[Kama]

Hello everyone!

Our daughter will celebrate her 5th birthday in October and we are throwing a party for her girl friends! I need some birthday ideas though and was wondering if anyone can help. We will welcome parents to stay for conversation, coffee and cakes, so this will not be totally typical American birthday (that's what I have seen so far at least). So far, we have Dora the Explorer invitations and a pinata, but do not want to make it only Latin theme, but more international one. Will probably make some Polish good, get some Japanese snacks, and some other foods/snacks/drinks from other countries (whatever I can find in our small town). However, I have no idea what kinds of games, activities to do that would go with the international theme. Help!

[mschaefer]

Here are a few activities I've used with that age group with a slight twist for your international theme:

1. Arts and Craft: Have pictures of various countries flags, colored paper, scissors, glue sticks and markers/crayons. Each child can pick a flag and make it. Hang all the flags on a string with clothes pin and hand in the party area.
2. Bean Bag Toss: Make the "board" out of a thick cardboard box and paint it any theme that fits (e.g. the Alps, the Great Wall of China, Palm Tress with the holes as coconuts, etc). 2-3 small bean bags
3. Dress-up: equal number of clothes items per child (e.g. 5 children attending then 5 hats or 5 sets of shoes). Place items per child in a bag. each child recieves a bag. When you say "go" everyone tries to dress in their costume as quickly as possible. You can take it one step further -- if you mix up the costumes once the children are dressed they have to "swap articles" to get the costumes to match (e.g. the person with the policeman outfit needs to give the clown shoes to the clown and get the boots from the cowboy, etc) To make it more international you would need costumes throughout the world. You can put pictures out so the children know how each costume goes together
4. Kids songs: at least one instrument per child. Plan songs that the children are familiar with in English "The Wheels on the Bus", "If Your Happy and You Know It" then teach them the same song in different languages. "Frère Jacques" is always good since it's already in French and many children will know it already.

Have fun!

[Kama]

Thank you!

Originally Posted by mschaefer

Here are a few activities I've used with that age group with a slight twist for your international theme:
: