Birthday Parties in Bad Weather?

What To Do When The Weather Ruins Your Fun?

I’m sure we’ve all been there. It’s your son’s 10th birthday – he’s finally reached the double digits. He invites all his friends over for a massive bounce house party outside in the backyard, and of course the cake and ice cream. You’ve spent the previous day putting up decorations and watching the clock counting down to party time. 15 minutes before the party begins, you hear the worst sound of all time. Rain has begun to tap at the windows, coming down in sheets. The party in ruined! Before you call everything off, you can save the day and turn the party completely around!

Five Solutions to Bad Weather at a Party

Sure you can cancel the party, but that generally means calling a bunch of parents, disappointing the invited children and putting to waste all your efforts to plan and host a great birthday party for your kid. There are so many other fun things you can do to keep them entertained when bad weather ruins your outdoor plans.

1. House-wide Scavenger Hunt
While the kids still have yet to arrive, you can create and print out a list of items for the scavenger hunt. Get creative and come up with a few different “prizes” they could win as a reward. Of course, do a bit of kid-proofing before you get everything set up.

2. Play in the Rain
Arm the kids up with Nerf guns or water guns and let them loose in the yard. This is only advisable if the weather isn’t cold, but be prepared afterwards with some warm, thick towels and something hot to warm their stomachs. If you decide to do this, call the parents and let them know they should bring the children a change of clothes.

3. Have a Big Movie Fest
Cover the floor in some big, comfortable blankets and give everyone a pillow. Pop some popcorn (the real stuff) and get a big bowl of candy. Don’t forget some drinks; sodas tend to work well. Pick out a DVD, preferably something related to the party’s overall theme if you have one. Pirates? Pirates of the Caribbean marathon. Princess? Play the latest Disney movies. Superheros? Put on some classic Marvel or DC flicks.

4. Spa Day
Do you have a party of girls? Make homemade, nontoxic spa products with them! They’ll have a blast creating facial scrubs and masks, foot bath perfumes and lip gloss. Not to mention they’ll have something to take home and keep using. Not only is it fun to girl it up, but they also can learn about taking care of their bodies.

5. Garage Party
If you have a larger garage, you may be able to do something with it for the kids. Most large garages can comfortably fit a bouncy house and a group of children. Put up some decorations and lights, and play party games like pass the parcel, musical chairs and pin the tail on the donkey.
Rain doesn’t ruin everything. It’s simply testing your flexibility. Never plan a big outdoors party without that plan B.