Backwards Party -4yr- Eat Under the Table

For my daughters 4 year old birthday we decided to have a Backwards Birthday which she was very excited about! 

First, I took photos of my daughter in her birthday shirt (had a cupcake on it with candles) and put it on her backwards. I then took pictures of the back of her with her shirt on. I then used Publisher on my computer to make that as the front of the invite. All the wording on the invitation was written backwards (reading from right to left and bottom to top). As part of the invite I had a mystery question Can you think of the secret password to enter the party?" Of course that was written backwards too. (The secret password was "Goodbye" when they came to the door.) Everyone thought the invites were a blast to read. The invite also asked everyone to wear their clothes backwards.    

When people arrived we greeted them backwards and said Goodbye..thank you for coming." Everyone even the adults participated in the dressing up. Most wore clothes backwards some wore flip flops and summer attire in the middle of a cold Michigan winter and some came in pajamas (Everything was backwards and crazy!). One little girl had a ponytail on the front of her forehead.  The first thing we did was have cake and icecream first. The kids loved this!!! The writing on the cake was backwards too.

We then opened gifts which my daughter said " You're welcome" instead of "thank you." We then played backwards games. We played throw the bean bag over your shoulder backwards into the holes of a bean bag toss game. They then played put the crown on the princess. Little did they know that the winner was the one that placed the crown FURTHEST away. They also played Walk Backwards with a ping-pong ball on a spoon. They were simple but fun games for 4 year olds. I was going to read a story from end to beginning but ran out of time.     In the background playing throughout the party was the Backwards Birthday Song by Tom Chapin (ordered over the internet). I always have matching music to the theme of the party playing.

We then ate dinner. This was the BEST part. I asked the kids where their parents usually made them eat?  They answered in a chair at a table. I then said "Yes but everything is backwards today. So today you get to eat on the floor under the table!" They screamed and were so excitied. It was the HIT of the party! They all crawled under the table and ate on the floor. They loved it! It was messy but well worth it! 

Along with eating under the table we served Backwards/Upside down pop. This is what most kids remembered because it exploded :) I took small (mini) cans of pop from Walmart and took a pointed-triangle shaped can opener and pierced the bottom of the cans to serve with a straw. The first time it exploded and hit my 12 foot ceilings. The kids thought it was hysterical. I did this twice more before learning my lesson. Even if you let the pop settle upside down cover it with a towel or washcloth while piercing the can. When parents asked their kids later what their favorite part of the party was...it was when the pop exploded and hit the ceiling :)   

For the adults I always have some sort of game or trivia. They always look forward to it. I usually give away 1st and 2nd place prizes. This time the trivia was all Birthday Trivia questions on famous people and the most challenging part was the part on Palidromes. Palidromes are phrases that when written backwards are the same frontwards. I looked up on the internet and mixed up different Palidromes and had them unscramble them. The adults love the trivia. They get so competative and it really gets them involved and laughing!     

For decorations I hung  tons of balloons (not helium filled) from the ceiling. I made chocolate covered popcorn in the theme color which happened to be pink and purple (my daughter's favorite). It was not an expensive party or a difficult one...but very fun!    

Gift bags consisted of princess items and special theme items per child if I knew they were "into" something. Thank you notes were also written backwards with pictures of the actual party inserted. Another ideas is to send out "Thank you notes" as invitations and invitations as "Thank You notes"         "