real parties: happy little campers

This rustic 4th birthday camping party is good old summer fun.  Candice and her best friend Rozannah threw this party for their kids, born only one day apart.  Keeping to a tight budget they put together the food and decorations themselves, including the happy campers sign, the s'mores buffet, gingham bunting and the incredible chocolate peanut butter cake.  Notice where the candles are placed so the kids get to wish on a mini campfire?  Simply brilliant. Read on below for more from Candice...

{images © candice and rozannah}

My best friend Rozannah and I have kids born one day apart, so we throw them a combo birthday party each year.  Trying to find boy/girl theme ideas is always a bit of a challenge.  This year we went with a Camping themed 4th birthday party for Avery and Lorenzo, and the kids loved it!  

This Camping party was very budget friendly/DIY.  Rozannah made the ultimate chocolate peanut butter cake and the adorable camping cake decor.  The tent was made of left over gingham fabric and wood kabob skewers as tent poles all secured in place with tiny grommets and bent straight pins as tent stakes.  The camp fire and bottom of the cake was trimmed with chocolate rocks from Wegmans.  Fire wood was made from Pepperidge Farm Pirouette Rolled Wafers.  The "Happy Campers" sign was made from a scrap piece of wood and sticks collected from our yard.  Party food included a S'mores Bar and some delicious crescent roll wrapped Lil Smokies to add something salty the mix.  

The kids got to build their perfect S'more with a variety of toppings.  Options included Chocolate, Cinnamon and Gram Gram Crackers.  Fruity options included sliced strawberries and bananas.  Chocolaty options included your traditional Hershey's milk chocolate squares, and slightly more exciting choices like Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, Hershey's Cookies & Cream bars, Andes Mints, and Cadbury Caramel bars.  

Party Games included a super fun Nature Scavenger hunt.  We put together a "Camping List" of outdoor items for the kids to find and glued it to paper lunch sacks.  The kids had so much fun!