Party ‘Til the Cows Come Home

Every kid gets excited by the thought of visiting a farm, whether petting the animals, picking a pumpkin from the field or taking a ride on a tractor. A farm-themed birthday party is one of the classics, especially this time of year. 

Check out these fun ideas for celebrating your little farmer’s birthday.

Food

•  Pigs in a Blanket – Wrap mini hot dogs in refrigerated crescent rolls and bake per instructions on the package. Offer classic dippers like ketchup and mustard.
• Wagon Wheel Mac and Cheese – Make your own with wheel-shaped pasta or buy a boxed version for an easy lunch.
• Corn on the Cob – Grilled or boiled corn can be snapped in half for little eaters. Dip in butter and serve with corn skewers on each end for easy handling.
• Dessert – Rice Krispie treats cut to look like hay bales are a simple alternative to cupcakes and go great with a box of chocolate milk.

Games

• Herd the Sheep – Purchase white balloons and draw a sheep face on one side. You will also need a fly swatter for each player. Have the kids race to get the sheep from Point A to Point B by moving them with only the fly swatter.
• Pick a Duck – Mark the bottom of plastic ducks with numbers, letters, or colors and have the players look for pairs. This is cute if set up in a kiddie pool or works well on the grass or a table. Give a prize for each match.
• Build a Tractor – Like the Cootie game, players roll dice to get all the tractor parts before they can put it together. Find a tractor coloring page online. Print out and cut into six pieces – body, windows, two tires, exhaust and steering wheel. Assign each part a number, and as each player rolls that number, they get a part of the tractor. 

Crafts

• Farm Animal Birthday Crowns – Find printable crowns online on Etsy or Amazon. Let the kids decorate with crayons or markers. 
• Plant Seeds – Purchase small clay or plastic pots that the kids can personalize. Assist the kids to fill the dirt, adding their seeds and watering their crops.
• Paint a Piggy Bank – Ceramic piggy banks are available for purchase in bulk at craft stores, dollar stores or online. Kids can decorate with paint markers or any other type of bling. Include a few pennies for each bank to get the kids started.
• Farm Animal Sock Puppets – Purchase colored socks for each animal – pink for pigs, red for hens, etc. Cut a piece of cardboard in a long oval and fold in half. When inserted into the sock with the rounded end pushed into the toe, this will form the animal’s mouth. Adjust the material so it moves up and down with the cardboard. Complete the puppets by gluing felt, yarn or googley eyes.

Goody Bags

Fill a cone-shaped plastic bag with orange snacks (Reese’s Pieces, Cheetos, Goldfish crackers, etc.) to resemble a carrot, and tie it with a green ribbon to close. Other options to include in the goody bags are farm-themed stickers, mini books, plastic or plush farm animals or seed packets.

Entertainment

Check out your area for real farmers who bring their animals to your home for a party. These mobile petting zoos include rabbits, guinea pigs, piglets, chickens or ducks. Some offer larger animals like goats, alpacas and mini horses. If you would rather not have farm animals in your yard, many local farms offer tours.

Pam Molnar is a freelance writer, mother of three and an avid party planner. She enjoys writing about having fun and making memories together.