Hosting A Kids' End-Of-Summer Party

Passing through aisles of backpacks, notepads, pens, and pencil sharpeners at Target, my kids groaned.

"I'm not ready to go back to school," they lamented, " Isn't it still summer?"

For kids, August is a bittersweet month. Summer day's filled with swimming, catching fireflies, playing ball and running around the neighborhood with friends couldn't get much better. As the month stretches on, school looms, and with it an end to the hours of daytime freedom.

If your child has a birthday in August, an outdoor event is a perfect fit. Even if there's no special reason to throw a party, a get together with friends can help ease kids into the school year.

It is also a great time to invite new-to-town neighbors over to meet their peers. Friends that have been away at camps or family vacations will also appreciate the opportunity to reconnect.

The event can be an afternoon playdate filled with juice boxes and snacks and games or a more elaborate get together.

With a little creativity and some inexpensive supplies, you can turn your backyard into a park or marine wonderland.

Here are few ideas:

A Watery Wonderland

Start with a trip to the dollar store and stock up on seasonal close-out sales. Load your basket with plastic bath and beach toys such as lobsters, crabs, fish, water balloons and squirt guns. The marine-themed toys can be strewn on tables.

Activities:

Water Balloon race: Divide the kids into two teams, and have them line up and pass a water balloon down the line using their knees only. Whichever team gets the balloon from one end to the other wins.

Tug-of War: Make sure to mix up age groups and teams are evenly matched. Provide long, sturdy rope stretched across some body of water, i.e., small-plastic pool, "slip n slide", or sprinklers. Tie a handkerchief in the middle. The team that pulls the hanky across the middle, or kids into the water, wins!

Scavenger Hunt: Create a treasure hunt in your backyard using clues from a popular movie, book, or television show, i.e., Star Wars, Harry Potter, or Disney characters for younger children. Provide kids with paper bags to store their treasures. The final prize can be a plastic movie or book character.

Limbo Dancing: Who can resist a limbo stick? Purchase some Hawaiian leis for kids to wear, download some coral reef music on Itunes, and grab a broom. Kids can show off their dancing moves while navigating their way to the lowest level.

Menu Ideas

Feeding kids can be anxiety provoking. Providing a few kid favorites will please the most discerning palates such as:

Crudites and Dips- Mini-carrots, sliced celelry, tomatoes, broccoli served with ranch dressing or hummas.

Fruit and Fluff- Sliced strawberries, melon, bananas, apples served with fluff or creme-cheese dip.

Hot Dog Howlers- Hot dogs wrapped in Pillsbury's crescent dough.

Mini-Burgers- Can purchase premade, frozen mini-burgers, or you can roll out small, palm-sized burgers served on potato rolls.

Homemade Popsicles- Choose favorite juice and freeze in paper cups with popsicle sticks in the middle. Add fresh berries for a special treat.

Desserts- Chocolate chip cookies, themed cake, whoopie pies, or cupcakes.

Drinks- Blackberry lemonade, frozen fruit slush, lemonade or  strawberry lime coolers. Be creative and serve in colorful tumblers!

Enjoy the rest of the summer!