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Party Animals

by Patrick Flanagan

The DIY birthday done right

Party Animals
The DIY birthday done right

By Madeline Hurst
Aug. 1, 2014

Planning a birthday party can be a hectic affair with high cost and endless options. We break down the way to get it done easily without sacrificing a thing. DIY birthday parties can save you loads of money while giving your kids the party they've always wanted.

Girls DIY party ideas

Spa Party
Set up spa stations for your girls including pillows and towels. Find fellow parents, neighbors or babysitters that are willing to help you paint fingernails and toenails.
Serve mini finger foods like sandwiches, cupcakes and fruits. For drinks, think sparkling apple juice in plastic champagne flutes to make them feel pampered.
Perfect party favor bags include mini emery boards and other nail supplies, and a bottle of different color nail polish in each bag.

Beach or Mermaid Party
Use seashell and mermaid themed decorations and use fish netting and beachy color fabrics for a backdrop.
Cut sandwiches or cookies into the shapes of starfish and other fish. Cold, fruity drinks like smoothies add a nice touch. If you are willing to make your own cake, try to make a sandcastle cake - there are plenty of rookie baker DIY recipes online that will help you build it.
Hide small trinkets in a sandbox for a scavenger hunt where the girls can dig them up with sand shovels and rakes.
Goodie bags can be beach buckets with various items inside or different colored towels.

Boys DIY party ideas

Lego Party
Bake Lego cakes with store-bought cake mix - place four marshmallows on the top to make the shape of a Lego. If you make several smaller cakes, you can use different colored icings for each.
Buy a Lego bricks ice cube tray and use it to make ice cubes, popsicles, chocolates or Jello.
Party favors can be little packs of Legos, or Lego coloring books with crayons. Buy paper gift bags in plain colors and cut out circles of construction paper in matching colors to tape on the bags to make them look like Legos.

Ninja Party
Use paper lantern decorations and bamboo placemats. For color schemes think red, black, green or other Far East inspired combos.
Gift Chinese take-out boxes for party favors/candy, trail mix or other snacks. These boxes can also be used as a party game. Hang up open Chinese take-out boxes and cut out ninja stars with cardboard and have the kids try to throw them in.
Let the kids make candy sushi with Swedish fish, Rice Krispies, Fruit By The Foot and other candies.
Make ninja bandanas for each member of the party and cut strips of different color fabrics for ninja belts in red, black or yellow.

If you're not open to setting up your own parties, there are plenty of places around Lafayette willing to help you plan a great birthday party for your kids. The Little Gym on Ambassador Caffery hosts birthday parties. Your party will get the whole gym to yourselves, as well as planned activities for your kids to enjoy. Another great party planner is the up-and-coming Cajun Cutie. These girls cater to the little ladies of Lafayette, hosting themed birthday parties. They offer glow bright parties, Frozen-themed parties, and tea parties. Cajun

Cutie also offers a Parents' Night Out every Friday night - the girls get to bake, sing karaoke and get make-overs. Find Cajun Cutie on Facebook.