hot

*I'm going to have them frost and decorate their own cupcakes

*Whipped cream pie fight

*What's everyone's opinion on the whipped cream pie fight. Does that sound like an injury waiting to happen or do you think it is a good idea?*

Oh, and does anyone have anymore party favor ideas?


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## Robert Goodman (Mar 13, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *muttmom92* 
What's everyone's opinion on the whipped cream pie fight. Does that sound like an injury waiting to happen or do you think it is a good idea?

There's a reason sports other than boxing outlaw blows to the head. Trouble is, if you outlaw blows to the head in pie fighting, it won't be much fun. Maybe if you came up with a device to hold the pie that would absorb impact, like putting the pie on the side of a flexible pole far from the handle.

Oh, silly me. I was thinking melee style, hand-to-hand. Just set it up so the pies are projectile weapons only. Separate everybody by greater than arm's length, for instance opposite sides of a long table. As long as they don't start hitting people on the same side of the table, but you can police that.

I don't think anyone could aspirate a large enough volume of whipped cream to get a lipid pneumonia unless they were sticking the nozzle of a can into their nose, and of course you'll be using paper plates rather than pie tins, so I think you'll be fine.

Robert


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## sewaneecook (Nov 1, 2005)

I haven't read the rest of the responses, but something that was so much fun at a birthday party when I was little was a mini swimming pool filled with corn starch and water (if you have never played with this, it is the best!).


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## flapjack (Mar 15, 2005)

You missed the jello bath... multiple packets, mix it up in buckets, tip it into a swimming pool. You MUST get the sugar-free kind, though


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## Robert Goodman (Mar 13, 2006)

For more ideas, search the fetish world. I hadn't realized until I hit it in various searches of the nets, but "wet and messy" ("WAM") is an adult fetish. Some of them get wet and/or messy nude, but that's not messy enough for most of them, so they get wet and/or messy fully dressed, often in rather uncomfortable or fancy clothes. Maybe they're making up for not being allowed to do it as kids.

They probably have lots of how-to tips, including cleanup.

Robert


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## Samjm (Mar 12, 2005)

I'm in the process of planning a messy party for DD's 3rd birthday party in 3 weeks. So far it looks like we'll have the following stations:

1. Face paint markers
2. Washable Tempera paints, paper and assorted brushes
3. Bucket with cornstarch/water goop
4. Large bubble bucket with large wands
5. Large bowl filled with shaving cream
6. Small kiddie pool with cold cooked spagetti
7. Play dough center with home-made playdough, cookie cutters, rollers etc.
8. Larger kiddie pool with soapy water, sponges and wash cloths for cleanup.

Gulp, I'm starting to get nervous!


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## mirandahope (Nov 10, 2005)

:


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## StephandOwen (Jun 22, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Stinkerbell* 
In addition to stuff mentioned, we made unusual invites: I bought a 12 pack of cheap washcloths and a 12 pack of individually wrapped Ivory soap bars. I folded the washcloth, placed the printed invite (printed on my computer with a messy handprint background) on top, then the bar of soap and wrapped it up with blue ribbon. I mailed them in bubble mailers.

That's such a cute idea! Wish I had thought of that one!

Quote:


Originally Posted by *muttmom92* 
*Whipped cream pie fight

*What's everyone's opinion on the whipped cream pie fight. Does that sound like an injury waiting to happen or do you think it is a good idea?*

We did a whipped cream pie fight and it all went well. BUT we only had 4 kids (10 year old, 4 year old, 3 year old, almost 3 year old). I put cool whip on styrofome (sp?) small plates. The kids had a blast!

We had a messy party last fall for my ds's 3rd birthday. We were kinda restricted in what we could do because it was moved indoors (raining that day) and we couldn't do anything with flour (one of the kids is gluten free). We did painting pumpkins (small pie pumpkins that they each got to take home with them), painting tee shirts (that they each got to take home), some goo stuff in buckets, a kiddie swimming pool with jello and a whipped cream fight. For dessert they decorated their own cupcakes. As you can see by the pictures we covered the floor and part way up the wall with plastic to keep it from getting ruined. It was a little slippery at the end with all the jello and whipped cream but the kids had a blast running and slipping (and somehow noone got hurt).


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## sept04mama (Mar 3, 2004)

Thanks everyone for the ideas! We did DS's 3rd birthday party today, and it went off really well.

Stations we had:
Painting the house with shaving cream and paint brushes
Cornstarch "goo" in pie tins
Pudding/chocolate syrup painting on parchment sheets
Water balloons
Speghetti fight (this was possibly the hit)

Then we ate a finger-food lunch, then we decorated cookies with gummy worms, sweettarts, m & m's, and sprinkles. This was instead of a cake.

After presents, DS handed each child a candy necklace and they went home.

It all lasted about 1 hr. 45 min. and they lost interest at times, playing on our slide or in our sandbox. It was a hit though, and not too expensive. The cleanup wasn't that bad, I had the kids play a "game" of picking up the balloon pieces, and the rest was hosed off.

If I remember, I'll try to post some pics later.


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## APmom2Libby (Mar 18, 2006)

We had a messy party in May and it was fun.

The thing I think that was NOT a great idea was the flour on the tarp. It was messy alright and once the kids started adding water to it, it became a huge mess and got stuck in hair, etc...

On a positive note, the cooked spaghetti, jello, marshmallow pit and pools were a hit.

But, the BIGGEST hit was the face paint marker station. The kids and moms had a blast with this.

Clean-up was NOT fun. Mainly because of the flour/water mess.

We did a "less-messy party" in June and it was MUCH more fun for everyone involved. We just did water balloons, tubs of water with lots of toys for pouring and dumping, popsicles, face paint markers and a sand and water table. The kids and moms had tons more fun and clean up was a breeze.

here's our montage of the party....it was awesome for some photo ops, that's for sure!!!!!

Far West Suburbs AP Moms Messy Party


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## samanthasmom (Jun 18, 2006)

i love this idea!!!! i can't wait to havw a messy party!!


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