How To Host A Successful Sibling Birthday Party {+ Big Mouth Inc. Ginormous Sprinkler Giveaway!}

I’ve partnered with Big Mouth Inc. for this ‘how to host a successful sibling birthday party’ post.  As always, all opinions are my own.

We have five kids.  And while that would usually mean five birthday parties each year, I just can’t bring myself to do it.  We have a March birthday, two June birthdays, and two September birthdays.  So we usually squeeze joint birthday parties on the calendar to cut down on the stress of hosting so many.  And I’m happy to report that even though we have a mixture of boys and girls as well as big age differences, we’ve had successful joint parties every time!  

How To Host A Successful Sibling Birthday Party

Sam and Jack are our June birthdays and they are five years apart in age.  Lucy and Alex are our September birthdays and they are also five years apart.  We’ve always done joint birthday parties for them.  And one year, we actually did a giant party for all five kids together.  If you’re thinking that sounds like a lot of work, I’m going to share how we host a successful sibling birthday party every year.

We Invite Families

I’ve chosen to not host ‘friend only’ parties.  It’s much easier for me to just invite the entire family as then each parent is in charge of their own kids.  Sure, it’s a little more food cost, supplies, and treats.  But in the long run, it’s well worth taking the stress of ‘babysitting’ all their friends off my shoulders.

Two Friend Limit (It’s More Than What It Sounds Like)

Each birthday child gets to chose two friends to invite.  That’s it.  Of course, once you add in the friends’ siblings as well as godparents’ children, there’s still plenty of people.  

So in essence, our guest lists looks like:

• Grandparents
• Great-Grandpa & Grandma
• Godfather
• Godmother
• My Sister & Brother Along With Their Children (as my family is small)
• 2 Friends (And Their Families) Per Birthday Child

In total, we usually end up with around 40-60 people.

Must Have Great Food!

Having a great spread of food is an absolute must have if you’re looking for how to host a successful sibling birthday party.  And even more important, ENOUGH FOOD!  We were at a party recently and they actually ran out of the main dish.  You do not want that to happen!  But even though I suggest you have a great spread of food, it doesn’t have to be difficult.  Our June sibling birthday party this year will feature:

• Pulled Pork Sandwiches (I buy ready-made from Sams Club and it’s very reasonably priced.  Plus, easy!)
• Sheet Pan Fajita Chicken & Veggies (Also VERY easy to make!)
• Hotdogs (I grab a huge pack from Sam’s Club and  just toss in the crockpot.)
• Pasta Salad
• Fruit (Typically this will be a large fruit bowl of watermelon, grapes, strawberries, and pineapple.  I just grab whatever is on sale the week of the party.)
• Pickle Wraps
• Veggies
• Chips

Beverages:  We usually chose to only serve bottled water and pink lemonade as it’s cost effective and everyone likes these two drinks.

Dessert:  We bake cupcakes and then I also usually whip up a batch of Special K Bars, Salted Caramel Billionaire Bars, or Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies.  

Activities

I like to have some things available to keep everyone busy.  While this may look different from year to year, and possibly theme to theme, they are all pretty basic.  Most years, the activities are similar and may just feature a little twist.

***NOTE:  I do not do a ‘themed’ party every year.  While we have sometimes, I tend to keep them generic as it’s easier for me.

1)  Playgrounds

We always have our two swingsets/playgrounds in tip top shape and ready to be played on for our parties.  There are activities for all ages and kids tend to spend a lot of time on them.

2)  Sandbox

This keeps kids busy!  Having a well-stocked sandbox and toys is one of my top recommendations for anyone looking to make their backyard more kid friendly.  We’ve spent countless hours in ours throughout the years.  When I did daycare as well as when we had foster children, the sandbox was always a hit.

However, if you don’t have room for a large sandbox, grab a plastic kiddie pool and some bags of sand.  Bury ‘treasures’ and some quarters and the kids will still have a blast.

3)  Water Table

Since we always host our parties in the summer, water is a must.  We do that in the form of a water table and sometimes water balloons.  (Our invites always read ***bring suits for kids!)

4)  Treasure Hunt

Every single year, we create a treasure/scavenger hunt.  We send the kids (and usually parents!) around the farm to collect clues and lead them to the prize.  At the end of the treasure hunt, they receive their prize/treat bag  (****see #9 at the end of this post).  But no matter what the prize at the end, the hunt is is half the fun!

5)  Yard Games

A variety of yard games are great for all ages.  We usually just have them set up or available at the front of the house so kids and adults can play as they wish.  Good options include:  Giant Jenga, Giant Connect 4, Bocce Ball, Bean Bag Toss, and Yard Golf.  Having some frisbees laying around is also a good idea.

6)  Balls

Almost every kid loves playing with balls.  So we also have a bucket with basketballs, kickballs, and soft/squishy balls out for free play. 

7)  Piñata

Honestly, out of all the activities, this is one that we do NOT do every year.  Mostly because the last thing our kids need is a giant bag of candy.  But it’s fun to throw in every couple of years. 

8)  Giant Sprinkler

Back to the topic of water.  A giant sprinkler is also SO much fun!  And did you know that Big Mouth Inc. has a variety of styles to choose from?  While we received the Pink Elephant, I’m also totally in love with the dinosaur, unicorn, and monster.  They are all SO cute and offer a great way for kids to cool off.

Ginormous Pink Elephant Yard Sprinkler

If you really want to make a splash, a ginormous yard sprinkler is the way to do it!  And this pink elephant sure is eye-catching.  Bigger and better, this 6-foot tall Elephant Yard Sprinkler is the missing piece to an epic party.

Super easy to use.  Just inflate and connect a standard garden hose.  The sprinkler can be secured to the lawn using the included anchor kit.  Once ready, turn on the water and voila!…water sprays out of the elephant’s trunk.  Definitely a fun way to help keep the kids cool this summer!

One thing that our kids found out real quick was that this giant sprinkler is a little flexible.  So that means they can actually manipulate to surprise friends with a burst of water in their direction! 

9)  Party Favors

Skip all the little junk that will get thrown away.  This year, each child went home with a treat bag that held a full size bag of M&Ms (or Pop Rocks for the older kids) and a small container of playdough or slime.  Other years, I’ve done a sand pail and bottle of bubbles.  But no matter what, I try to avoid all the little trinkets that will just end up in the trash by the end of the day.

So tell me, have you considered how to host a successful sibling birthday party before?  Do you have any great tips to add?

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