Birthday Parties and Themes for Kids

My son is turning four in a few weeks. We have always allowed our kids to pick a theme for their party, and then we do our best to build a fun party around the idea. We have had a Winnie the Pooh Party, Pink Dinosaurs and Doggies Party, Strawberry Shortcake Party, John Deere Party, Butterfly Party, Art Party, Tie-Dye Party, Construction Party, Spa Party… you get the idea. I enjoy the challenge of coming up with games and snacks that fit the theme, and I am lucky enough to have a strong supporting cast in my husband and in-laws. Clint plays the guitar and has written songs to fit the themes, and has even dressed up in character on occasion. My father-in-law is an artist and did caricatures at the Art Party and has build cakes to match every theme with the help of my mother-in-law. My sister-in-law is every kid’s dream aunt who helps out in any way and gave professional looking manicures at the Spa Party. We all get into it.

Understandably, my kids are thinking up their themes years in advance. At one point, Hillary had ideas for her fifth birthday through her thirteenth. When we started asking Schuyler what kind of birthday party he wanted this year, he answered, “Engine!”

This is a boy who spends 95% of his time playing with trucks and tractors. We’ve done both the truck and tractor party, so I guess this stayed within his interests without being repetitive. But an “Engine Party”? I was drawing a blank on how to amuse four year olds around this theme. He insisted that Grandpa could build a silver engine cake, and we could build an engine made out of metal in the backyard. I think he meant with a blowtorch. As much as I hate to squash imagination, I didn’t think I could rise to this particular challenge.

My husband and father-in-law, however, wanted to try. “We can have the mechanic come over and show them the parts of an engine,” offered Clint. “And maybe we can’t build an engine out of metal, but I bet we could do one out of wood.” My father-in-law has never said no to any of the kids’ cake ideas, including the year Izzy wanted a cake with Piglet riding on the back of an Iguana. I however, could not justify the hours of work that would go into building an engine out of wood or sculpting a cake in the shape of an engine. Neither could I see a group of kids listening patiently as the mechanic explained what a dipstick is.

So what did I do? I handed Schuyler a catalog from a birthday supply company. Oh, the possibilities. A Hot Wheels party (no-brainer), Monster Trucks or Dinosaurs, all feasible. “Army! I want an Army party!” Schuyler was mesmerized by the pages of camouflage party supplies and favors. Army? My mind raced ahead. Easy. Set up an obstacle course and have them rescue stuffed animals out of the “quick sand” (also known as the sandbox). A camouflage cake. We can oblige this idea, while I will still say no to any pretend guns, grenades, or bombs. Let’s just hope he isn’t still expecting the blowtorch for some reason.

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