Party Highlights

Best Moment

The hobby horse race was the most loved by the kids and parents. We did it over and over and over.

Most Touching Moment

The local- a neighborhood park was chosen by the birthday boy because that is where his mom had her 5th birthday many years ago

Funniest Moment

Daddy used dog for hobby horse race because we were out of hobby horses

Best Dressed

Guests were asked to come dressed as cow pokes. One boy came in his usual Darth Vader costume but did agree to wear a sheriff badge.

What People Ate

Chuck Wagon: kettle corn grapes pretzels carrots & celery with ranch dressing dip cheese booty or popcorn Licorice rope Lunch- Come n Get it: Baked Beans and Hot Dogs and cole slaw

What People Drank

Saloon: lemonade (rattle snake juice) Root beer, cream soda & orange soda in glass bottles Green Hawaiian punch and ginger ale for the drink to make "catus juice" juice boxes & waters

Cowboy UP

5 year old's outdoor/park cowboy party. Done on the cheap and with lots of love.

Dessert

Dessert: "Cake" was cupcakes in the shape of a horseshoe and then frosted to look unified. Silver cupcake holders and frosting. Cupcakes with circle picks with western cutouts on them. My fried made the cutest campfire cake to look like logs cookies shaped like a star and said "Sheriff". Ice cream

Activities / Games

Dress Up: Upon Arrival say "HOWDY" to all guests Give cowboy hats and badges Brand with temporary tatoos Draw mustaches on anybody who wants them with a new clean brown eyebrow pencil. Stubble added by making dots. Crafts: 1.) decorate grocery bag vests- stamps, crayons, pens, stickers 2.) decorate balloon cowboys from Oriental Trading Co. Games: 1. Stick Horse Race (I asked guests to bring their hobby horses if they had them so we had plenty) 2. 3 legged race- tie legs with western hankerchiefs 3. Calf Roping- have the kids try to "rope" a small rocking horse with a hula hoop for a roping contest 4. Sheriff says (just like simon says) 5. Cow-Cow-Steer (played like Duck Duck Goose) 6. Hokey-Pokey 7. plastic Horse Shoe Game 8. clothes pin drop. Kids stand on sturdy park bench/chair and drop wooden clothes pins into a glass mason (canning) jar. Whoever gets the most out of 10 wins Games we didn't do but are cute and low-cost: 1.) "Yikes! There's a Snake in my Boot!" or "Rattlesnack Round-Up" (kids toss 10 small rubber snakes in a cowboy boot) 2.) "Shoot Out" at the Okay corral- Nerf Guns or Squirt Gun target practice of plastic bottles or aluminum soda cans painted black 3.) Rattlesnake Ruckus (Play like Hot Potato Game): Use a plastic snake or make a rattlesnake by filling a tube sock with newspapers. Add a rattler to the end of the sock made from a small plastic container (such as a film canister) and dried beans. Plastic google eyes are fun! Seat guests in a circle. As music plays (use cowboy music), the rattlesnake is passed around the circle. When the music stops, the one holding the snake (bitten by the rattlesnake), is out of the game. Continue game until one player is left. 4.) beanbag throw. refridgerator box with a 3x3ft square cut out with painted bandit. Cut out some of the teeth. 5.) jello-eating contest. Use lime Jello, set them in pie tins, and put them on the tarp. The kids leaned over and chowed down. This was one of the most amusing games for the adults to watch 6.) Pan for Pennies- Use any container filled with sand (you can buy playground sand at the hardware store), add pennies and dig for "GOLD" using hands, beach sand sifters etc. 7.) Pass the Pony- like Hot Potato but use a toy horse! 8.) Cowboy Hat Toss- Kids try to toss a cowboy hat onto a rocking horse or stuffed animal! 9.) Play pin the tail on the horse, or pin the badge on the Sheriff, or pin the cowboy hat on the cowboy (for this, an enlarged photo of the birthday cowboy can be used.)

Budget

cheap!

Party Favors

Made each child/guest a custom wanted poster with their picture and something personal about them - such as wanted for their awesome artist ability. Used as decor for party then taken home by guest at end. Stamped paper bags and tied with western ribbon. Filled with goodies. prizes: Rubber, plastic or wooden snakes Box of malted milk balls with "rattlesnake eggs" label little fabric bag of "Gold" -Corn pops cereal craft to make little covered wagons (bought at Michaels for $1) western coloring book giant lollipop