There is a call for the simplicity and innocence of life in bygone eras. A child’s birthday does not have to be an elaborate technological event. What really matters is friends, family, food, and fun. To that end, for a party that will please everyone, take a step back in time and host a country fair. The immediate impression might be one of ‘that sounds great’ closely followed by ‘and like a load of work.’ With the whole point being simple fun, hosting a country fair is really not that much trouble. You may even be pleasantly surprised at how easy it is when compared to some other birthday options. Read on!
Key Points
- Try to find a park with lots of space and easy access to a grill.
- Set a rain date, in case inclement weather makes it impossible to grill or play outdoor activities.
- Consider serving popular fair food, like corn dogs and caramel apples!
Old Fashioned Country Fair
The décor is divine!
It is easy to go overboard in the décor department with most parties. Let nature do most of the work for you. If your own yard or neighborhood park won’t do the trick, find a park or grassy field where you can host the party. Parks are great because they generally have pavilions with tables, and a roof in case of inclement weather. Some even have BBQ’s. Be sure to call well in advance to secure your desired date and time. The cost is usually nominal, if there is one at all. With the trees, grass and wild flowers in place, all you need to do is add a few checkered table clothes and you’re all set!
In the event that you're hosting your party at a park that doesn't have a covered area for you to be, set a rain date. Even if the park you've chosen has cover, you still may want to set a rain date. Some storms can be quite severe, and in those cases park officials may choose to shut the park down. Besides, having a party when there's tons of wind and pounding rain isn't very fun!
Food, Country-style
Keep this simple too! Depending on the age range of your guests, you can serve almost any picnic-type food. If you are at a location away from your refrigerator, include plenty of ice and a few coolers. Hot dogs, cold cut trays, summer fruits like watermelon and peaches, chips, and lemonade are all great choices. You could even make this a presents-optional party and request instead that each guest bring a potluck item. This will really simplify your menu, and relieve guests of the obligation to bring a gift. Let the birthday child choose any cake they wish, and add a bit of country charm by pairing it with homemade ice cream.
If you have a grill at your location, there are a range of food items that you can serve. Generally, finding a park with grills is going to be ideal. Your menu will have a lot more flexibility! Alternatively, you can look for a park with a fire pit instead, but these are likely going to be less common. Hamburgers and BBQ chicken can be added to the menu, or whatever else you think feels right!
Making fair food can be a fun time, too, if you have the ability to. Fried dough, corndogs, and caramel apples are just a few examples of popular fair foods of both old and new. Kids will love this, since many popular fair foods double as junk food. What kid will say no to having some junk food?
Party Time, Game Time
The best part by far of a country picnic party is the games you can play. The games are what determine the age range this party fits, and it is so easy to change the games for older or younger children. This is especially great if your guests will span a large age range.
Games for two-year-olds may include: a sand box hunt. Bury items and let them find them. Then just let them play. You can bring along some outdoor toys for them to play with, like a ball or a sturdy plastic toy. A two year old’s attention span is short. Don’t push it!
4-8 year olds: Egg in spoon race, three legged race, a simple scavenger hunt, or Red-Rover and hide and seek.
8-11 years old: Make the games more challenging. Include: a gunny sack race, the water balloon toss, a more difficult scavenger hunt, or a tricycle relay race.
12 years old and up: A pie eating contest is always a big hit! It is difficult with younger kids due to the mess factor, but older guests will love it. If providing dozens of pies does not fit your time or cost budget, substitute the pies with watermelon or hot dogs. Many of the games previously listed will work for this age range too. Make the course longer to accommodate larger and more athletic bodies and let them run, hop, or pedal to victory. Flag football is also a great idea; it's a game that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. Just be sure to make it clear that tackling isn't allowed!
Other games can include kick the can, steal the flag, freeze tag, or basically any game played outdoors. Have fun!