Going to the Game--Sports-Themed Parties for Kids

Good afternoon . . . .winter just won't go away! We got socked with at least another four to six inches of snow, and the temperatures keep falling.

It's hard to believe that spring is just fifteen days ahead and it's almost time for baseball season. Spring training has begun along the Florida coast and in the warm Arizona sun. In another couple of weeks, March Madness will begin in the NCAA. I thought this would be a good time to talk about sports-themed parties. We've attended a few bar mitzvahs with a sports theme, including the Yankees, the Mets, and Wide World of Sports. Once again, this is a theme where finding decorations is easy because there are so many options from chains like Party City to doing it yourself (DIY).

The ballpark ticket is one of the most popular types of invitations for a sports-themed party. I love this adorable invitation from Dazzle Expressions, where you can customize it with a photo and wording.

Soccer is very popular with girls, and there are many directions one can go with the color scheme. You can either choose feminine colors such as green, pink, or purple, or use the team colors. The website Big Dot of Happiness shows you how. I love the set-up of the snack table.

Does your child love tennis? Check out this idea from Catch My Party. As with a football-themed party, you can use felt to cover the tables and mark the felt with tennis courts. What made this party stand out was the dessert table. 

For a hockey/skating theme parties, these brownie hockey sticks are adorable. These are featured in t the blog The Piggy Toes.

At one baseball-themed bar mitzvah I attended. the centerpieces contained peanuts, Cracker Jacks, sunflower seeds, and bubble gum. From the website Jewitup, here is a great example of these foods displayed in a wire basket. Other concessions may include hot dogs and baseball-shaped cookies.

For the littlest basketball fans, the blog It's All About Ty and Ashlee features a wonderful DIY party using the colors of Iowa State. From the plates decorated with black electrical tape to the favors of blow-up basketballs sports-themed wristbands, and basketball fake tattoos, this party was simple yet festive. The party occurred around the time of March Madness.

 

Over the past ten years, several states have recognized cheerleading as a competitive sport. Athletes as young as five join cheer teams. For a cheerleading party, here is a great table decoration from Uncommon Designs featuring pom-poms and megaphones. 

A sports-themed party wouldn't be complete without some games. The blog Beau-Coup shows you how to play a game called "Hot Basketball," which is a variation of Hot Potato. This game is ideal for younger children.

Image courtesy of Best Children's Games

Depending on the party, you can also include a football toss, a batting cage, an obstacle course, or an indoor basketball game.

A couple of months ago, I promoted some of the football games from the shop to coincide with the Super Bowl. Today, I am promoting a sports-themed word search. Originally designed for my husband's birthday, this is a word search featuring the New York Yankees all-stars (as you can tell, he is a Yankee fan). I can customize this word search to feature your favorite baseball, football, basketball, or hockey team, along with the team colors. The puzzle makes a great goody-bag or table favor. Just hit the "Request a Custom Order" button at the shop or send me a convo for more information.

Now for today's lists:

Women's History Month Fun Fact of the Day: Necessity is the mother of invention, as the saying goes. Many kids' items, such as disposable diapers, folding cribs, and infant carriers, were invented by moms who saw a need that had yet to be filled. See the complete list on Fact Monster.

Today's Birthdays: Jake Lloyd (26), Sterling Knight (26), Eva Mendes (50), Kevin Connolly (41), Craig and Charlie Reid (53), Penn Jillette (60), Marsha Warfield (61), Eddy Grant (67), eddie Hodges (68), Michael Warren (69), Fred William (77), Dean Stockwell (79), James B. Sikking (81), and James Noble (93).

Holidaze: Today is National Multiple Personality Day. You may know someone who has been diagnosed with Multiple Personality Disorder, which is characterized by at least two distinct identities that alternately control a persons behavior. This disorder is accompanied by memory loss that goes beyond ordinary forgetfulness. This is a day to spend extra time with those who have been affected.

March 5th is also known as National Absinthe Day. This is a potent alcoholic beverage derived from the flowers and leaves of the grand wormwood plant, and is traditionally colored green. Because it has such high level of alcohol, it is normally distilled with water prior to drinking,

Finally, it's National Cheese Doodle Day! Although I don't really like cheese, I really love cheese doodles. A cheese doodle is usually a cylinder-like cornmeal puff with a cheddar cheese flavor. Sources say they were invented in the 1940s by a man named Morrie Yohai, who had taken over his family business called Old London Foods.

March is also National Craft Month. In the weekend edition of the blog, I will discuss events that coincide with this occasion..

Beginning next week, I am going to reduce my posts on this blog to three times a week instead of daily due to time constraints.

Our prayers go out to Harrison Ford, who was piloting a vintage plane and crashed into a golf course.

Have a PRINTASTIC night!

Kathy