baseball party
I'm a fan of simple, thoughtful birthday parties, especially ones that pay attention to detail. A great kids party doesn't need to be elaborate, or cost a ton of money, or require renting out the local bounce house. I think this baseball party, thrown by my good friend Emily for her son Thomas, proves just that.
The invitations were cardstock circles printed with the party details and then "stitched" with wax twine to form a baseball. A second card shows a map to the baseball diamond where the party was held.
The kids lined up in the infield for pre-party warm ups, coached by Thomas' dad. Emily had put together a CD with baseball songs including The Star Bangled Banner, Take Me Out to the Ballgame, and We Are the Champions. They stretched, did some jumping jacks and took a few laps around the field. My favorite part was when all the kids took turns batting and the dads caught balls and tagged the runners as they ran around the bases. Games included a water balloon toss and a relay race around the baseball diamond.
The place settings were tan cardstock cut in the shape of home plate, and each child got their own box of Cracker Jacks. Dinner included submarine style sandwiches (on Emily's homemade french bread), watermelon and grapes, fresh veggies, and chips and salsa.
Cupcakes were made with white frosting and red icing stitches and Emily made little pennant cupcake toppers. (You can find some great vintage pennants online, like these.)
Favors were cellophane bags filled with baseball cards and old fashioned candies like Tootsie Rolls and Necco wafers. My children had never seen baseball cards before and spent the next week trading players back and forth trying to get more "red guys" (they know we root for the Angels!)
Happy Birthday Thomas! And well done Emily!
10.5.2009
Reader Comments (37)
what is cursive font called?
sorry bad typing what is the cursive font called?
Aw, Brooke...thank you for your kind words!
I wish I would have know about those great vintage pennants that you found! SO much cooler than the ones I used!
Also, the cursive/baseball font is called "Fenway Park".
love this! so simple and fun but great creative touches.
and i think your blog is lovely :)
this is such a great idea :)
What a lovely party!
What a great idea, I bet everyone had such a good time. Love the invitations.
i really love this party, i am going to have to remember it for next summer. i love the cracker jacks, nice touch.
Girl, you rock! seriously. this party looked so fab!
love-love this! so cute! so simple! so kid-worthy!
I love how a few special touches made something simple like a baseball game into something extra special. I'm throwing a birthday party for my husband this weekend and am hoping to employ a few similar tricks. One special touch; all the guests are coming dressed as him from 1978 to 2009!
This is absolutely perfect. Usually, the only sports-related parties for kids are bowling parties! Getting the kids outdoors, involving the parents in something fun, and being adorably creative while doing it. Wonderful!
What a fab party idea! So simple, clean and easy. Not a lot of chaotic fluff to overwhelm and irritate a group of 5 year olds. But it looks like it was tons of fun. Well done to your friend Emily.
Cute invites! Am especially fond of the stiching on it!
Love the name and design of your blog by the way :)
thomas is one lucky kid, as i suspect this is the same thomas from last year with the candy "thomas turns four" card (still think about its awesomeness).
great party.
What a super party! I love the goody bags:)
Ashley
Your baseball party is so creative. I have to share the one I just threw for my son http://tadashop.blogspot.com/2009/09/old-fashion-all-boys-birthday.html. It was a ball but seeing yours, how did I not think of Cracker Jacks!
wow! this is amazing. such great ideas! i think i may steal some of them for my son's birthday. linked this on my blog today! i love it.
i'm bookmarking this - brilliant!
What a wonderful, sweet party! Just the style I hope to do for my kids someday.