Need a great idea for your child's birthday party that won't break the bank? Here are three ideas for "Trash to Treasure" themed birthday parties. With prices as they are today and the world going green with reuse, referb and recycle, this is a great way to throw a unique and affordable party. These ideas can be modified to work with children of all ages.
1. Trash to Treasure Party
Everyone has clean trash in their trash cans that can be re-imagined into a great party. Collect small, clean, and safe trash. Some examples are: pens and caps (with the ink removed),candy wrappers, labels from packaging, old jewelry, broken toys and plastic (make sure there are no sharp edges), fast food wrappers, silverware, plastic cups and leftover happy meal toys. You can collect these from your own trash, or with your invitations you can send a small paper or plastic bag and ask each guest to fill a bag with their own clean trash. You can also ask for each child to bring a toy that is in good shape but is no longer played with. This can be used as a take home treat for the younger child or can be turned into a game for the older child.
When the guests arrive, have a tray with up to 6 items for young children and 20 or so for older children - all clean "trash". Keep this tray out for up to 10 minutes after the last child arrives. Then take the tray away. For the younger children, ask them to tell you what was on the tray. For the older children, play a game or two and then have them write down what was on the tray. The child who guesses the most can choose a prize from the pile of clean wrapped items that you asked the children to bring. You might also want to add a few items of your own. For another game, fill a small jar with clean trash - use a theme, like candy wrappers or happy meal toys. Ask the children to guess how many objects are in the jar. If you choose good junk (like old jewelry or kids meal toys) the guest who guess the closest can take the jar home, or you can provide a gift. If you have room, you can play racing games, like who can toss the trash the farthest into the trash can. Use your imagination! One great craft idea I had was to make a "memory statue" or jar. You can have almost anything as your base - I think a clean bottle or tin can would work well. For younger children, use glue dots to put together your statue (costly, but much safer). For older children, an adult supervised glue gun will work great. Have them glue the clean trash that they brought in onto the base. You can have prizes for the most original or creative statue. You can do several things with the unused toys, like donate them to a local children's shelter or hold an auction using play money. Kids like junk and this party can be a real treasure!
2. Bag Party
The theme of this party is bags. Collect plastic and paper bags of all shapes and sizes. You can fill a clean jar with plastic shopping bags and have the children guess how many bags are in the jar. Give a prize to the child who comes the closest. Fill old gift bags with "things" around the house. Ask the children to close their eyes and guess what is in the bags. Whoever guesses the most correctly wins. For another game, you can divide the children into groups of two or three. Provide each group with a roll of transparent tape and 20 or so clean bags (use a variety of plastic and paper). One child is the model and the other one or two children are the designers. Basically, they are fashioning outfits from the assorted bags. For younger children or boys, you can make balls out of a few bags and use them to play any number of indoor ball games. You can even have an old fashioned sack race using a paper or garbage bag.
For a craft, younger children can make puppets out of paper bags. The website dltk-kids.com has many printable ideas to make your puppets. Older children can make scrap books. Use 5 lunch bags, cut the bottom off each bag, stack the 5 bags and fold the stack in half (all the open ends should be facing outward). Staple your "scrap book" together. In advance, you can ask each child to bring in 10 to 20 pictures. Supply the crafters with double sided tape, stickers, ribbon and any other scrap booking supplies and let the children go making their own individual scrap books. This party puts a new spin on "bag lady"!
3. Bottle Party
Now get your mind out of adult mode and think Children's Party. For one game, you can take plastic bottles and make pins to let the children bowl. You can also divide into groups of two or three and give them each 20 to 30 clean empty plastic bottles and see who can build the tallest building. Or, on small pieces of paper, write several tasks that the children can do (stand on one leg, make a silly face, do 3 jumping jacks, etc.). Now you can play a kid-friendly version of "Spin the Bottle". Have the children sit in a circle and take turns spinning the bottle. The child the bottle lands on picks from the task bag and attempts the task written on the paper. If they can do the task that they pick, they can spin the bottle. If not, they get to try a new task.
For a craft for the younger set, make water bottle people. Give each child an empty clean water bottle. Have a bunch of odds and ends like ribbon, popsicle sticks, pipe cleaners, buttons, scraps of yarn and felt. I like glue dots because, although expensive, they don't make a mess, so you can let the kids go making their men. For the older children, make colored salt bottles. Give each child a clean, clear, empty water bottle. In several bowls, place a cup of salt colored with food coloring. Using funnels, layer the colored salt in the bottles. Provide kabob sticks for the children to make designs. When each bottle is full of salt, seal the salt in with hot glue and replace the lid.
With a bunch of junk and a little time and imagination, a great party can be had for kids of all ages!
