How to Have a Winter Blah Blah Party...Cheer up any winter birthday party

Posted on Jan 20th 2009

Another free party plan
written exclusively for
www.thepartyworks.com
by Mary Ann Ross
January 20, 2009

Winter Blahs

This is the time between the end of the
Christmas Holiday Season
and Springtime...

Brainstorm these ideas to make any themed party,
whether it be Barbie or Power Rangers,
a "funner" celebration
with
winter games and
special winter treats.

Decorations...
Add cotton balls, fabric batting cut into winter shapes, white balloons, white streamers to the party theme decorations. For instance, if the party theme is Lilo & Stitch and you use a centerpiece, add a stocking cap to their heads and put cotton snowballs in their hands.

Invitations...
Include 'winter blah blah' details in the party invitation to let guests know it is an extra-ordinary party celebration. If you want to make your own invitations, cut out igloo-shapes, mitten shapes or Danger, Don't Slip on the Ice Signs.

Party Favors...
Snowball cupcakes from the grocery store. Add a winter sugar shape, such as Mittens or Snowflakes, then wrap each mini cake in cellophane and tying off with blue and white curly ribbons. (refer to end of this party plan for photos)

Party Games...

Snowmans Lap
This is a version of Backwards Musical Chairs.
Provide chairs, back to back in a line, with one less chair than the total number of players. Instead of kids marching around chairs to music, they sit when the music is played and march when the music stops. However, when it is time to take a chair, one player will remain standing because there is no chair and that child has to sit on someone's lap. Remove a chair and start the game, and again, there will be one chair short and the standing child must sit on someone's lap. Well, you get the idea... eventually there will be multiple people on someone's lap and giggles will be heard everywhere. In this game, the player left standing stays in the game.

Marshmallow Snowball Pop
Divide guests into teams of two kids each and ask them to face each other a few feet apart. Each kid gets 5 large-sized Marshmallows and here are the rules. Players on each team take turns, one at a time, to gently toss a marshmallow into the other playes mouth. If the marshmallow makes its goal, that kid that tossed the marshmallow takes a step backwards. The teammate tosses a marshmallow and if it ends up in the other players mouth, the tosser takes one step backwards. Game continues until all marshmallows are used and the team that caught the most marshmallows are the winners.

Unfreeze the Ice Cube
Based on our exclusive My Water Broke Game for baby showers, this game uses just a plain ice cube. Prior to the party, color water to match the party colors and freeze in ice cube trays by filling partially to make smaller ice cubes. For the game, place an ice cube in a ziplock type baggie and seal, giving one to each player. The object of the game is to be the first to melt the ice cube while it is still in the bag. The kids can sit on it, put the baggie in their arm pits, etc., but they cannot open the bag.

Snowball Relay
Divide all the guests into 2 teams and ask each team to line up behind each other at one end of the room. Provide the first player of each team with a sturdy plastic straw. At the other end of the room, place a bowl or pot full of white cotton balls (Variation: Use colored cotton balls and assign points to each color). When the signal is given, the first player of each team (at the same time) runs for the cotton balls, using their straw to suck up a cotton ball and runs back to his or her team. When the first player reaches the team, the second player runs to the cotton balls and using the straw, sucks up a cotton ball and runs back. Play continues and any cotton balls that fall must be picked up with the straw, not hands. Play ends when the first relay team members have all had their turn.

Balloon Blizzard
This game is fun to play with obstacles, such as furniture, in the path of two goals, one at each end of the room. Kids can be split up into teams or have individual players. Provide a white balloon and ask players to blow their balloons to the goal (a line, box or sofa) by using their mouth, hands or bouncing the balloon off their heads, arms, legs and elbows. Please know if you have more than 2 kids doing this at the same time, it could get overly animated and wild. Relay teams is a way to have just two players at a time.

Hot Snowball
Fill a mitten or colorful sock with uncooked rice and securely tie with a ribbon to ensure rice will not leak out. Ask the kids to sit on the floor in a circle and start some fast and fun music. The idea is that the mitten or sock is cold, brrrrrrrr, ice cold and it must be passed quickly to the player next to you. (No throwing). When the music stops, the child that has the snowball is out and play continues to only one child remains.

Party Activities...
Snowball cupcakes from the grocery store are a great let-the-kids-decorate their own, Provide decorating gels in a tube, frosting, sugar shapes and candy confetti sprinkles. (refer to end of this party plan for photos)

Blizzard Food Ideas...

Oreo Blizzard
Make these at home using Vanilla Ice Cream, Oreo Cookies and Milk... Whipped Cream is optional.
Directions at http://www.netcooks.com/recipes/Beverages/Oreo.Blizzard.html

Blizzard Party Mix
Don't wait for the next football game to enjoy a handful of this party mix that is a blend of Chex cereal, pretzels, peanuts, caramels and white chocolate chips.
Recipe ingredients and directions at http://www.verybestbaking.com/recipes/detail.aspx?ID=32029

Ready-made colorful sugar
shapes are simply added to
any dessert, such as brownies,
cupcakes, Rice Krispies Treats,
ice cream and more.
(over 140 designs)...
See them all at http://thepartyworks.com/index.php/cPath/782_7

Mitten Sugar Shapes
1-1/4 Inches Each
http://thepartyworks.com/product_info.php/products_id/74

Snowflake Sugar Shapes
3/4 Inch by 1-1/4 Inch Each

http://thepartyworks.com/product_info.php/products_id/7430

Snowmen Sugar Shapes
2 Inches High Each
http://thepartyworks.com/product_info.php/products_id/106

Candy Confetti Sprinkles

http://thepartyworks.com/index.php/cPath/782_8

Carnival Jimmies Candy Sprinkles
http://thepartyworks.com/index.php/cPath/782_8_1429

Ready-to-Use Decorating Frosting Gels-in-Tubes
Decorate or add Writing to Your Cakes
Easy to Hold Tubes
http://thepartyworks.com/index.php/cPath/782_602