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3 Things to Do in Brenham with Kids (on a Budget)
Looking to get out of the city and take in some fresh air in the Texas hill country? Look no further than Brenham, Texas! Here are 3 things you can do with your kids in Brenham that are cheap and fun for the whole family!
Looking to get out of the city and take in some fresh air in the Texas hill country? Look no further than Brenham, Texas! Here are 3 things you can do with your kids in Brenham that are cheap and fun for the whole family!
Washington on the Brazos
Ever wondered what Texas was like before it was a state – i.e. back when it was it’s own republic? Well this is where it all began! This is the very spot that 59 Texians braved the approaching armies of Mexican General Santa Anna to create and sign a formal declaration of independence from Mexico.
The Republic of Texas, created at Washington in 1836 (this site here off road 12), once encompassed all of the present state of Texas, and parts of New Mexico, Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado, and Wyoming.
Here you can see Independence Hall (where the Texas Declaration of Independence was signed), the Barrington plantation (the home of the last President of Texas as a Republic), and the Star of the Republic Museum.
While the trail map looks pretty extensive and the property covers almost 300 miles, the hiking trails really aren’t that extensive. We chose the longest hiking trail they had to do and it took us maybe an hour to complete – and that’s with making stops to look at points of interest.
If you’re looking to experience Texas as it was in the 1800s, you’ll want to visit on the weekend closest to March 2nd for the Texas Independence Day celebration. During this, the 1830s Republic of Texas period comes to life with costumed interpreters, period demonstrations, toe tappin’ music, firearms and artillery firing. This annual, two-day celebration also features food vendors, traditional crafts, living history presentations and commemorative programs.
Admission fees are waived at the museum during this weekend celebration, but the grounds are always free to walk around and explore.
Flying Horses Carousel
Fireman’s Park in Brenham, Texas is home to this 1930s carousel. Brenham's Flying Horses Carousel is only one of five surviving classic wood Carousels that exist in Texas. According to the National Carousel Association, Brenham's Flying Horses Carousel is the oldest in Texas and one of the few remaining Carousels consisting of Charles W. Dare horses.
The carousel was discovered in 1930 by Mr. Hugh Durden in Clay, Texas. It was left in a pasture years earlier, during the Depression, by a carnival that couldn't afford to pay rent on the land they used for their carnival. Mr. Durden saw the potential of the old Carousel and told members of the Washington County Fair Association about how it could serve the community.
After many years of lovingly restoring it, the Flying Horses Carousel opened to the public.If you want to stop by and see this one of kind structure, pay close attention to their hours – as they are pretty limited. They are only open on weekends between March and October. Saturdays they’re open 11am to 4pm and Sundays is 1 to 4pm.
Kids under 12 can ride the antique horses and it’s only $1 per ride. If you’re a ”big kid” and want to ride too, you can stand alongside a horse or sit in one of the benches on the rotating carousel.There’s also a great playground at Fireman’s Park where the carousel is located, so you’ll be able to wear the kids out here as well.
Bluebell Creamery
Who can say no to ice cream? If you’re from Texas, chances are you’ve heard of Bluebell Ice cream. After all, it is the best ice cream there is.
For planning purposes, they’re open Monday through Friday from 8am to 5pm all year round. And just so you know, the warmer the weather, the earlier you might want to get there because it will get packed.
First off, you’ll want to stop in the visitor center. This area will tell you all about the history of Bluebell, show you how the company has grown over the years, and you can even get a paper Bluebell hat for free.
Next, you’ll go to the factory next door. After you head upstairs, you can go to the Observation area and watch the workers below fill the ice cream cartons, put the lids on, and package them up for shipment. Unfortunately, there’s no photos or videos allowed in that portion of the facility, but we all loved seeing how the ice cream is made. Don’t forget to wave at the ice cream makers below. They’re super friendly and will always wave back.
This facility in Brenham, Texas is the only one of Bluebell’s many locations that you can see the behind the scenes of the factory and sample a few of their flavors. For just $1 per scoop, you can try out some of their newest flavors – alongside a few of the classics.
Want to see more to do in Brenham? Try these options!
Photos with Bluebonnets (March-April only)
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5 Things You Should Know About Before Attending Your First Pinners Conference
The Pinners Conference is a two-day long crafting, cooking, and organizing extravaganza! Basically, if it’s something you’d “pin” on Pinterest, then they’ll have something closely related to it there. There’s classes and shopping all day long both days and you are in for a real treat when you go.Before I get into what you need to know, I just wanted to say that I loved that this conference was not featuring a ton of big businesses. Yes, it had major businesses like Home Depot as sponsors, but for the most part, almost all of the presenters were small business owners who just love what they do. That passion shines through in the things they make and in the excitement during class time.
Now let’s get into it. Here’s what you need to know if this is your first time at a Pinner’s Conference.
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Get your accommodations as early as possible.
We decided to go to the conference about a month before, so even then we had a difficult time finding anything close that wasn’t crazy expensive. We ended up finding a hotel about 20 minutes away that had free breakfast though, so I call that a win! I’m a sucker for free breakfast.Map out the location of the conference and see what’s nearby. The conference-sponsored hotels aren’t necessarily always the best, so do a little research on your own to see what works for you.Booking.com
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Make a plan
The conference itself is two very full days long. You can choose one day or both and there really is no right answer – just whichever works best for you. If I was to pick one day only, I’d choose Friday. It was so much less packed in the expo area and the classes were easier to get into.However, if you’re looking for deals at the expo, the booths tended to have major sales on Saturday since they wanted to get rid of their product and not take it back home with them.
You’ll also want to plan ahead for your classes. The classes are about an hour long and they are back-to-back throughout the day. You can register for as many classes as you like. This reserves your seat in the class. It’s free to register for the classes. The cost comes when it’s time to buy the material kit for each class.If you know you want to do certain classes, I would prepay for those material kits (but you also have the option to purchase them right before the class starts). We registered for one class and didn’t end up getting to take it because they ran out of materials.Also, the system will allow you to register for classes the week of the event but will NOT let you pre-purchase the material kits. If you want to make sure to get a kit the day of the class, get to the entrance line for that class about 15 minutes before it starts.
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Be prepared for creativity overload
I love a good craft project. I love trying new things. So when I saw glass etching and chalk painting and macrame (all activities I have never done before), I was like “I need all of these!”. But in reality, I did not.In fact, we found that less is more at this conference. You don’t want sign up for too many classes. We found that 3 classes each day was our max. Any more than that and we were just going through the motions and not enjoying the process.Also, I feel the need to tell you to take your time. There is no rush. There is a lot to see. In fact, we spread the expo into two days. We did our 3 classes and saw one half of the expo booths on day one and then the other half on day two. It made it so much more manageable and we actually stopped and looked at things instead of just speeding past it all just for the sake of seeing it.Take your time. Relax. Stop and do a make and take.
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Have a Budget In Mind
It is so easy to want to do and buy all the things. Trust me. If you’re a creative person like I am and want to try your hand at everything, it can be very tempting to sign up for more classes than I need and want to do tons of make and takes (I’ll explain more about those later).So before you leave home, decide what classes you want to do. Those classes range from free (like the organizing one I took) to I think the most expensive I saw was $35. Have that budget set for classes and decide what you’re comfortable with spending.Then decide on what you are okay with spending at the expo. The expo is basically a collection of food booths selling things like sauces, mixes, macarons, cookies, fudge, etc. And equally mixed in is home décor, clothing, hair products, and other boutiques. There are so many cute things and neat products that will be calling your name. I recommend bringing cash if you want to stay on budget.
You can also look for the deals. I loved the “make and takes” these were tables set up the entire length of the expo center that had a different mini project at each table. These mini projects were things like make your own leather earrings, painted signs, terrariums, embroidery, etc. You work at your own pace and with little help from anyone, but the projects were all $5 or $10, so they were super cost effective.Most of them were mini versions of the hour long classes, so if you couldn’t get into a class, you could still try the project on a smaller scale.
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Bring a Friend!
Could have I went by myself and enjoyed it? Absolutely. I saw many women doing that and having a great time crafting and getting to know other like-minded people. But having my best friend go with me was a huge plus. Everything is better when you get to share it with someone else who loves to get crafty as much as you do.And you don’t have to do all of the same classes! We did a few classes together and then some apart and it was neat because we were able to show each other out projects and talk about what we learned when we got back together.
Overall, if you’re going to the Pinner’s Conference, you’re going to have an amazing time! They do an incredible job of setting everything up and it is very well organized. If you’re into crafting, this is the conference for you!
More Craft Projects You'll Love
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How to Make a Car Out of a Cardboard Box
Whether it’s a Jurassic park viewing party or a drive in movie in the backyard, these cute little cardboard jeeps are perfect to keep the littles entertained.Here’s how to make a few for your next party.
How to Make a Car Out of a Cardboard Box
- Pencil
- Box Knife / Exacto Knife
- Paint
- Foam brushes
- Black Paint Pen
- Gold Paint Pen
- Paper plates
- Start with a 20x20x15 cardboard box. Using something circular (I used a roll of ducktape, trace two circles in the top left and top right sides of the box. Make sure the circles are about 2 inches away from the edges.
- Next, draw a straight line from one circle to the other with a one inch gap from the end of the line to where each circle is. Then, continue your line around the top edge of the circle (staying about 1 inch parallel from the circle) and then continuing the straight line on the other side.
- After this, you’re going to draw the grill of the jeep. You’ll draw 5 (one inch wide) lines about 6 inches straight down the middle of the box. There will also be two lines of the same width about half as long.
- The bumper is next. Draw a 1 inch thick line almost all the way across the box (under the grill) and the little rectangular supporting brackets as well. It’s okay of this part isn’t perfect, you’re going to paint over it anyway.
- Cut out the top edge of the car, along with the other box flaps on that side.
- Next, choose your main acrylic paint color, and paint everywhere on the box (all sides) except for where the circles are.
- Now, using a white acrylic paint, paint inside the circles.
- Next, using a black paint marker, draw the outline of the white circles – creating a clean line between the white and your base color.
- Then, use a gold or silver metallic paint pen and draw 2 curved lines (one longer and one shorter) inside the white area. This is what gives the headlights some character and makes them look like they’ve got some depth.
- Using a 1 inch wide foam roller, you’re going to paint in your grill now. Each grill lines should be about 1 inch wide, so it’s just a simple downward stroke with the foam brush to make it a nice looking line. Paint in the bumper as well.
- Next up, time for the tail lights. Using some of that cardboard you trimmed off earlier, cut a rectanglular piece about 2 inches by 4 inches in size. Cut the tips of each point so they’re more rounded instead of having a hard edge on them.
- These rectangular pieces are going to help you make your taillights. On the opposite side of the box car from the headlights and grill is the back of your car. Line your headlight template (the 2x4 piece of cardboard) a few inches from the bottom and each side and trace the outline using your black paint marker.
- If the car isn’t red, you’ll need to also paint your tail lights red at this point as well.
- Next, you’ll be making the spare tire for the back. This is a great step for kiddos because they can’t mess it up. Just give them a foam brush, black acrylic paint, and tell them to paint all over the front of that plate. Using ducktape, glue, or whatever you have on hand, attach the spare tire to the back of the jeep.
If you wanted to do even more, you could add a personalized license plate on the back, doors, etc. Make it your own!
And that’s it! The kids at our party had an absolute blast and loved having their own little cars!
Items Needed:
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Antique Cars, Fused Glass, and Caverns, Oh My! | Springfield, MO
When thinking of places in the US I want to visit, Springfield, Missouri wasn't even on my radar.I mean I knew that, "The 417" is home to Missouri State University and is the birthplace of Route 66, but other than that, I didn't know much about the city. It wasn't until Discover Springfield asked me to visit that I started looking more into the city. In researching our activities beforehand, I found all sorts of fun, unique activities that our whole family would enjoy.I've compiled a ton of tips, ideas, and experiences that we had and I'm ready to show you what Springfield is all about!
Where should I stay in Springfield?
I'm always a lover of staying in AirBnBs, but the Holiday Inn & Suites on the North side of Springfield, MO was perfect for us. The rooms were clean, spacious, and having breakfast downstairs in the restaurant was perfect, so we didn't have to worry about leaving the hotel to look for food first thing in the morning. With two kids in tow, we were happy to just go downstairs to get a bite to eat instead of having to get everyone ready for the day beforehand. It's the little things when traveling with kids, am I right? All of the staff was so friendly too!
What is there to eat in Springfield?
Whole Hogs BBQ
There's a reason why there's a bunch of BBQ contest trophies in the front window of this restaurant. It may not look like much from the outside, but the food here is delicious!The Pulled pork sandwich was so tasty! And there was 6 different barbecue sauces on the table that you could choose from. My husband also got the beef and sausage plate and he said everything was delicious for him too.What I really loved is that their kids meal was REAL food. Both of my kids had the smoked chicken and it was freshly pulled white meat chicken that would have been just as good on an adult's plate.
Bricktown Brewery
I love the vibe of this place! It's a relaxed bar setting with the ability to bring your kids - win win! The burgers were delicious, as was the chicken Caesar salad! Definitely a great place to stop in for dinner and try one of the many beers they have on tap!
The Grotto
This fast-food feeling place has great dishes, uses quality ingredients, and delicious food. It's also great for kids with a wide array of options. I got the Steak & Gorgonzola Salad and it was delicious!
Black Sheep Burgers & Shakes
If you're looking for the best burger in the city and delicious fries to go with it, this is the place! I had the Foodie Burger,, and, at our waitress' recommendation, got the candied bacon on top. Holy moly. So good! The truffle fries were amazing too. There is no shortage of fry sauces either! With an order of fries, you'll get a bunch of options for fry dipping.
Civil Kitchen
I love the vibe of this place! The dishes are all at a great price point, and it's conveniently located near History Museum on the Square. I got the Maple Bourbon Petite Filets with mashed potatoes and brussels sprouts and it was delicious! Everyone else at my table got burgers and they said they were tasty too! It seems like a great place to hang out after work for a drink or have dinner with friends.
Lost Signal Brewing Company
If you're noticing a trend with us visiting breweries, you're right. My husband loves trying local craft breweries wherever we go, so this place was a must on our list.I like citrus-y beers with not too much hops, so the Little Bo Pits was perfect for me! And it went really well with my pulled pork sandwich. I definitely recommend using the spicy BBQ sauce on it - so good! The Mexican street corn was a good side dish as well. My kids loved the chicken wings and chicken street tacos. The menu isn't extensive, but it doesn't really need to be if the food is good - and it is.
What there is to do in Springfield?
Springfield has a little something for all sorts of interests. Like fishing? There's something for that. Like crafting? They've got that covered too.
Creative Escape Glass
Route 66 Car Museum
Bass Pro Shop
Dubbed the “Granddaddy of Bass Pro Shops” this giant Bass Pro Shop is just under 500,000 square feet and is the headquarters for the outdoor store chain. It’s not the largest (Memphis, Tennessee has that title at 535,000 square feet), but sure is impressive. If you are a fan of the outdoors and enjoy fishing, hunting, camping, etc. you just have to visit this store. My kids’ favorite part was the free carousel, but it's also home to the National Archery Hall of Fame, NRA Sporting Arms Museum, and the John A and Genny Morris Conservation Education Center. Inside the “shop” is also an elaborate conference center and café.
Fantastic Caverns
We have plenty of caverns in Texas, but we certainly don’t have one where you can ride in a car through one! This propane-powered vehicle goes all throughout a beautiful cavern and from the comfort of your seat can see all the stalagmites and stalactites your heart could ever want! And the best part? No carrying your kids when they get tired of walking!You'll be amazed by the story of the 12 year old girls that first explored the cave and the size of the opening they went through to get in! And they're open 362 days per year, so you have plenty of opportunities to check it out!
Pythian Castle
If you like historical sites or things of a spooky nature, check this place out! Pythian Castle offers ghost tours, murder mystery dinners, and an escape room. Or you can just take an afternoon and explore the historic home. The castle was an orphanage, army base, and a flea market, but had been restored so it’s original beauty.
World’s Largest Fork
I think this one is pretty self explanatory, but at 2215 W Chesterfield Blvd in Springfield, MO, you’ll find the biggest cutlery you’ve ever seen. It’s just a simple stop and see it kind of thing, but if you get creative, you can make some super fun vacation memories with it. At 35 feet tall and weighing in at 11 tons, you can't miss it.Historic Street is also great for restaurants, shopping, and local favorites.
Looking for more family-friendly vacation ideas?
Andy B's
If you have a family with kids of any age, you just have to spend the day at Andy B's. This family-friendly location has laser tag, bowling, virtual reality, and an arcade. They also have a full menu and bar so you can play, eat, and enjoy spending time together as a family - with something for everyone!Since my kiddos both love anything competitive (where could they have gotten that from?), they both loved the laser tag and bowling the best. They had so much fun shooting their dad and I with laser guns and then bowling with the bumpers was a must.
Itty Bitty City
If you have younger kids, they're going to love Itty Bitty City! Picture a tiny town where they can be anything they like - from veterinarian to policeman - and go to their own grocery store as well. It's a cute place for the kids to play pretend and explore.
Dickerson Park Zoo
While we have a pretty awesome zoo here in Houston, it’s always fun to visit other cities’ zoos and see what they have to offer. This zoo definitely didn’t disappoint! While it was a little chilly when we visited (we’re from Texas, so 37 degrees is cold, okay?), the animals were totally used to it and out and about in their confinements.
Our favorite animals we spotted were the giraffes, kangaroos, and lions. It was also really neat to see how the peacocks were just everywhere! They were wandering all over the place - but steering clear of the tiger cage of course.This is a great place to visit if you have little ones or are an animal lover yourself.
Wonders of Wildlife
When my son was little, I had a membership to the local aquarium. It was the greatest outing for him because he could sit and stare at the fish and turtles all day. Over the years, that love for sea creatures hasn’t changed one bit. The only exception is that now my son likes to make sure to point out every octopus he sees (I am so not a fan of octopus). All that to be said, this aquarium was awesome. There’s plenty to see and experience there! And when USA Today votes it as America's Best Aquarium, you know you're in for a treat.
My favorite was seeing Johnny Morris' boat suspended in what looked like a painting - it was gorgeous! With tank after tank of unique fish and wildlife, this is no ordinary aquarium!
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All You Need to Know to Host the Ultimate Magic Kingdom Themed Party
I received free products in order to host a #NowMoreThanEver Disney Playdate Party.
The photos and opinions expressed here are my own and should not be used without written permission. This post contains affiliate links.
What's in the Box?
If you haven't met me before, you'd think I was nuts....that is, when it comes to anything Disney. So when Walt Disney World reached out to me and asked me to host a playdate for their #NowMoreThanEver campaign, I jumped at it! Disney sent me and 80+ other mom bloggers world-wide a box just like this filled with party goodies and told us to have fun with it and make it our own.To say I was excited to get the box and see what was in it is an understatement. I watched the UPS tracking app like a hawk and on the day of delivery, I made sure I was home all day. And then it came. That glorious UPS man dropped off the large cardboard box affixed with a mickey sticker on top and the kids and I ripped into it like it was Christmas.Here's what I found in that box:
- Pinata,
- Pin the nose on the mickey
- Popped Passion Popcorn Cake
- Swirl decorations
- Tablecloth
- Mickey plates
- Mickey cups
- Balloons
- Mickey napkins
- Mickey masks
- Silver Mickey Ears (yes, I put them on as soon as I saw them in the box)
- Princess dress (courtesy of Jakks Pacific)
- Rapunzel doll (courtesy of Jakks Pacific)
- Mickey Pillow Pet (from Pillow Pets Disney)
- Mickey stickers
- Printable Fab Fortune Tellers
- Michael Angelo’s Baked Ziti and Meatballs
- Printable Matching Game.
So that was a great start, but I felt like I needed to come up with a cohesive theme to tie everything together. One thought I couldn't get out of my head was the magic of Walt Disney World and how I wanted that element to be present at the party. I wanted people to walk in and be wowed from the moment they stepped in the door.When visiting Walt Disney World, that moment for me is when I'm walking down Main Street USA and I see Cinderella's Castle right there in front of me in all it's magical glory. So that was that. I officially had a theme - the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World.
Let the planning begin...
Decor
A color scheme is everything when starting to think about decor. For this party, I opted for the colors of Cinderella's castle. I didn't want it to be just another red, black, and yellow Mickey party, and when I think of the Magic Kingdom, I think of walking into the park down Main Street USA and staring straight at Cinderella's Castle.
In order to really drive home a theme with your party guests, I love having printed items like welcome signs, food tent cards with names on them, and other fun Walt Disney quotes around the room. Evie from Evangeline Designs made these amazing signs for me and I was so excited about how they turned out!
Since this is a kid's party, I didn't want to go too overboard with decor, but I did want to have a few over the top elements that make you go WOW! In addition to the disposable Mickey tablecloth that Disney sent me, I wanted nice linens for the table to match the color scheme. On Cloud 9 Event Rentals to the rescue! Lisa was so sweet and worked with us to find just the right shades to match the party's color scheme.
After trying several different avenues, I just couldn't find a life-size Cinderella's Castle that looked nice. This one was cute, but it wasn't impressive enough for me. So then I contacted Designs by Yutz. Their oversized marquee letters were perfect for the look I was going for! They spelled out the word "DISNEY" and even painted the letters to match the decor of the event. Everyone loved them and they were definitely that WOW factor I had wanted! If you're wanting to recreate this look at home on a smaller scale, these 9" tall letters are perfect!
Along with the large marquee letters, I wanted something to go around it, so balloons to the rescue! Balloons are always a super cost-effective way of adding color and wow-factor to any event. So balloons here we come! I'll have to do a balloon tutorial sometime soon so I can show you just how easy it is to make these! Toast from the Host and I made this one in about 3o minutes before the party started. 
Because I can never have enough balloons (and they make a great statement and take up space), I also used helium-filled balloons tied to weighted silver decorations to be the centerpiece on each table. 
Food
A party isn't really a party without food. And when you're trying to recreate a magical place like the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World, the more silly and themed the better! I love a party with a theme, so even the food and utensils need to have a Disney twist!
Something Substantial
First up, "Lady and the Tramp’s" Baked Ziti & Meatballs. Spaghetti is always a kid favorite, but it's hard to serve. So I opted for Michael Angelo's Baked Ziti and Meatballs and put them in these portion-controlled cups.
I also wanted to make sure to give the kids a little something more substantial than all candy and sweets, so I opted for some cheap pizzas as well. Say it's from Toy Story's "Pizza Planet" and you've got an easy to serve food with a fun Disney twist!
Snacks
Every party needs something you can graze on, like "Buzz Lightyear's Space Balls (cheese balls), the "Lost Boys Food Fight" (grapes in red and green), "Olaf's Snow Flurries" (popcorn), and Mickey's special edition goldfish. Just make sure to use some of these scoops for easy serving that kids can do themselves.
Tudorhouse Cookies also made these AMAZING Magic Kingdom themed cookies and it really sent the theme over the top! She really got the magic of the Magic Kingdom summed up - Mickey ears, Cinderella Castles, and Walt Disney quotes about chasing your dreams.
What says something magical more than sugar crystals turned into puffy clouds of goodness? Twirl Cotton Candy was there at the party twirlin' and swirlin' and creating such a fun, sugar-filled time for the kids (and kids alike). She even had cotton candy cones that looked like Star Wars light sabers and blinked!
Cake
Now, I know it's not a birthday party, but every party deserves a little cake, am I right? But since this was no ordinary party, I couldn't have just any old cake! I opted for this really cool Popcorn Cake by Popped Passion. It was fun, unique, and great for people who don't have a huge sweet tooth. I even put it on this cake stand to fancy it up a bit!
Drinks
Now, what to drink? For the kids, I opted for mini water bottles and Capri Suns. They were easy for me to just put in an ice chest (aka "Under the Sea") with some ice and the kids can open them themselves. For the adults, they had the option of the tiny water bottles or the "Mad Hatter's Iced Tea" - aka Sweet Tea - a Southern girl's party staple served in this easy to use beverage holder.
A Disney World Favorite
Last but not least, I needed the ultimate Disney World sweet treat - Mickey Bars! I found these classic Disney World ice cream treats at Target and they were the perfect "wow factor" food item I was looking for! Unfortunately, my idea of keeping them frozen during the duration of the event by putting them in a rolling cooler packed with dry ice in the bottom and regular ice on top didn't work out so well and they were all completely melted (stupid Texas summer heat!). But, if you were having this party at your home, you shouldn't have trouble at all keeping them frozen in your freezer!
Of course, you have to have something eat on and with, and I knew I was going to need to supplement the amount of plates, napkins, and cups that Disney sent me, so I went to Dollar Tree and got these navy blue napkins, plates, and pink paper cups. In order to make them a little more "Disney", I bought these Mickey stickers and affixed them to the outsides of the cups. Voila! Disney! And don't forget Ariel's "Dinglehoppers" (forks).
Activities
Magic Bands & Mickey Ears.
Upon entering the party, everyone came in just like they would at the park at got their Magic Bands and Mickey Ears. Guests got to decorate their “magic bands” with stickers and parents used sharpies to write their names on their wristbands. They then got to pick out their Mickey ears or masks of choice and get on to the partying!Photos provided by Brass + Veil Creative
Dance Party.
Every party needs some tunes! And Jason from J&A Entertainment kept the party rockin' by playing everything from Mary Poppins songs to baby Shark. We might have even done the chicken dance (but you'll have to watch the video to see that one). The kids loved playing with the hula hoops and dancing away!
Ball Pit.
What kid doesn't love a ball pit? These ball pits was easy to set up, take down, and kept the kids occupied for hours! I just used these kiddie pools and filled them with these balls. Easy!
Imagination Station.
When the kids need to calm down a bit or are more on the creative side, I love setting up craft stations at parties. When I was a kid, this was my jam! I could sit and be creative for hours (and my daughter was the same way at this party...let's just say she likes glue... A LOT). There was no real plan for this station - just give kids some craft supplies and let them use their imaginations. My son and I created a couple things myself as inspiration on the table, but I wanted to let the kids embrace their inner artists on their own. I had to make it myself, but I did get my "Cinderella Castle" after all! On the table, I had crayons, markers, glue, scissors, construction paper, pipe cleaners, popsicle sticks, plastic beads, letter beads, and twine. It was awesome getting to see all the kids' creations!
Free Printables.
We also had these fun games that came in our boxes. The fortune teller game and the matching game were both a hit with the older kids at the party! Here's the links to them if you'd like to download them for yourself:Free Printable Disney Fortune Teller GameFree Printable Disney Matching Game
Giving Back
As part of the initial box I received from Disney, Jakks Pacific gifted me a Rapunzel doll and My Pillow Pets gave me a Mickey Pillow Pet. Instead of keeping them for myself, I decided to create a "giving back" portion of the party. Since the party was a free community event, I asked that attendees bring an unopened Disney gift that would be donated to Texas Children's Hospital as part of their Disney Team of Heroes. And boy, did these families show up BIG for kids in need! It was such a blessing to be able to not only have a great event, but also to pay it forward and give some deserving kids a little magic as well!
What's New at Walt Disney World
If you can actually make it to the park, you're in for a treat! #NowMoreThanEver, Disney is making memories for younger kids even better. There are tons of new experiences like Mickey & Minnie's Surprise Celebration (Magic Kingdom), Party with Pixar Pals (Disney's Hollywood Studios), and Festival of the Lion King (Disney's Animal Kingdom)!At Mickey & Minnie's Surprise Celebration, there's also new songs, parades, character meet and greets, and Mickey and Minnie even have some festive new outfits for the occasion!I'm really looking forward to Party with Pixar Pals at Disney's Hollywood Studios! Hollywood studios is celebrating their 30th anniversary with a new logo and fun new attractions with Mike and Sully from Monster's Inc and The Incredibles. Go inside a door into the monster world or test out your superpowers! My kids are absolutely going to love both of these exhibits! And, my personal favorite, Toy Story Mania will turn everyone into toys for a day. The park has even been updated with Forky - the new Toy Story 4 star! If your kids are elementary school age, they're sure to love the Disney Junior Dance Party with Vampirina and Doc McStuffins as well.Disney's Animal Kingdom is also feeling love and celebrating the new Lion King movie set to come out this week with a Hakuna Matata Dance Party with Timon and Rafiki (my hubby's favorite).Last but not least, Epcot has some great new additions as well. The most important being that they are retiring the nighttime show "IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth." and replacing it with "Epcot Forever".
At the end of it all, the kids had a blast and the parents got a break, so that's all that matters! Our magical playdate had over 40 kids attend and they even brought their parents too!
If you're looking to see what promotions Walt Disney World has going on now, go to this link below:
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