Need Some Creative Ideas for an ABC Birthday Party!

You could fish for letters. Cut out letters (or get styrofoam ones)that are about 4". You don't want them small or too heavy. Clip a larger paperclip to the top of the letter. Make a fishing pole with a straw (or dowel rod or whatever), tie a long piece of yarn on the end and then on the end of the yarn that will "fish" for the letters, attach a magnet (you want it to be fairly strong so it notices the paper clip and can support the letter). Put all the Letter "fish" into a kiddie pool or tub, etc and have the kids fish for the letters. I used to do this with my preschool class (3 y.o.) and they loved it! Good luck and enjoy the party!

They Might Be Giants has a wonderful album of ABC songs that comes with a video. You could use that as a soundtrack for the party. You could play ABC bingo or pin the tail on the p. That's all I've got!

Good luck!

Hi J.,
I would cut out construction paper alphabet letters and attach paper clips to each one. Then tie a string around a magnet and attach it to a rod. Then everyone can go "fishing" for letters. They name the letter as they catch it, practicing the alphabet with your daughter.
Have fun!
D.

I teach kindergarten ,so I guess you got lucky that I read tonight!! Anyway, there are lots of great game ideas...

1. Make letters out of playdough (either roll out the letters or use cookie cutters.
2. There is a song by Dr. Jean called "Eat the Alphabet" I play this in my class with a big paper face that I cut the mouth out of. We have letters with matching clipart on cardstock that they "feed" the mouth.
3. As a party favor, you could give each kiddo a small water bottle with foam letters and mineral oil inside. Just be sure to superglue the lid!!
4. The dollar store usually has foam puzzles for $1. You could see who could put it together the fastest or just give them each one to do to music while you get ready for cake.
5. You could also read "Chicka Chick Boom Boom" and get foam sticky letters and foam sheets at Hobby Lobby or Michael's. Draw a coconut tree on the foam sheet and let them stick the letters on the tree.

I hope some of these ideas are helpful!!

J.

Get some ABC cookie cutters and make play dough.

Here is a recipe that you can make ahead of time:

2 c. salt
4 c. flour
4 t. cream of tartar
4 T. cooking oil
4 c. water
Food coloring

Combine dry ingredients in a sauce pan. Combine wet ingredients and add to dry. Cook slowly until forms a ball. DO NOT USE HIGH HEAT. Stir constantly. Let cool and knead.

This makes a lot of playdough so you can divide this recipe into two or three parts and make several different colors of playdough. It will keep well for several months in an airtight container.

Also, Lakeshore Learning Store has some cute ABC boxes. Each box has an item that starts with the letter that is on the box. They are really cute, but I am not sure how much they cost.

Have fun!

1. How about having an abc scavenger hunt around your house or outside. 2. divide the alphabet up and have each of the guests bring a few items to share to complete the alphabet. 3. create an alphabet book using photos or video. hope these help.

Hi J.,

How fun is it that your daughter wants a learning birthday party? Good job, mom! I have a great box of ABC books and an ABSeas fishing game on my webpage at www.cindystoybox.com. I also have a recipe for homemade ABC pretzels if you'll get in touch with me separately. Please me know how I can help.

Peace,
C.

This maybe a little involved. What if you had guests work on pages for an ABC book for her party. Of course, if you don't have too many guests, they might have to do more than one page. Maybe it could be something as easy as stamping letters on a page and them drawing a picture.....or taking a picture of the guest and putting the picture with the page. Anyhow.....maybe that is a little too involved. Or maybe have your guests bring your daughter an ABC book to the party.

maybe make some table arrangements with abc letters,play games that include abc items.

Hi J.,

We had our sons 13th birthday on the 12th of this month, and we planned a wilderness sagvanger hunt. While searching on line for ideas, I ran across an ABC hunt. While your little one is turning 3, I still think this may work, with parental help of course. Just make a list of A-Z with a line next to each letter and have each pair(parent/child), find objects that begin with each letter. Ex: A:apple, B:book, C:crayon....
Hope you have a great time.

L. B.

Go to Lakeshore or Learning Zone and get some of the punch out ABC letters, then attach those letters to cut out shapes (a heart, star, diamond...whatever you think looks pretty) from posterboard (something heavy) then the kids can play alphabet hopscotch. You can also find lots of things at the local learning stores and ask an associate there to help you. I've always found that the people at Learning Zone are a really big help. They should be able to point you in the right direction.

Oh how fun! I love birthday party games!!!

You could have the kids pull letters out of a bag and whatever letter someone gets, they have to try and say the alphabet backwards, starting at the letter they picked.

Make hats out of paper that has a big letter on it for each child; letter corresponds with first letter of their name.

(Note sure if this is too old of a game for a 3 yo...) You pick a letter and the kids have to try to say as many animals (or things) that start with that letter in 3 seconds. Of course, the letter B is usually more recognized by small children so you could also choose the letter B and say 'B is for Birthday'... and the kids take it from there.

Blind fold a child and write out a letter with their finger on a surface; have them guess which letter it is.

I own an indoor playroom/ party room. It is called Party Station. We are located in Schertz. You are welcome to visit my website. www.mypartystation.com
Thanks:)

Hi J.,,,
you can get those lilttle books of crayons in party sections then go to a childrens web site and run of copys of the ABC's ,,,do a spin off of pin the tail on the donkey,,,,,or if you have side walks or a deck and let them do chalk stuff you make a hopscotch board for them ,have a contest of who knows this letter with homemade flash cards
good luck lots of fun Blessed L.

Children's letter blocks would be cute decorations.
Maybe, have the family come up with words to describe your daughter (like for every letter of her first name) and keep them as a keepsake.
You could have a pinata that looks like a big letter block?
You could have a game where you hold a block between your knees and have to walk over and drop it in a bucket.
Sugar cookies in letter shapes.
Pin the letter(s) in order, instead of pin the tail on the donkey.
Letter hunt, instead of easter egg hunt.
Treasure hunt, something that starts with...
Alphabet soup
Biscuits or rolls in letter shapes
At that age, with just family and friends, I usually just have a cake and maybe a pinata. Everyone seems happy.

I would do an ABC scavenger hunt. That will get the kids thinking of all the letters and what begins with that letter. You could even write out a whole list of things that they have to find that begins with that letter or let them get creative.

You could make a scrapbook for your daughter either before or after the party that has one page per letter and shows a photo of her with each letter. For example, I made a scrapbook for my son and each page has a photo of him during his first year that corresponds to each letter of the alphabet. For the letter 'D' there is a picture of him and his Daddy so it says Daddy on the bottom of the page below their picture and on the top it has the letter. I made it to help him learn the alphabet and thought he would be more interested in it if it had his photos in the book.

A game idea could be if you printed out a list of the alphabet and then each child has to come up with something that begins with that letter and write it down. The parents could do the writing and the kids have to come up with the words that begin with each letter. You could even narrow it down so it has to be animals that begin with each letter.

You could do charades and write down something for each letter and then have the kids pull a slip out and act out that item. The parents could help / participate in that as well.

Make your own version of Outburst with the letters. For each letter write down 10 of the most common items that begin with that letter. Make it something the kids might think of. Then call out a letter and start the timer and the kids have to yell out things that begin with that letter. As the things are called off that are on your list, cross them off. You could even divide the kids into teams of 2 and randomly give each team a letter until the whole alphabet is used. The adults could even participate in this and it should be interesting to see what words everyone comes up with.

I am sure whatever you end up doing, your daughter will have a great time. I hope some of these ideas help. If you need more info on any of them, feel free to contact me.

-M.

Little girls/3 year olds love to dance and follow the leader. I would put the alphabet on the floor and have like a cake walk. Play music why they dance/walk around the letters in the room and then they win a prize.

You could also set up a pin the tail on the donkey, but do it with letters and have them put the letter on top of a picture of the same letter. Just a thought - good luck!

Fun learning games! I'm sure you can look online for them. Pin the donkey is a classic, if she doesn't mind that it's not abc related.

Maybe a jumper if you have money and space and if the weather is still mild enough. Children love them. Another idea might be to have blocks and let them build things out of them. When the party is over it will be something she can keep and play with and it will be educational as well.

There is a book called "Chicka Chicka Boom Boom". You could use that as your theme and get ideas from it. It's an abc book. Very cute and a lot of fun!

An ABC birthday theme for a three year old is such a great idea! I'm sure there are preschool CD's with alphabet songs,(play freeze dance with them) and videos with ABC's (Sesame Street?). Letter Stickers in gift bags, or on gift bags, maybe one of those large wooden letters for each child- their first initial of course- to paint or decorate. Those big foam puzzle mats with the letters could be great decorations. You can probably find cookies or crackers in letter shapes, maybe fruit snacks in letter shapes? That is a awesome idea, more fun than the usually character parties.

Have them decorate the letter that starts their name. Or have "their" letter on a paper bag that you can put the party favors on and have them decorate their own party favor bag. You can have another mom or helper fill the bags later or do a pull string pinata and what ever the kid can grab, it goes in his bag. You could also fill the pinata with alphabet items.
They could also decorate their own cupcake. Have the letters for the to put on themselves.
Have fun!

You could have a few different items that start with those letters, such as, A-Apples, they could decorate an apple B-Banana, they could decorate the banana, dip it in melted choc., add sprinkles, etc. C-Cake, they can eat birthday cake! Laura