Puppy Party -1yr- Bow Wow Bowling

PUPPY PARTY!  For my son's 1st birthday, we threw a puppy party. 

For the invitations, take a 9" x 9" sheet of white or brown construction paper and fold two opposite corners together to make a triangle; then, with the fold at the top, fold down each top corner to make ears.  Add wiggly eyes, a paper nose, and draw a mouth for an adorable puppy!  Write your party information on the inside of the fold. 

For the party, we began with a "Grooming Station" where the kids put on a bandanna, puppy ears (made from foam paper from craft store; use a strip to make a band to go around the child's head then glue ears on the side, attach with string or staple together), and a black nose with face paint. 

Then, they took a "puppy picture" in a doghouse made from cardboard. 

Next, they went to the "Puppy Playground" where they played "BOW WOW Bowling" with a plastic bowling set (ordered from Oriental.com).

Then we played "Doggy Toss" (we made a bean bag toss board from plywood - cardboard works well too - and drew a large puppy on it, and cut the holes). 

We decorated with red-and-white twisted streamers and black-and-white twisted streamers and lots of helium balloons with long ribbons the kids could pull one.  We added paper "ears" to some balloons and drew a doggy face on with marker.  The kids took the balloons with them when they left. 

The birthday cake was an adorable puppy face (recipe on family.com) and each child received their own "paw" cupcake with white icing and brown M&Ms and chocolate mints making the paw. 

Cake and sweets were served in their own (NEW and CLEAN) dog dishes found at a Dollar Store.  I painted their names on with paint pens.  Cute! 

The "doggy bag" the kids took home (paper bags with spots colored on them) consisted of:  plush puppies, Dalmatian bubble necklace, a chunky puppy puzzle, a ball, some "Puppy Chow" made from Cheerios and other cereals, puppy stickers, dog-bone shaped sugar cookies, and their instant photo from the Puppy Pictures! 

It was a great time and the kids had a blast.  For older kids, you can add "FIFO Says" or have a dog-bone hunt.  Older kids can also role-play being dogs and have a great time playing outside.