Guest Question
I am trying to plan a party for my little girl who is turning 4 and who is a Cinderella fanatic. But she will be having boys at her party so I didn't want to go with a typical "princess" party and thought a Disney party with all the different characters would be a great alternative.
Have you ever come across any kind of multi pack of disney paper products or supplies with a variety of the characters in it? Or do you have any ideas for this type of party or can you send me to any other sites that might?
Sincerely,
Parenting of K-6 Children Guest
Answer
I think this is a great idea! Invite the guests to dress-up as a Disney character and you'll have some adorable picture opportunities. The girls can come as princesses if they like - Belle, Ariel, Jasmine, and Cinderella costumes are easy to find. Pooh characters, Incredibles, and 101 Dalmatians are cute for boys.
I couldn't find party supplies that show characters from multiple movies, so you might just pick your child's current favorite Disney movie and use that as the theme for your plates and napkins and such. Take her to the store with you and let her pick out her own. For the cake, you might ask your baker to customize a cake with multiple characters.
You do want the invitations to convey the "multiple Disney character" theme. It would be easy to make your own invitations using the lovely Disney clip art at Disney Clip Art Galore. These images are available for private use and you can pick and choose your child's favorite characters. Save them to your computer; and then, use your document software to insert the pictures into a greeting card or full-page format.
Amazing Moms recommends playing the party game Disney DVD Bingo [Compare Prices]; and it would be perfect because the game boards have multiple Disney characters pictured. Bingo is an ideal party game that even a 4-year old can play. If parents are at the party, they'll enjoy helping the kids with their Bingo cards.
Since a birthday party for a 4-year old should be short and sweet, add just one more active game that your child likes. It doesn't have to be related to the Disney theme, but you can adapt a traditional game such as Balloon Juggle. Give each child a big, sturdy inflated balloon. Don't inflate it too much; popping balloons can scare little kids. Let each child choose a Disney character for their balloon and write the name of the character on it with a marker. Make a circle and call out one Disney character name. The child with that balloon tosses his balloon in the air and the group has to work together to keep the balloon aloft (while holding on to their own balloon). Keep calling out names to add balloons to the air. At this age, it's OK if they pick them up and put them back into play if they are dropped. Play until all the balloons are in the air and they are having a wild time scrambling for balloons. Give everyone a prize.
I love the idea of taking a photo of each child and including it in the thank-you note after the party. So, plan on having an adult whose responsibility it is to take a photo of each child in his Disney character costume, plus some of the entire group.
