Barnyard Party -1yr- Cow, Duck, Pig Cupcakes

For my daughter's 1st Birthday we decided on a barnyard theme because she really loves animals.  We invited 15 kids ranging in age from 7 months to 8 years old. 

I made the invitations myself using a printshop computer program.  I printed a red barn with the words Our little Chick is turning 1 join us for some Barnyard Fun!" printed on the top of the barn.  Then I used an exacto knife to cut the barn doors so they would open.  Then I printed on another sheet of white cardstock the time date and place (Anna's Farm- our address).  I also noted on the invitation to "wear your farm clothes for the petting zoo and outdoor play".  These invitations were really cute and personalized and best of all cheap as I already had the computer program and the cardstock paper.  If you don't want to do all of this there are many websites with cute farm themed invitations. 

For decorations I bought several bales of hay and placed them around our backyard.  I purchased several cow print and red hankerchiefs to place on top of the hay to make comfortable seats.  I also bought huge silk sunflowers from the craft store to stick into the hay bales.  I put out scarecrows purchased from the craft store as well.  I also put out my son's John Deer Gator ride-on toy John Deer Tractor ride-on toy and our radio flyer wagon for the kids to play on.  I filled our sandbox with dried corn purchased from a feed store for the kids to play in instead of sand.  I also placed plastic farm animals in the "corn box".  I made a sign for our front door using the print shop program that said Welcome to Anna's 1st Birthday Barnyard Bash! 

I also placed cow print balloons all around the yard and on the mailbox to help guests find our "farm".  On the inside of our house I covered two 6 ft. fold-out tables in red gingham table cloths and then placed mason jars in the middle with sunflowers for centerpieces.  I purchased farm animal shaped balloons from the internet and tied them around with the cow print balloons.  If you can't find cow print balloons you could always draw black spots on white balloons with a permanent marker. 

For food I served cow duck and pig cupcakes.  I made these myself by baking chocolate cupcakes for the cow icing them white using candy to make cow ears nose and eyes.  The pig cupcakes were strawberry with strawberry icing candy eyes snout and ears.  The duck cupcakes were lemon cupacakes with yellow (dyed) icing with candy beaks and eyes.  I found the idea for the cupcakes using google images and searching for farm cupcakes.  I also served "Chicken Feed" which is chex mix and candy corn mixed together.  Moo-cream (individual ice-cream cups) and farm-fresh squeezed apple juice (this was just a label I didn't really make apple juice).  I purchased farm-themed Party plates from a the internet.  I gave each child a cow-bell (purchased from the craft store) to ring at the end of the Happy Birthday song. 

For entertainment I had farm music playing. I made shirts for each of our family members using the printshop program for iron-on transfers.  I ironed on a picture of a chick and put "little chick" on it for my daughter I made myself the same shirt that said "big chick".  I made my son a shirt with a bull on it that said "little stud" and my husband one with a bull that said "Big Stud".  We all wore blue jeans except my daughter who wore a blue jean fluffy skirt.  I wore my hair in braids with red hankerchief ribbons tied on the ends.  I made a read-hanky hair bow for my daughter to wear (since she hardly had any hair).  My husband and son carried a red hanky hanging out of their back pockets.  It was really cute! 

After we ate we went out to "the farm" where we hired a petting zoo to come and let us pet 3 goats one min-horse 8 chickens a rat and a guinea pig.  The kids loved it and I loved letting the petting zoo people take over talking to the kids about the different animals.  The kids enjoyed our swingset our tractors and the "corn box".  We didn't play any competitive games because of the age range but pin-the-tail on the donkey would be a good one for this theme. 

For favors we made a farm-song CD for each child with a personalized message printed on the CD thanking them for coming (again using our print-shop program).  I tied cow-tail candy to the CD's with a personalized tag using raffia for a farm-look.  The parents looked relieved to actually get something useful for a favor.  This party was so much fun and my kids had a blast!  Thanks to all of you that I borrowed ideas from I hope this will help someone else have a great party!"