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You are here: Home / Inspiration / Garden-themed birthday party

Garden-themed birthday party

May 6, 2010 by Andrea Bellamy 10 Comments

cupcake with bugs!

For Lila’s second birthday, we had a garden-themed party. Of course. What two-year-old doesn’t prefer gardening to Dora or dinosaurs? (Actually, Lila is way more familiar with turning the compost (she loves worms. Parenting success!) and picking greens than she is with cartoon figures. She still refers to her preferred (Dora-branded) toothpaste as the one with “that girl” on it. (Another parenting success!).)

But seriously, until she has a strong enough opinion on such things, I get to choose. And so she’ll go out for Halloween dressed as a beneficial insect, and her loot bags will include soil.

more party favours

Yep. I gave a bunch of kids dirt.

party favour close up

Here’s the close-up, and a recipe for a garden-themed “loot bag”:

1 small container (we used biodegradeable Fiskar’s Eco Pots, which come in really nice, muted colours.)

2 children’s gardening tools (we bought a couple sets of five tools from Lee Valley and broke them up. These are great kid’s tools – plastic, but really sturdy.)

1 bag of container soil (packaged in a plain, 1lb coffee bean bag – ask your local coffee shop for some.)

1 packet of seed (we used purple bush beans – easy and fun to grow – and packaged them in pretty paper envelopes made using a template found online.)

1 wood tongue depressor, stamped with child’s name.

cupcake overview

The cupcakes were fun to make too. I love to bake, but rarely get beyond my basics: cookies, scones, muffins, and biscuits. Birthday parties offer a nice change, and a challenge. I made simple chocolate cupcakes topped with vanilla buttercream or chocolate frosting, then topped them with fondant flowers.

Now, I am not the type of person to casually whip up a batch of fondant. In fact, fondant – which is basically really, really stiff icing that can be rolled out or molded like plasticine – has always seemed out of reach for a kitchen novice like myself. It’s supposed to be difficult. Tempermental. But I have a two year old, I thought. I can work with that.

fondant flower cupcakes

Now, if only I could master child-rearing in an evening.

Lila, me, and Helena

We held the party at Little Nest, an awesome child-friendly cafe in our neighbourhood.

Lila and Tayler

A good time was had by all.

Birthday girl

Happy birthday, sweetheart.

Thanks, Naise, for the photos.

Related posts:

Default ThumbnailExploratorium – Science of Gardening Default ThumbnailGetting kids into gardening Default ThumbnailChocolate-scented plants Default ThumbnailThe child-friendly garden

Filed Under: Inspiration, Miscellaneous Tagged With: Lila

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Tzipporah says

    May 6, 2010 at 3:08 pm

    sooo sweet!

    The toddler is into worms, but more into driving trucks through the garden.

    So we’re working on that. :)

  2. La Tempete says

    May 6, 2010 at 3:28 pm

    What a fantastic party idea! May have to copy you on this one! Thanks for sharing.

  3. Loree/ danger garden says

    May 6, 2010 at 8:43 pm

    OMG…I don’t know which one is cuter, the cupcakes or your daughter! Well…ok your daughter but those cupcakes are pretty darn cute. And I simply love that you are getting all her friends off to a gardening start. The world needs more parents like you!

  4. Laura says

    May 6, 2010 at 9:24 pm

    What fun! Those loot bags are so sweet! We are growing those same beans at our house this year. I’m very much looking forward to harvest!

    Happy birthday to your little one!

  5. GrassNaps says

    May 6, 2010 at 10:45 pm

    Awesome party! And cute cupcakes. :)

  6. caitlin says

    May 7, 2010 at 8:57 am

    That is too fun! My mom used to host bday parties for me like this. Love love love the goodie treats… going to have to steal that idea. happy bday lila

  7. Eliza says

    May 7, 2010 at 11:27 am

    Oh my gosh! Your first fondant foray is fantastic. :) This is the most adorable birthday party I never went to… very nice job!

  8. Emma says

    May 7, 2010 at 2:47 pm

    Great job! Too cute. :)

  9. Rob says

    May 7, 2010 at 5:16 pm

    Happy Birthday Lila!

  10. Andrea Bellamy says

    May 7, 2010 at 9:02 pm

    Thanks for all your delightful comments and birthday wishes!

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