From capes and cake to decor and activities, we’ve got the quickest, easiest ways to get everything you need to keep the little bugs busy with the picture-perfect ladybug party. You’ll have so much fun yourself, it’ll be time for them to fly away home before you know it!
CRAFTS
Make ladybug tambourines! Go simple with dollar store tambourines (hopefully red or orange! and have kids stick on black stickers to turn them into ladybugs! Alternatively, pick up a pack of red paper plates and dot them up!
Create ladybugs and incorporate sensory play with red and black plasticine.
Ladybugs on a leaf: Use red bingo dabbers and cut out green leaves from construction paper. Let children add the ladybugs!
Also check out: Fire truck birthday party
ACTIVITIES
Down time: Eric Carle's book, The Grouchy Ladybug, is a perfect storytime activity for a small group of children.
Capes: Here's how to make simple ladybug costumes for the birthday girl and her guests: Use red fabric folded over and sewn at the top, with ribbon to hold around their necks (if you have felt, there's less fraying).
Colour dots on with a Sharpie.
Complete the look with headbands from the dollar store and pipecleaner antennea!
Hold ladybug races! Fill red balloons with water or use red balls and have children bring them from one bucket to another.
Play pin the dot on the ladybug: Cut out a red ladybug and secure to wall inside or out, then have children add their dots!
Also check out: Plan a superhero party!
DECORATIONS
Make a table runner out of a red plastic tablecloth (just cut to size). Use red cups, plates, and napkins. You can use a Sharpie to make black dots on the cups.
FOOD AND CAKE
Ladybug Cake – bake in a pyrex bowl, invert and there’s the half-sphere.
Use a cupcake iced in black icing for the head. Add red icing and blackberry jujubes. For Ladybug cupcakes, use licorce for antenna and chocolate chips for dots!
Loot bag ideas:
How about a bug catcher box with magnifying glass and play tweezers? Also include black and red jube jubes in a bag inside the bug catcher and some ladybug stickers!
momstown originally published this article in 2013
