Birthday Party - Canton,OH

Give small prizes for the kids if you want, though it isn't really necessary. She needs to learn to share, she is certainly old enough to grasp the concept.

WIth my son's 5th birthday party I was set on no competitive games, because there were too many tears shed at his 4th birthday party (even though EVERYONE got a prize). So I borrowed stole and manipulated ideas on found on various websites. He wanted a Ghostbusters themed party, so I made a booklet of Ghostbuster training. They had various activities they had to complete for their manual...an obstacle course (for agility and speed), hitting a ball (for for strength), water ballons at a target(for aim) and then making slime (for science). We told the kids that they weren't competing that everyone would win...so they cheered and encouraged each other. It was a nice change of pace. After they got all their stamps, they got a GB badge (sheriff badges that I hot glued a no ghost sign to) and a can of silly string. They were told to go bust ghosts because now they were full fledged ghostbusters. They simply sprayed ghost pictures I hung in the garage. Although most kids don't want a Ghostbuster party, a friend "stole" my idea (she did ask first) for her son's fireman party. Another friend borrowed the idea for her child's pirate party. And someone else I know wants to do something similar for a Wild Kratts party.

One of my favorite memories of a friend's party was an 'auction'. Get some Dollar Store items - play-dough, dress -up jewelery, little mirrors, candies, toys etc. Give each child 20 pennies (or so), and start the 'bidding'. You can lay all of the items out at once so each child can see that whey want to 'save' up for, or leave each 'auction' item as a surprise. Your daughter can bid, but once her 'money' runs out she know she is out of the auction. That way it's a game and everyone can 'win'. Get a more items for those to timid to bid, so when the more vigorous bidders run out, they can still have a chance to participate. Sounds time consuming, I know, but one 'game' and you're set for cake!
And, on another note, to show your daughter that parties aren't always about getting stuff and winning, since she'll be getting presents have her pick out some toys to donate to make room for her new toys to show that winning means sharing as well.

I have always given small prizes. However, if you don't want to give out prizes what about just passing out stickers or hand stamps for the winners? Little ones love that.

Hope this helps!

At my kids' parties we always give a small prize to the winner of the game. I have 3 kids, once of which is a little girl who just recently turned 6. If it were me, I would just explain that giving a prize away to the winner of the game is polite and just what you do. I would explain to them that if their friend won the game but didn't receive a prize they might be sad and it woudn't be fun to have sad friends at the party. If my child won a game then she would get the prize that time and I would make sure she knew that. In the end I'm sure it will work out when she sees all the fun presents that are for her. Maybe the small game prizes won't seem super important then. Good luck!

my daughters 7th birthday was this month. at her party we did not give out prizes. we played games, and no one asked about prizes. i did give each girl a nice sized goodie bag at the end though. maybe if you take your daughter shopping to get goody bag things and stuff them with her, it will curb the urge to give out seperate prizes and single out anyone.

I agree that if you want to give prizes, maybe find a way to make it work. Maybe when you go and buy the prizes she can pick out one of the prize items for herself before the party begins. I do like the idea of the hand stamp though...that's cute, cheap, and easy! It is still like a prize, but no junk to keep track! Plus, maybe your daughter could keep the actual stamp for her "prize" when her friends go home.

We don't do prizes for games at a birthday party.

We played games and there were no prizes. Just a great big clapp. Everyone got to get stuff from the pinata. It was an all out free for all!!

At my daughter's fourth birthday party we did a variety of games and kept switching so often that they didn't think about prizes. We just congratulated the winner and then moved on. There are so many versions of tag that you can play and other games that don't really need a winner or prizes. We did give out goody bags at the end. Prizes are fun, but most kids just like the games and that is oftne enough. Besides, if you give out prizes, then you have to keep track of them so the kids don't lose them or forget to take them home. That just adds to your stress. :-)

Hi, D.,

It does feel weird to not give prizes, but I got over it. : )

Developmentally, they should still be playing cooperative games, not competitive games. What I've done is to make up a treasure hunt. You know, with the first clue leading them to the next clue, and so on, until they find the treasure chest (or whatever) holding the prizes.

Make the clues simple, yet challenging enough for a group of five year olds to have to think about it, and discuss it among themselves, and come up with the answer together. If there are no readers yet, you just have to read the clues to them.

I make sure all the prizes in the chest are the same, and there are the exact amount for the number of children. So at my daughter's "tea party" I put in 7 rings and 7 necklaces and 7 candy bars. If you do this toward the end of the party, and give them an empty goody bag to put their treasures in, then you've killed two birds with one stone!

Best of luck. And don't be disappointed in your daughter's (or her guests) response to not getting a prize - totally developmentally appropriate for age five! Shoot, I get upset when I don't win the prize! I'm just mature enough now to not show it! : )

J.

Maybe you can make the prizes non-material. Things like the winner gets to sit next to the birthday girl when they eat cake, or the birthday girl will open the winner's present first. That way, they win something and feel special, but they don't actually get something so your daughter won't get upset. You can also have your daughter do something special for the winner, like sing a little song about them that you make up in advance (just leave a spot for her to put in the winner's name).

All that said, I don't think prizes are necessary. Kids are usually just excited to have the honor of winning.

Happy birthday to your daughter!

K.
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