2yr Old Party - Bugs & butterfly theme?

So DD1 will be 2 in roughly 3mths, i want to start getting a few things organised now, grabbing little bits and pieces and hiding them away to lessen the cost but was wondering if anyone had some wonderful ides for food, decorating etc to go with a:

BUGS & BUTTERFLY THEME

While DD1 is still little enough to adhere to what i say we have decided to keep her party at home and she can choose a play centre etc when she is a little older, we have an outside area which is completely fenced in that we can decorate, it has a verandah for some under cover play.

We then have 4 acres for the kids to run around and be feral on so i would also love some tips for 'games' they could play or things we can do or setup to make it more fun.

I am thinking i might try and make the 'bugs' cupcakes i have seen around, i am going to get the person who made her 1st birthday cake to make her 2nd.

This time round it is only going to be close family with kids, friends with kids her age and her MG friends... not 150 ppl invited this time THANK GOD!
We might then do an adults BBQ that night with any friends or family without kids that want to pop by.

TIA people, feel free to PM me links to anything you think that would suit the theme, i think i will design her invites myself again this yr.

Sounds like so much fun.
Bug cupcakes sound like a fantastic idea.
Hanging some handmade bug/butterflies from under the verandah with balloons for decorations. Make a few big ones from some coloured cardboard from the papershop for the littlies to paint or decorate.

If you have any other bigger kids coming they could go on a bug/butterfly hunt if they would find any on your 4 acres (sounds like heaven BTW) with some supervising adults of course ;)

Depending upon numbers you could even get some of those bug containers and use them as party treat containers? Or put a magnifying glass in each treat bag for them to check out little bugs at home?

Have you seen a website called Butterflyadventures? They are australian and sell Butterfly Chrysalis Kits. Check them out.. It could be a awesome table centrepiece and something for the little people to gaze at. I just went and checked their website by googling for butterfly adventures, and they do kids parties in Melbourne, not sure where you are though??

If you are doing the invites yourself, could you do them in the shape of Butterflies and Bugs maybe? You could do Butteflies for girls and Bugs for boys if you wanted....

Wow thanks i will def have a look, might try and find some of those bug catchers and use them as party 'bags' thats a great idea.... can buy the ladybeetle choccies etc

I found cute little magnifying glasses in teh cheap shop, $2 for a pack of 8 so got a couple of those, have found a lady that doesn ladybug, butterfly and snail hairclips on FB, am thinking i can get some of those for the party bags.
Can't find those bug catchers for cheap, might look at a way of making our own? i think it's an awesome idea.

Who else has some ideas, am going to put a book each in the bags, i did it for her 1st birthday with a msg inside the cover, will stick with the theme and maybe buy bug shaped ones :) ohhh can't wait... am going to start planning the invites soon.

Do you have a spotlight near you? For DD's 1st birthday I got some gorgeous lady bug and other bug table cloths and they have party hats and other birthday stuff with a girl bug theme.

We had a bug theme cake (although I had it made). The link for a phtoo is here. You can see the table cloth from Spotlight underneath it as well.
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If you are feeling brave, you could have a paint station set up where they can paint a butterfly. (Will need parent help) but if you put a line down the middle of the paper, get them to paint on one side (although doesnt matter if it goes on the other side) and then fold painted paper in half and open up and the design will transfer to make a butterfly symmetrical pattern.

I might have a hunt around tomorrow and see what decoraation stuff I can find and can send it to you if you like.

You could put on the invite to come dressed up like bugs/buterflies (would be so cute). Spotlight have cheaps wings and bug antenae for ladybugs and bees.

Will have a think about some outdoor games. Maybe something like a bug crawl or butterfly dance to musical statues.

Awww that table cloth is so so cute!
I was thinking i might look around for some cheap fairy wings and the kids can decorate them, i am not sure how many parents will like painting but we have a massive brick wall and i was thinking about taping down some butchers paper (over cardboard) and letting them paint a mural for Ava to fold away and keep.
I know they are only 2 but they like getting messy and there will be bigger kids here to help.
I am thinking i might make my own bug catcher shaped goodie bags, i am loving that idea... ohh now i'm getting excited.
I was thinking maybe to do it like a dress up... boys can come as bugs or spiders etc... YAY

We did a Garden Creatures Tea Party theme for Izzy's 2nd party, I made a ladybug cake and we got all the kids to dress up - being Garden Creatures meant we had everything from bees, butterflies, puppies, and James was a spider! I bought Bertie Beetles for the bags, did some cupcakes with freckles and licorice as spiders and other creatures as well. For a game you could do pin the wings on the ladybug or dragonfly or something instead of donkey. I bought a few metres of red and white checked fabric from Spotlight for the tablecloth and have been able to reuse it heaps since then! Um for activities you can go to Riot Art and Craft and they have these little packs of cardboard cutout bugs that each child could decorate with textas and glitter. That's all I can remember for now! Have fun it's a cute theme!

Thanks for the tip, they have the 3D butterfly cutouts, all the kids could decorate, we could get paint and glitter... WOW... am i excited.. hehe i love patties at home.

Any more ideas, am looking on e-bay and think i will check out the cheap shops and just buy little things every now and then so it doesn't seem like it's costing a fortune.. DP says "were not doing a theme" to hell with him I'M doing a theme, it will be cute in our garden... :rofl:

Just found cute little erasers shaped like bees etc for $2.50 for 10 and i would only need to buy 2 packets, ohhh so exciting.

UPDATE.. OMG i am getting so excited but was finding it hard to find things to put in the goody bags for boys, there are LOTS and LOTS of things for girls like butterflies etc but not much in the way of 'bugs' for cheap.
SO thanks to BG for her wonderful input the theme is now going to be AVA's IN THE GARDEN PARTY!

In my garden we get, butterflies, bugs, lizards, snakes, spiders, frogs!
I can now buy little packs of frogs and things to go in the boys ones.. :dance:

So so far i am making the bug catchers (goody bags) myself as follows:
Round plastic container with lid, will use the lid as a base (so we can get things in and out)
Then on the base of the container which will now be the top i will have a toilet roll (as the thin neck of the bug catcher) then i will have a round bit of cardboard to look like the lid.... does this sound ok? am thinking of paint the base, the neck and the cardboard top green to look like the ones i had as a kid.

So far to go in them i have:
Magnifying glasses
Stickers - bugs & butterflies
Dragonfly Hairclips - girls
Butterfly Hairclips - girls
Mini bug & butterfly erasers - mixed

I found these cute expandable bugs n butterflies on e-bay, you drop them in water and they grow 80c each so got 4 to go on the table or for the kids to just play with.

Does all this sound ok, are there games you can think of playing for 2+, am buying bits n pieces as i go along... YAY can't wait... am working on the invites aswell... ohhh

check out hullabalooparties for some gorgeous little loot bag fillers

Wow they have some gorgeous stuff, a little out of my price range though at the moment, they had this gorgeous bug in a fruit which would be PERFECT but at $2.50 each for 26 kids.... even if i was to buy them now it's still a fair bit whn i am picking up packs of 8+ things for say $2 or $3 at the cheap shops.

They are gorgeous though and given me some great ideas.. thanks hun.

Ohhh ohh got another idea.. what do you think... googled insect coloring pages and was thinking i might print some random ones, take them and get them photo copied and have them for the kids on the day, get a couple of packets of the cheapo pencils and paints and they can have fun with those aswell.