Storybook

Lollipop Party Favors.

We had Eliza's Birthday-Party-With-Friends on Saturday.  All 19 of them came, too.  :-)

Apple Pie Squares on wooden stand through the window of a puppet theater.

Stunned as I was to get a FULL SLATE of party-goers, I thought that I could probably fiddle my way through three hours with a Storybook Party Theme.

 

Eliza dressed as Molly, a mouse from the Tilda Apfelkern book we used LAST year.

I invited them to dress up like any character, from any kind of book ever written....

The first few friends to arrive: Robber Hotzenplotz and his Kitten sister.

....which gave us the electrifying moment of the CAT wanting to eat the MOUSE. ;-)

It was B E A U T I F U L in the woods today....I am so grateful!!

Right away, we went on a Treasure Hunt in the woods.  Forming two groups,  one group with Alistair walking counter-clockwise to the group walking with me.

We looked for hidden clothespins on the branches, and then found the treasure hiding somewhere nearby, (felt crowns, rings, treasure rocks, stickers, notebooks, lots of candy.....)

That is the single most successful party activity I have ever done.  It wasn't my idea, either -- I am indebted to a friend who suggested it.  In one pass, we got fresh air, exercise and a big hour-long game.  :-)  Lars also hid in the woods, dressed like a wolf, and popped out at the perfect moment.  The children thought this was wildly funny.  I forgot to take a picture of that.... :-(

I had some 'tactical support' on the food -- another mother stayed behind and got everything ready

while we were in the woods.  She now has indelible friend-status with me.

We had our food when we got back.....most of us ate picnic-style under the canopy.

 Fairytale Game

We read some books (Pinkalicious, loosely translated ;-) into German) and we played some storybook games.  The cards above have excerpts from German fairytales..... 

  

.....and there were ten eager readers who volunteered to read aloud, while the others guessed the story.   By the way, this was an EXCEPTIONALLY fine way to use up my stash of dusty scrapbooking supplies.

 

Giant Bubbles

Most of all, they really liked --  just playing.  Just playing.  Just playing.  :-) 

 

.....and they created the party fun themselves.  See the innocent-looking blue tube in the background?  By the end of the afternoon, they were taking turns rolling down the hill in it.  That blue tube was worth EVERY PENNY.   I'm tempted to write a review with five stars at Amazon, in fact. 

Unwrapping presents

Lucky me, amid my little cherubs and dressed like a gypsy woman.... ;-)

...I had a happy little mouse this afternoon.