We continue to publish master classes on holding children's parties on "Mom Blogs", and today's guest Olga Gre , author of the blog "DecoMIR" , will share with you her experience of organizing and holding a children's party called "Indian birthday".
By the way, Olga also became a sponsor of the “Fairytale Party” event - at the end of the event, she will present one participant with a gift kit for preparing a children’s party, which includes voluminous rubberized paper, colored feathers, rhinestones, etc. More details here >>
“Indians” is an unforgettable holiday for school-age children. Both boys and girls like this theme. The main decorative elements - colored feathers and simple schematic shapes - will add brightness and originality to the holiday, making it unforgettable. I have helped host Indian themed birthday parties several times and can share some of my experiences.
Room decoration
Make flags and decorate with something simple in holiday style: handprints, animal designs, or just add feathers.
Poster dedicated to the birthday boy with photographs, poems and, of course, Indian elements. If you don't have enough time to create a poster, assign this work to someone close to you.
Amulets are a mandatory attribute of an Indian home. You can make it from cardboard, thread, feathers and any unnecessary little things. The main thing is to hang it in visible places.
Decor
The ideal place to reveal the topic is a park or private courtyard. In a “natural” habitat it is easier to recreate the atmosphere of an Indian settlement. At a party in the yard it is easier to organize active games: treasure hunting, untangling animal trails, archery, etc. And most importantly, like real Indians, you can bake potatoes, fry “prey” on the fire and dance around the fire!
If it is not possible to have a holiday outdoors, an Indian-style party at home will be no less fun. But the decoration will take more time, and many of the decorations will have to be made by hand.
We offer ideas:
- trees, bushes or branching cacti if your tribe lives on the prairie. Hang/lean against the wall. They are easy to make: glue a drawing or paper applique onto a cardboard silhouette with double-sided tape (moisture causes the cardboard to deform). You can use wallpaper of a suitable color and draw in the details with markers;
- eagles, bison, mustangs, wolves, grizzlies, etc. are sacred animals . Since this is a Native American party for kids, you don't need to be an animal artist. It would be great if the animals were cartoonish. Do the same as trees/cacti or arrange toys;
- Everywhere there are totems, amulets, dream catchers as holiday decor - bright, colorful . Totems can be drawn on wooden blocks or boxes placed side by side, amulets can be assembled from scrap materials - feathers, wooden beads, colored pasta, ribbons, leather laces;
- use thematic pictures in the design . Since this is a children's Indian party, let them be bright and interesting - not just an image, but a certain plot (hunting, horse racing, dancing);
You can arrange an exhibition - ask guests to bring a drawing or coloring book with them, attaching a printed b/w picture to the invitation. This way, immersion in the topic will begin in advance.
- if you are celebrating a birthday in Indian style, make a three-dimensional age number (cardboard, MK is available online), decorate with “ancient” schematic drawings (examples via image search). A congratulatory inscription can be made from letters inscribed in miniature wigwams (teepees) assembled on a cord;
- hang everywhere festive garlands of feathers (cut paper ones), fringes (shred a strip of corrugated paper), triangles with their vertices up (teepees), thematic pictures (pies, weapons and tools, hats, etc.);
- It is also better to decorate balloons in the Indian style - draw schematic drawings (ancient symbols) with a thick marker, glue pictures or collect cacti from balloons.
But the most spectacular decorations that will attract the attention of children and become an excellent photo zone are a tippi with a fire at the entrance and a “real” spacious pirogue!
Make a boat from a large box or several with cut off lids, glued together lengthwise. Cut off the top part, cut the side walls into a crescent with curved “horns”. Cut off the walls at the front and back from the bottom, assemble them at an angle and secure them with tape to create a sharp bow and stern. All that remains is to cut out the oars from the same cardboard and paint/cover the pirogue with paper.
The frame of the tippy can be assembled from any available materials (branches, mop sticks, plastic pipes) . To prevent the frame from moving apart, sew loops to a piece of fabric (the bottom of the hut), into which the sticks collected in a “bundle” will be inserted. Throw a colorful blanket on top and lay a thick rug inside. The construction of a tipi can be included in the scenario of an Indian party - children will certainly be delighted with such an unusual entertainment!
For a fire, translucent paper/film (flames), a red electric garland on batteries (hide in the “fire”) or a flashlight, fake firewood/stones. For ambience, leave a bowler hat, weapons, and other thematic paraphernalia nearby.
Personal jewelry
What would an Indian holiday be without Iroquois ? True mohawks come in different shapes, so no one knows exactly what they should look like. The simplest option is two glued cardboard hoops the size of the head and feathers sticking out between them. On the front side of the hoop, schematically draw animals or stick colored geometric shapes.
Amulets . In addition to Iroquois, you can offer guests neck amulets (shy kids like them). There are no limits to imagination here. The main elements are feathers and the same geometric shapes.
Entertainment
The most important thing at the holiday is games.
Quest "Indians" . We call all the guests by Indian names, put the names on their clothes and off we go! The best person to write a quest is someone who knows what is where (if there is a holiday at home) and what the habits of the guests are. So, it’s best for us, mommies, to write the quest. You can involve adults - the parents of the guests will be happy to help with the game. The tasks should be within the capabilities of the Indians, but not too simple so that the seekers do not get bored.
Games in the spirit of the Indians. We write the script and plan the games. We compose the games as follows: games for getting to know each other and uniting the team, an active part (relay races, dancing), a calm part (intellectual games). The Indian theme should be present in all games.
It's good if the games end with a final prize. This could be a box of small prizes for the kids or a cake that was previously hidden.
I budget a maximum of 2 hours for the entire children's program (including face painting and feasting). Of course, in two hours no one will fall asleep from overexertion, but it will still be incredibly difficult to gather the children together. It is best to organize some kind of joint entertainment activity at the end of the holiday. For example: give out a kite or distribute liquid and bubble sticks to everyone. You can put the kite or bubbles in the box with the final prize. By the way, when all the children blow bubbles , very beautiful photographs are obtained.
Indian birthday table
Tablecloth
If you lay out not a tablecloth, but ordinary paper and paint it with primitive animals, you will get a chic Indian tablecloth. Or make handprints with your children. On the eve of the holiday, of course. Or cut out a bison from colored corrugated paper and place it on the table. There are many options.
A brilliant invention - the signature of the dishes. The easiest way is to label plastic glasses and plates with a permanent marker. But we are not looking for easy ways! Therefore, I suggest labeling the plates and glasses with the names of the guests. Well, of course, the inscriptions should be stylized as Indian flags.
Snacks
You shouldn't cook too many dishes for the guys. School-age children eat pizza, potato chips and sausages best. It sounds like fast food, but we want no one to go hungry. No Coca-Cola, just juice and water. Coca-Cola acts as an energizer for many children. And a bunch of hyperactive, uncontrollable children are even more fun... We decorate children's dishes with mysterious geometric shapes and Indian food is ready!
When to sit down at the table? Either before the games or after. The program cannot be split. And most importantly, children eat for a maximum of 15 minutes.
Cake
Of course the cake should be decorated in the spirit of the Indians. Frankly speaking, I never bake cakes. Firstly, the confectionery shop will do it better than me, and secondly, it’s a waste of time. I can only recommend not to buy a cake with a lot of chocolate (see above about Coca-Cola).
Competitions
And more competitions for the Indian party:
- Scalp (competition invented by Elena Bredyuk). The main effect, of course, is produced when, after rather naturalistic competitions, you announce that the participants will now be scalped. Don't forget to take a meaningful pause :). And then take out two heads of cabbage :), and see which team will clean it faster.
- Indian Dictionary. Two stacks of cards are prepared, for each Indian word you need to find a pair - its meaning:
“Tomahawk - Axe”, “Squaw - Woman”, “Teepee (wigwam) - Dwelling”, “Mississippi - River of North America (“father of waters”)”, “Moccasins - Leather Shoes”, “Lasso - Rope with Loop”, "Canoe, Pirogue - Boat", "Totem - Creature Worshiped by the Tribe", "Wampum - Beads and Belts", "Scalp - War Trophy", "Calumet - Peace Pipe", "Pow Wow - Indian Dance Competition", “Pemikan - Canned venison (dried meat)”, “Manitou - A mysterious force that influences human life.”
Interesting crafts and games can be found in the book “Crafting Like Indians,” for example, this one:
And here is a video, kindly provided by our guests, about the sign language of the Indians. Since there were many Indian tribes, and each had their own language, they communicated with each other like this.
Konstantin Kuksin, “Museum of Nomadic Culture” tells: And another video:
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Tags: Quest Scenarios
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Discussion: 4 comments
- Gossip:
October 1, 2015 at 9:29 pmgreat party! so fun and interesting! I hope the kids liked it too? for me: I would love to play that way)))
Answer
- Elena (Family leisure):
October 3, 2015 at 3:18 pm
I saw the detailed script! You are great for giving your son a holiday together with your husband. It's truly unforgettable! I recommend everyone to concentrate and hold their own children's birthdays.
Answer
- Eugeniya:
September 18, 2021 at 9:24 am
It’s very cool that now they organize fun birthdays, quests, and competitions for children. In my childhood, everything came down to sitting at the table. Or rather, we ate and went for a walk)
Answer
- David:
January 21, 2021 at 7:56 am
This is great, we also bought a special set, but your ideas were also useful.
Answer
Photography
Don't forget about photographs. If you are hosting and entertaining guests, there will be no time left to take photographs. Ask one of your friends to come with a camera and capture everything that happens.
Organizing a children's party is a troublesome task. But think about it, many years will pass, the children will grow up and at the big family table you will ask: “Do you remember how we celebrated THAT birthday?” “Of course we remember, mom, it was an Indian holiday!” And for moments like these it’s worth trying.
I wish you, dear friends, happy and unforgettable holidays!
Author: Olga Gre
Menu, serving
For skewers, mini-toppers and straws, print pictures in Indian style - this way decorating the table and menu items will take a minimum of time. Buy stylized dishes and tablecloth. Disposable multi-colored dishes or, conversely, modest earthy colors (like clay) will do. In the latter case, cover the table with a linen tablecloth/burlap.
A bright decoration for the menu and table are fake arrows made from toothpicks, skewers, and cocktail tubes. You just need to glue a feather, real or paper, to one end. Kebabs, marmalade, and pieces of fruit look great on these skewers.
Place a slice of cheese, thinly sliced cucumber and other vegetables on the ham, roll it up and pierce it diagonally with a toothpick - you get a tipi-shaped canapé . Huts can be easily made from cookies, waffles, and chocolate. You can cool jelly and ice cream in cones, and then turn them upside down on a saucer.
Cut multi-colored fruits into feathers and arrange them in layers in arcs so that rows of headdress appear on the dish. There should be a lot of fruits and vegetables on the menu, and it should preferably be served simply at home . Bake boat cookies (decorate with fondant like a pie), triangles (wigwams), squares (totems with motley faces of spirits).
For your birthday, order a cake in the Indian style - a wigwam, a drum with mastic figures dancing on it, a fire (you can find unusual cake ideas on the Internet).
Any menu at an Indian party is appropriate, but it is advisable to include meat (in the wild, barbecue/kebab), whole baked fish, baked potatoes in their skins, and boiled corn. Alcohol according to the tastes of the guests, and for the surroundings, cocoa or hot chocolate as the main gift from Native Americans to the whole world.
