Birthday Party Ideas

I love to gather a lot of party ideas before each of my children’s birthday parties.  I’ve thrown six birthday parties for my stepson and we are getting ready to throw the seventh, his ninth birthday.

Nine seems like such a big number to me.  I need different party ideas than I needed even a year ago.  All of my stepson’s friends are older now, too.  It is hard to believe that these are the same kids that I entertained with a leaf pile just three years ago.

The party ideas that I’ve gotten so far are an Olympics birthday party and a Fear Factor birthday party.  I also found a lot of party ideas for things that I was sure my stepson would not like. 

I’ll make the final choice, since I am the one that does so much work on the birthday parties, but I will weigh heavily my stepson’s input.

The party ideas for a sports or Olympic themed party are all very active.  The party ideas for an extreme sports themed party might appeal to my stepson.  I just don’t know, though. 

I realize that they are growing up, but some kids this age still don’t handle losing well and I do not want a child to have a melt down at the party.

I had to laugh out loud when I read the party ideas for a Fear Factor birthday party. 

My stepson and his friends would hate this kind of party.  I do not think I could convince even one of them to bob for apples in a bucket with minnows swimming around or to enjoy a lively game of pass the cricket.

The party ideas for my daughter’s party are pretty simple.  I have decided that I will have a ladybug theme. 

There seem to be two types of ladybug party, a ladybug princess party and an insect related party. 

I actually like some of the ideas for both of them and may make some kind of a hybrid of them.

I know that I will definitely use one of the insect ladybug party ideas and frost cupcakes like ladybugs instead of one large cake. 

I think that it will be good for a two year old.  I don’t really have any playmates for my daughter, so her party is really just about family and adult friends.  I want it to look very cute for her, but there will be no games to plan for this party.