Serve strawberry treats at your daughter's Strawberry Shortcake party.
Strawberry Shortcake has spanned several generations. She was a favorite of young girls originally in the early '80s (See Reference 4). A new version of Strawberry Shortcake launched in 2009 (See Reference 5). Whether you want to plan a birthday party around the old or new character, a Strawberry Shortcake theme will delight your daughter who is turning 4. Does this Spark an idea?
Invitations
Make invitations out of red card stock that say "Come to Strawberry Shortcake's Berry Cafe to celebrate (daughter's name)'s fourth birthday!" Cut the invitations in the shape of strawberries or decorate them with Strawberry Shortcake coloring pages. You can use coloring pages of the modern day doll, the version from the '80s or both. Depending on how many of your daughter's friends you invite, you can ask them to dress up of as one of the characters: Raspberry Torte, Plum Pudding, Blueberry Muffin, Lemon Meringue and Orange Blossom from the new line or Apple Dumplin', Apricot and Lime Chiffon from the old. Your daughter can dress up as Strawberry Shortcake and wear green and white leggings, a pink dress and a strawberry hat made of a foam visor and felt.
Decorations
Decorate a part of the kitchen, living room or backyard to look like Strawberry Shortcake's Berry Cafe. Set up small card tables and cover them with white table cloths. Place a vase with fresh cut flowers and pink napkins on each table. Make strawberries out of felt or construction paper and tape one to the seat of each chair. In other parts of your home hang red, pink and green streamers and balloons. You can also employ purples, blues, yellows and oranges to represent Strawberry Shortcake's friends' colors. If you happen to have vintage dolls from your own childhood, put them on display.
Games
Since Plum Pudding is a dance instructor you can organize some dancing activities like the freeze game. Girls dance to music and when the music stops they must freeze. If somebody twitches she is out until the next round. Award a prize for the last girl standing.
Easy Strawberry Recipes suggests organizing a strawberry hunt. Hide strawberry shaped candies or hard boiled eggs painted to look like strawberries in your backyard. Encourage each girl to find a certain number of berries.
Amazing Moms recommends setting up a pin-the-stem on the strawberry game which is just like pin-the-tail on the donkey. Make a large strawberry out of red bristol board. Make green stems out of construction paper for girls to stick on the strawberry. Amazing Moms also suggests playing a bean bag toss. Draw a strawberry bush on a large box. Cut out several holes in the bush. Give girls red bean bags to toss in the holes.
Food
When it is time to eat, girls can sit in the Berry Cafe. Serve items that Strawberry Shortcake has at her cafe, such as fruit smoothies, croissants, waffles, sandwiches and pancakes. Provide girls with cupcakes covered with icing that they can decorate with sprinkles and candies. Serve fruit and veggies and dip, so girls consume some healthy food as well. For the birthday cake you can use a Strawberry Shortcake specialty cake pan or cover a cake with strawberries.
Tags: Strawberry Shortcake, Berry Cafe, your daughter, Amazing Moms, coloring pages