Child's country birthday: how to organize a fun holiday

Summer children are luckier than their peers from other seasons: they can celebrate their birthday at the dacha! This is a minimum of costs, but at the same time maximum benefit and fun. Friends can come and stay overnight, or leave with their parents late in the evening, because no one needs to go anywhere in the morning. The menu for such an event also simplifies the organization of the event: barbecue is made quickly and easily, and most importantly, everyone loves it. Fresh vegetables and berries will complement the picture. It remains to be understood how to organize a child’s birthday party at the dacha? How to decorate the house and what entertainment to offer? Is it worth preparing a script? What about competitions? All these questions require answers, and immediately, because a lot needs to be done before the red day of the calendar. The script and useful tips from.

What parents need to do

Parents of children invited to a children's party need to take:

• a hat to protect the child from sunstroke;
• spare clothes (if it gets dirty, you can change it)
• insect repellent;
• hand sanitizer.

Owner parents, in addition to the items described above, need to take:

• a blanket (in case the children want to lie on the grass in front of the house);
• disposable dishes and cutlery;
• oilcloth tablecloth, easy to wash;
• a compact first aid kit with a minimum set: iodine, plaster, ammonia and hydrogen peroxide, medicines for indigestion and headaches, ointment for wounds and burns);
• wet and paper napkins;
• garbage bags (if the preparation and refreshment itself is supposed to be on the street, and not in the house, then it is important after the celebration to involve the children in joint cleaning, teach them to maintain cleanliness).

Quests

Collecting coconuts

The quest is to find hidden coconuts. You can use apples instead of coconuts. The main thing is to hide the fruit in advance on the territory of the dacha, leaving clues for the participants. Their task is to find all the hidden treasures within a certain period of time.

Rope maze

To do this, you need to stretch several dozen ropes or elastic bands in a forest corner between the trees in advance. The participants’ task is to get through the maze without touching the “rays” with their bodies.

water trail

The objective of the quest is to get through a field mined with water. To do this, 5-10 open bottles filled with water are placed in front of the participants. They should stand at a distance of 20-30 centimeters from each other. The player's task is to walk along the path as quickly as possible without hitting the bottles.

Find a friend

Guests are divided into several teams of 3-5 people. The presenter or animator takes one person from the team and hides them in different places. The abducted participant is hidden with his eyes closed, his task is to record in a voice message all the signs that he managed to hear or feel during the abduction. Based on the messages, the teams build a search scenario. The team that finds their friend first wins.

Secret card

It is necessary to draw a map in advance, which will indicate in which part of the summer cottage the treasure is hidden. This card is cut into small pieces and scattered over a small area. The team's task is to collect all the pieces of the map and find the treasure.

General rules for organizing a children's party

First of all, before holding a children's party, make sure that there is enough free space at the dacha where the kids can freely frolic. Move away objects that could fall, such as potted flowers or figurines, wires that could cause a child to trip, and secure electrical outlets where possible.

If the main part of the holiday is supposed to be outdoors, think about how to protect the festive table from possible rain if you don’t have a gazebo, or how to place it so that, if necessary, you can quickly bring it into the house. Please note that it is advisable to organize children's parties during the day, as kids get tired quickly, and by the evening children's activity decreases significantly.

Don't forget to decorate the celebration place with balloons, bright tinsel, and sparkles. In order to involve all guests in the holiday, you can buy funny masks and hats for all guests.

Decorations and holiday paraphernalia

There are many different little things designed to create a festive atmosphere. To decorate your home, use the same garlands, streamers and balls that are usually used to decorate holiday events in city apartments. But you can decorate the area in much more variety. After all, you have a huge space for creativity. The same garlands and streamers can be as long as desired, and trees can be “made to bloom” with an abundance of paper flowers and figures. You can paint a scene from your favorite cartoon on the wall of an outbuilding.

Gift set of dishes “Peppa Princess”, Peppa Pig

Decorative figures made from balloons can be of absolutely any size; in nature there are no restrictions on this. Pay special attention to the table area. Decorate the chairs with balloons or huge bows. You can also sew themed covers on them. Prepare a tablecloth and a set of dishes according to the chosen theme of the holiday.

Set for a photo shoot “Birthday”

For a fun photo shoot, order a banner with your child's favorite character. Children will be very happy to take pictures against its background. A simpler option is a set of photo props.

What to feed children at a children's party in the country?

Before the celebration, think over the menu separately. Especially if the invited children come with their parents. Then you should have two menus: for adults and for children. In the children's menu, take into account the age of the children and taste preferences (you can find out this from parents in advance, so that it does not happen that one of the children remains hungry), and also be guided by the principle of healthy nutrition for the baby:

• First of all, the children's menu should include vegetables. Even if children at home don’t like to eat them, in nature the appetite is always good, so everyone eats more willingly and with more pleasure. Take with you fresh cucumbers, tomatoes (preferably cherry varieties, so that it is easier for the child to eat and does not get dirty), radishes, lettuce, green onions. By the way, if you decide to cook jacket potatoes, which children love very much, be sure to peel them for your child.
• If you decide to hold a children's party in the style of a picnic, but at the same time your baby and his guests are still small and you do not yet dare to give them barbecue, you can cook meat at home and bring it to the dacha, for example, bake chicken legs in foil (by the way, drumstick with leather from Petelinka is perfect for this purpose: the product has a low fat content, which is important for proper nutrition of the child).
• It is important for parents to know what kind of meat is best to give to their children in order not to complicate the digestion process and to protect them from heaviness in the stomach (otherwise, what kind of active rest and games in nature will there be!). It is better to prepare shish kebab for a child from chicken or turkey (give preference to fillet), veal, lean pork, beef (fillet) or fish.
• While cooking meat, so that children do not get hungry, it is a good idea to prepare light sandwiches or burgers at home (or, if possible, right in the country). For the basis of the burgers, take low-fat products from Petelinka: both ready-made “Homemade cutlets in Petelinka style” (fat: 10 g per 0.5 kg of product) and minced poultry “De Luxe” (fat: 15 g per 0.5 kg of product). 5 kg of product). Peeled seed kernels, apples and pears, and roasted peanuts (one small handful per meal, as nuts are very filling) are also suitable for a snack.
• For drinks, stock up on clean water without carbon (and the more, the better) and juices (if you take fruit juice, choose one that is not very sweet so that it does not make you thirsty).
• For sweets, pamper your child with homemade kozinaki made from walnuts or seeds (you can add honey). These sweets are healthy, do not stain clothes and hands, and are stored well. You can also make easy oatmeal cookies.
• If your dacha can be called more of a country house with all the amenities and gadgets, then the menu may be the same as for a traditional children's event held at home.

Meeting with guests

So, we decided to do without fairy-tale characters, guessing charades and searching for treasure. While the children are getting ready, the birthday boy and guests can be offered scientific gardening, water and soil experiments. For example, who can eat more strawberries from the garden? ) However, there may not be enough strawberries for everyone. Invite the children to plant rose cuttings, sow dill, and spread fertilizer. In a beautiful flower garden, this will be interesting to most. And the hostess is pleased.

For small guests, and even for larger ones, you can prepare special garden spaces that kids can quickly master: dig, water, plant or pull something out in a convenient place.

You can also prepare pebbles for coloring. And then distribute these pebbles to children at the end of their birthday, or decorate their summer cottage. Sometimes such stones make masterpieces.

Useful tips for feeding a child in nature:

• It is better to put prepared food that you take from home in special airtight containers (lunch boxes) in which it will not spoil.
• The ingredients for sandwiches should be placed in separate sealed packages, and at a picnic you should combine them into sandwiches: this way they will not spoil longer and will retain their attractive appearance.
• It’s better to marinate meat for children’s kebabs yourself—store-bought kebabs with the addition of vinegar are not suitable for children.
• Instead of meat or in addition to it, your child can prepare vegetable shish kebab, the main thing is to choose dense foods as ingredients: eggplant, mushrooms, Brussels sprouts).
• If there are not only children at the celebration, but also their parents, who, as a rule, drink alcohol, are invited, it is better to organize 2 tables: an adult and a child. For children, there will be food that is allowed and healthy for children, and for adults, there will be food that is not recommended for children.

Flaws

Despite all the romance and beauty of a dacha as a location for a birthday celebration, there are some disadvantages to such a place.

Not suitable for bad weather

If there is sub-zero temperature outside, rain, snow and slush, then celebrating at the dacha is not the best idea. Children can catch a cold in such weather conditions.

The transport issue needs to be resolved

Dachas, as a rule, are located outside the city limits. Therefore, not all guests will be able to easily reach the place of celebration. You will need to resolve the transport issue to deliver children and their parents.

There is no possibility to arrange an overnight stay for a large company

If the birthday is delayed, and the dacha is located outside the city, then most likely you will have to accommodate guests for the night. To do this, your dacha must have a sufficient number of sleeping places. Consider this question in advance so as not to be left in a difficult situation.

Entertainment at a children's party in the country

Think in advance about entertainment in which both adults and children will participate (after all, the most important thing during the holiday is unity!). You should not accustom children to the idea that in nature (at the dacha) everyone only cooks and eats. If the cottage is located near a body of water in which swimming is allowed, come up with games related to water and, at a minimum, take a water volleyball ball. By the way, if you are planning to swim, do not forget to take a swimming ring or inflatable arm sleeves for the children. For games on land, you can take badminton, water guns, and a ball. For the period when everyone is tired of active entertainment, you can take board games.

Depending on the age of the children, you can arrange a themed party: for example, in the style of children's fairy tales. The main thing is to warn the parents of the invited guests about this so that they have time to prepare the appropriate costumes.

You can and should also color a children's party with a variety of competitions - just prepare prizes for the winners, and even better, for all participants. Make sure that no child leaves without a gift.

If you and the parents of the guests arrived by car, it would be a good idea to bring bicycles. And, of course, don’t forget your camera to capture happy moments!

Quest and scenario

If you doubt that children can entertain themselves (after all, not all areas are equipped with sandboxes, trampolines and swings), and your child does not claim to be the best presenter of the year, then think through the scenario for a birthday party at the dacha in advance. Write down the schedule of the event on a piece of paper (down to the number of hours and minutes), make a shopping list and discuss all this with your child. The main thing is that he likes all the ideas, otherwise what is the point of it without his approval? The schedule will roughly look like this:

1. Gathering at 16:00 (from 12 to 16:00 the sun produces the most harmful radiation; there is a high risk of getting burns if children do not play in the shade). Each child should be escorted to the waiting area, where a small buffet will be organized: cool (but without ice) drinks, fruits, vegetables, light sweets (for example, tartlets with berries). This is done so that both children and adults can immediately relax, quench their thirst and wait for those who are late.
2. 16.40 - welcome speech. “Thank you all very much for coming, we were really waiting for you. Today our birthday boy turned 5 years old (applause). We invite all children to the play area to take part in competitions, and we ask parents to go to the barbecue area (gazebo, tent) for relaxation” - this is an example. If there are mothers and fathers, they also need to be seated and occupied. You can offer light alcohol, snacks and chat about family values. Women, if you know each other well, can help in the kitchen, men - at the grill. Children should play at this time.
3. 17.00 - start of the quest. All cards and quest tasks for a child’s birthday at the dacha are described in detail here. You just need to guide the search process a little, and in the end the kids will find gifts for the birthday boy and bonus prizes for themselves. The game takes about an hour.
4. An alternative to the quest or its addition can be a home talent competition. Surely all your child’s friends are involved in some classes and are famous for some talents. You need to ask them in advance to prepare numbers to your taste and perform for the birthday boy. The concert should also take no more than an hour, otherwise people will get tired. This time is just enough to cook shish kebab for everyone.
5. 18.00 - feast. When all the prizes have been received and the game is over, it’s time to sit down at the table. You need to shape it beautifully, serving is a matter of personal taste, so here you have to use your imagination. By the way, if you don’t like the idea of ​​a barbecue menu, then we offer an alternative menu for a child’s birthday. Everything is prepared simply and eaten quickly.
6. At the table, you can come up with a toast competition: let each child take turns standing up and talking about the positive qualities of the birthday boy or about the history of their acquaintance. This will help children relax and start a conversation.
7. 20.30 - after a short break from food, you need to serve cake and tea. You will find a recipe for a light summer cake on the menu. It can be replaced with a beautiful fruit-based jelly or fruit salad. But even in case of replacement, you need to blow out the candles and make a wish.
8. 21.00 - photo session. In the age of technology, every child already has a profile on a social network. Therefore, you need to set up a beautiful photo area. This is easy to do at the dacha: just flowers, a lawn and wreaths for the kids. You can put baskets with vegetables and fruits - for the surroundings. Shrubs with flowers are perfect for decoration.
9. 22.00 - final of the event. The children are tired, the parents still have to travel home, so let only the closest friends stay.

Overnight in tents in summer without adults

Organizing an overnight stay for children in the forest is an interesting format that will definitely be remembered. But it is suitable for older teenagers (14-16 years old). It is not safe for small children to remain alone in the forest.

In order for everything to go without consequences, parents should check the place in advance to see if it would be good to put up tents there, how it can be improved and equipped for an overnight stay.

We also recommend organizing a parent overnight stay nearby, so that if something happens, you will have the opportunity to quickly drive up to the children and help them with any difficulties that arise.

Competitions

Caterpillar

All the guys cling to each other, wrapping their arms around their waists. Next, the “caterpillar” begins to move forward, increasing the tempo to energetic music. Whoever fails to resist is eliminated.

One or nine

All participants stand in a circle. The first player throws a ball to any person in the circle and says “one.” Next, everyone counts to themselves when the ninth throw occurs - the participant must say “nine” out loud. If the participant does not say, then he is eliminated and the game starts over.

Catch

Two players stand opposite each other with their arms outstretched, fingers barely touching each other. They are blindfolded, and the remaining participants must run between the players. The driver's task is to catch the running players.

Congratulations to the birthday boy

All participants are given Whatman paper or A4 sheets. Their task is to draw an original congratulation to the birthday boy in 5 minutes. The winner is the one chosen by the hero of the occasion, or you can arrange a vote. After such a competition, the birthday boy will have memorable cards from his friends.

Dance fever

Participants pull dance genres out of the box, for example, lambada, ballet, hip-hop and so on. Then, one by one, the players are played music, which may not correspond to the elongated genre, but the player must try to perform his style quite believably. The winner can be chosen by the volume of applause.