For our theme 'spring' (although the temperature could well be summery) of today, I have decided to bring you a third of the post about children's birthday organization at home. If we have already given you some ideas about 'games for young children' and 'for older children, today we are going to dedicate ourselves to making homemade invitations, so that it is noticed that everything we prepare with a lot of love, and with a personal style.
At present there is a variety of possibilities for all those who, at the moment, do not have extra time to devote to making invitations. But I am sure that if we could choose (and whenever possible) we would like to sit with the kids to make the best (and most exclusive) invitation cards for their friends and colleagues.
In front of the printed cards with different motives, or those digital ones that are sent by email, we have the possibility of equipping ourselves with colored cards, stick glue, pencils, glitter markers and as many elements as we want to add. In truth we can also get out of the more conventional offers using services such as those offered by the company Funchoices - which we have talked about on the occasion of the First Communion -, since they have a special section dedicated to personalized invitations for birthdays .
But let's become craftsmen again (not experts but efficient) for a moment, and discover 'how much creativity we have inside'. You know: I give you a hand and you can tell me your experiences.
Some ideas that I have used successfully:
- 'I know your best quality', DIN A 4 (or folio) size cards folded in half are used. On the cover we can write something like "Do you know why I invite you to my birthday?". And inside, and with the help of our son, we will show a phrase that reflects a quality of the guest, "because you help me finish the chips in class", "because I like your smile", "because I have so much fun with your jokes ", etc.
We will also need help from the child to draw his friend or partner, and if possible with an object that identifies him: soccer ball, book, snack ... We only have to add the day, time and place of celebration.
- 'With my fingers I have drawn this for you', many years ago (well many not, only that now that my children are no longer babies seems like an eternity), we liked to draw animals with printed fingerprints ... we also used it to congratulate the birthdays of friends and family.
I found the book that gave us the idea ('Draw with your prints' by Godeleine de Rosamel and edited by Casterman) and I want to share it with you.
It is very easy because you only need small cardboard stockings, tempera paint to wet the fingers, and markers to finalize the details and write the text
- 'Apple with surprise', the cover photo reminds me a lot of these invitations that we have repeated some years. An apple (with its stem and leaves) is drawn on a cardboard folded in half, taking care that one of the sides coincides with the folded.
Then you have to cut all sides (except the one that bends), and write something like 'do you want to know what's in here?' Now you draw on the inside (right side) a nice smiling little worm that wants to nibble the fruit, and on the other side you write the data of the party and the inexcusable 'I wait for you'.
- 'Abstract or light art', in half cardboard (for each guest) children can unleash their talent and paint freely with brushes the motifs they wish to reflect. You can also use those feathers that children collect from the ground and they have fallen to the pigeons, to dip them in watercolors and pass them through the cardboard to get a very interesting result.
Do not forget the text on the back.
You see that simplicity is not at odds with the desire to share our son's party with other families, and that you can have very nice invitations in which the recipients will see affection and dedication (and will not repair the imperfections). And never forget to involve the little ones in the whole process: they can give you opinions, participate in the design and offer their valuable ideas.
