What boy wouldn't love to have an Army themed birthday party? This is a theme they almost never outgrow, and there are so many possibilities for games and activities.
When your son wants an Army themed birthday party, here are some great tips for a memorable afternoon. Party guests won't soon forget the fun they had being "soldiers" for the day.
Invitations
Uncle Sam Wants You
Create a unique party invitation by dressing your son as Uncle Sam. Snap a picture and scan it onto a program that will let you make cards (such as Print Shop). Write Uncle (fill in your son’s name) wants YOU…to celebrate his birthday.
Inside write: Day of Enlistment (party date) and other vital information.
Parachute Invitations
Get a handful of the classic plastic parachute Army men and write the party information using a permanent marker on the parachute. Fold back up and send or hand the Army men out to friends. When the kids open the parachute, they will see the invitation.
Decorations:
Think camouflage when planning an Army themed party—and lots of it. Find green netting and drape it over furniture or hang on the walls. Add green streamers and balloons to complete the look. Of course, don’t forget the American flag! If you have room, set up tents and maybe even a campfire. This could be done outside, if you want to have a real fire.
Activities
Dressing for the Occasion
Instruct the kids to dress up as Army men and wear their camouflage fatigues. When they arrive, have face paint ready to decorate their face like a real Army man. Give them each a camouflage bandana to wear around their arm or on their head.
Dog Tags
A fun craft to complete while everyone is arriving is to make dog tags. Catalogs such as Oriental Trading Company sells blank dog tags. You can then use clear address labels to add the child’s name and vital stats. You may even find plastic dog tags with inserts that the children can fill out and slip back inside the tag.
Army Obstacle Course
No Army party would be complete without a thorough basic training obstacle course. The best place to set one up is outside. Place several hula hoops on the ground for the kids to run through. Set low-lying boards on the ground for jumping over. Turn your swing set or play center into part of the course, as well. If it is warm outside, have them jump over small swimming pools and throw “grenades” (water balloons). You can also play a couple of games of tug of war.
Cake and Snacks
A camo cake is very easy to make and you don’t need a lot of special cake decorating equipment. Simply bake your favorite cake mix and frost with white icing. Wilton makes cans of spray color for icing in different colors. Buy green, brown and black. Spray the top of the cake with the color to make it look like camouflage. Top with small plastic Army men, tanks, and tents. Serve up traditional Army food in metal plates. Serve hot dogs, beans, and chips.
Goodie Bags
If you have an Army supply store near you, stock up on Army patches and camping-type meals to include in the goodie bags. Don’t forget to add in some plastic green Army men and a small water gun, too.
