Going to be
at Waldameer Park for someone's birthday? Celebrate throughout the
day with these fun ways to keep the birthday fun going!
These ideas
are sponsored by the Great Waldameer Park Adventure Challenge -
Watch the video below for details!
Although this
can get a little pricey, it can be a lot of fun. Set out at the
beginning of the day to collect a certain number of items at Waldameer Park.
For example, if the birthday boy/girl is turning 14, then have them
collect 14 buttons throughout the park. They could also collect
different pressed pennies, pieces of candy (the wrappers), signatures
from workers, etc.
Plan
a fun scavenger hunt throughout the day at Waldameer Park. There
are all different types of scavenger hunts to go on, each with
a different format. Although for some parties having different
teams compete with each other can be a lot of fun, for someone's
birthday when there is one person to honor, it's typically best
to have everyone on the same team - everyone gets to help the
birthday boy/girl be successful when one person wins, they
all win! These can be a lot of fun to create, but can take some
extra work to make creative (sometimes you'll need more than
just a list to excite some teens, for example.) Consider our
GREAT
ADVENTURE CHALLENGE AT Waldameer Park - a package for them
to open once there filled with all kinds of puzzles and things
to do! CLICK
HERE to learn more!
This is a great
game to play for a larger group (4+). Ahead of time, prepare a list
of fun tasks to do at Waldameer Park at write the out separately on small
pieces of paper - at least enough for each person going. It's best
to have someone else (who is NOT going with you to Waldameer Park) write
them out - someone you can trust. Throughout the day, the birthday
boy/girl periodically pulls one task out and reads it out loud.
He/she then CHOOSES who in the group must complete the task right
then. The rules are that EVERY person completes one task. The birthday
boy/girl cannot look ahead at the different pieces of paper to see
which ones he/she wants to assign or do for himself/herself. This
can also be a great thing to do in the different lines you might
wait in.
Have the birthday
boy/girl wear a funny hat/shirt/outfit so that as they walk around
Waldameer Park everyone will know it's their birthday. In this way, other
visitors at Waldameer Park will be able to with them a happy birthday!Make
up shirts for all those going to Waldameer Park with the birthday boy/girl
that say something fun like "It's Tim's Birthday today!"
or "Point and smile at Tim - he's 18 today!"
If you'd like
to give them a gift for them to open AT Waldameer Park, consider putting
it in a locker first and then wrapping up the key to the locker
in a little gift bag. This way you won't have to carry around the
gift all day and it's always fun and mysterious to get a 'secret
key' as a gift! This also works especially well if you're planning
a treasure hunt or scavenger hunt inside Waldameer Park.
Before you even
leave for your day at Waldameer Park, decorate the INSIDE of your car with
streamers and balloons (of course, being sure to not obstruct the
view of the driver.) This will get the excitement going for the
day ahead before you even get there!
Wrap a single
gift many times, preferably with different colors/types of wrapping
paper and containers (though not necessary.) Give the birthday boy/girl
the gift at the beginning of the day and tell them that they can
unwrap ONE layer in each line that they wait in. Don't tell them
how many layers there are - let them wonder if each layer will be
their last! If you don't plan on going on many rides/attractions,
you can also have them unwrap one layer every hour.
At one point,
buy a helium balloon at Waldameer Park. Each person there uses a Sharpie
marker (that you brought with you) to write down something positive
they'd like to wish for the birthday boy/girl for that coming year
(or later in life.) Once everyone has had a chance to write them
all down on the balloon, allow either each person to share what
they wrote or allow the birthday boy/girl to read them all. Finally,
let the birthday boy/girl RELEASE the helium balloon in the air
and watch their dreams sail up and up - where the birthday boy/girl
will 'catch up with them later'!
Gather a bunch
of trivia to create questions about the actual year the birthday
boy/girl was born. This could be about everything from movies, music,
political leaders/current events and even the price of gas! Ask
a few questions each time there is a lull in the fun (I.e. waiting
in line, etc.) and keep track of who gets the most correct answers
throughout the day. Give a prize at the end for the winner. The
prize could be something special that they get to do WITH the birthday
boy/girl!