Backyardigan Adventure -1yr- Uniqua Character

We celebrated my 1st daughters 1st Birthday party on July 21, 2008.  We had a total of 22 kids and 45 adults.  She loves the Backyardigans so that is the theme I chose.

INVITATIONS: I made my own invitations,  I had a picture of 2 of the characters talking to each other saying Have your heard who's turning 1" Then I had a picture of my daughter and the info: Please join us for a Backyard Adventure for ____ 1st Birthday.  Location: address (backyard).  For time I also specified for the guests to be on time because their was going to be a character present.   

DECOR: I have a huge backyard with a ravine behind so the Backyard was perfect for my theme. I rented a huge white tent and dressed the inside with: small stuffed Backyardigan stuffed toys tied around the poles (to give out to all the kids as part of their loot bags.  I made 3 feet poster size yard signs of all the characthers the circled the childrens play area inside.  I went ot Staples and got pictures of the character blown up and them stuck them on a yard post from the dollar store. 

I had a huge Yard side in the front of "Uniqua" with little mini sunflowers with balloons on each one.  I had a sign of the Backyardigans on the guest washroom.   I had lots of Backyardigan theme decor tablecloths napkins cups plates birthday banners hanging pictures confetti.  And of course lot's lots of balloons.  I even had mylar Balloons of the Characters.  We played Backyardigan music playing threwout the party.  But when it was time to sing "Happy Birthday"  I found a Salsa version (my daughter is 1/2 spanish).  The guests were so surprised to hear it. 

ACTIVITIES: In the tent I had a mini slide sand box mini kitchen easel for drawing table for krafts blow up sail boat.  These activites kept all the kids entertained.  I also had a large Trampoline outsie the tented area.  Event the adults were in their. I booked a Characaturist who took pictures of all the kids and I told him to draw one of the characters of the Backyardigans (kids choice) included in their picture.  This was such a hit.  I found this person at a theme park in our area for a very reasonalbe price he stayed for 4 hours. I also hired a face painter who painted all of the kids / adults.  This was also a hit.

The best was I hired the Character "Uniqua" to come in she came with an assistant.  They stayed for 1 hours and played different games sang songs brought a bubble machine and took pictures with all the kids.  She had games that were related to our guests ages (1 to 4 years).  This by far was such a good idea. I made a large Pinata of "uniqua".  I made it like Paper mache it was very easy but time consuming.  I cut our little squares of tissue papers and gluded each individule pieces with a dab of glue using a pencil to grab it.  In side if put lot's of confetti & candies.  All the kids enjoyed this and my guests could not believe I made it.   

FOOD:   I hired 2 waitress to help out with everhting.  I had a beautiful cake with the 2 characters "Uniqua & Tasha" in the backyard.  The cake was round and had grass all around (frosting)  it was so beautiful no one wanted to ruin it.  I also got multi colour cupcakes (like the backyardigans) and put them on a cupcake stand.  I placed finger pupets of the charachters on each cupcake.  I had Jello in different colours like the characters.  I made a fruit arrangment out of cookie cutters and place them on skewers inside a vase at the food table. For the kids: I had mini hamburgers hot dogs french fries salad maccaroni salad corn mini yogurts and juice boxes.   

FAVOURS: They were in Backyardigan bags since they were so small I had to tie some of the stuff to it.  Since I had different age groups I tried to customize them.  Some items include:  Everyone got a T-shirt sun glasses and candies.  Some hats sandles colouring books puzzels and games.

For the adults I made my own chocolate bar wrappers with a picture of the Backyardigans thanking them for Joining us for celebrating my daughters 1st bithday.  On the back I made it look like a real chocolate bar wrapper.  I put my own wording for the ingredients: (1 birthday girl full of fun celebrating with lot's of friends and family)  For the I removed the "Areo" wraper and placed mine.  Very simple and not too expensive I bought them by bulk at Costco. I had soo much going on but I am such an organized person I had everything in order and absolutely everything was perfect. I made a scrapbook of my daughters 1st year for the guests to look at.  Every single picture is dated and has some comment about the picture taken. 

Everyone in the book was at her party and means something special to her.  I will present it to her on her 15th birthday party which is going to be a very big event.  Since she is 1/2 spanish we celebrate 15th birthday. I hope I didn't miss anything."