Do-It-Yourself Active Birthday Parties for Kids

Every year parents grapple with what to do for their kids' birthday parties. Open up any local parenting resource and you'll find pages of ads for party clowns, magicians, and cartoon character impersonators. There are companies that will bring exotic reptiles or farm animals to your party. Want face painters and fairies for your daughter's eighth birthday? No problem, there are plenty of them. We haven't even touched on all the kids' party venues beyond the backyard, like Laser Tag facilities and "Paint Your Own" pottery studios. Some parents get so overwhelmed by the multitude of choices and their accompanying fees, it's no wonder they end up having their kid's party at Chuck E. Cheese.

I've been hired by many exasperated parents to lead "active" birthday parties. I may be biased, but I believe the best birthday parties for kids are ones where they have the opportunity to release their natural energy. Active parties are less expensive and commercial than many of the choices listed above. They can be held in your backyard or community park. Parents can lead them or hire a local coach or kids' fitness instructor to do the job. They're fun, unique, and memorable. Do I have you convinced yet? Here are a few active kids' parties that are always a big hit:

(All examples work best for children five years and older.)

Dance Party
Best for girls
Have your MP3 player packed with kids' favorite songs. Spend part of the hour doing dance party favorites like the Macarena, Cha Cha Slide, Limbo, and the Train. For the remainder of the hour, have the kids work on a short dance they'll perform for the parents at the end of the party. Add easy-to-apply costumes, like ribbons in the hair or scarves around the neck. Use your best over-the-top announcer voice to introduce the performance. The birthday girl is front and center, of course.
Party Favor Idea: Burn each partygoer a CD of the birthday girl's favorite dance songs.

Pirate Party
Great for boys and girls
Include on the invitation to come to the party dressed as a pirate, but have more pirate paraphernalia on hand just in case. The activity of the party comes in three parts. First, to get their blood pumping, play Torpedo! Create the outline of a ship on the grass using jump ropes. When you as the Captain yell, "Starboard!" all the pirates run to the right side of the ship. Yell "Port!" and they run to the left. Yell "Man overboard!" and they all have to act like they're swimming outside of the ship. Finally, yell "Torpedo!" and they have to duck and cover. Begin to give the commands in faster succession. They'll crack up as they try to keep up. Next, make the pirates walk the plank by having them balance on a 2 x 4 through a mud puddle. End the party by sending the little maties on a treasure hunt. Each hidden clue tells them how to get to the next clue: jog, hop, crab walk, etc.

Workout Party
Great for boys and girls
Ask the partygoers to come clad in workout wear and athletic shoes. Challenge them with fun obstacle courses and circuit stations. (See Family Circuit 1 & 2 for ideas.) Music is the key. (See Tried and True Kids' Fitness Music for suggestions.) Throw in songs like "Macho Man" and "The Theme from Rocky" for the parents' amusement. Take a group photo of the kids flexing their muscles and grunting like bodybuilders. Include a copy in each of your thank you cards.
Party Favor Idea: Personalized water bottles filled with goodies.

Double Dare Party
Great for boys and most girls
If you have the right backyard and an adventurous kid, this party can be a blast! Warn kids to "dress for mess" in the invitation. Have extra old t-shirts on hand just in case. Double dare them to make it through obstacle courses that involve slime, mud, whipped cream, and water balloons. Get creative. You can even turn the birthday cake into another challenge. Just eliminate the forks, tell them to have their hands behind their backs, and say "Go!"

Hope these active party ideas help the next time you find yourself wishing for your child's 18th birthday. Don't underestimate your ability to throw one of these parties. Truth be told, when I'm hired to do a kids' party, I only show up for the hour of activity. The remainder of the festivities--food, decorations, party favors--are all handled by the parents. I'm always impressed with parents' creativity and dedication. In fact, I bet many of you have had active party successes of your own. Care to share them? You can e-mail The Fit Family at Kristen@healthnews.com