Yeehaw! There’s nothing kids like more than an event which allows them to act out in all sorts of adventurous and exciting ways. And what could be more exciting than the ways of a Cowboy? So whip out those pistols, stick on your stetsons and get ready for a party
To set the right mood weeks before the big day, why not add a little something extra to the invitations you send out to all your child’s friends that’ll be turning up on the day. Here are a few ideas you could try
Invitations for a Cowboy Themed Kids Party
- Personalise the invitation with some cowboy phrases - “Mosey on down to _____’s party”, “Yee-haw! It’s a shindig!”, “Saddle your horses and giddy-up down to the local saloon”. That sort of thing.
- Make up invitations in the style of “Wanted” posters. Print out a picture of your child in black and white, and the message “Wanted - You to come to ______s party!”
- Cut out invitations in the shape of cowboy hats or boots, or if you’re feeling adventurous, horses
- Make sure to specify on your invitation that the guests have to dress in a “Cowboy” style
Decoration Advice and Table Settings
Chequered cloth - to give the table that authentic wild west feel, use a white and red cloth to cover the table for a real rustic feel to the proceedings. Gingham cloths and quilted coverings also work well!
Use bandanas for place mats on the table
For food service, line cowboy hats with napkins and use them to serve crisps and other assorted things which can then be used with dips.
Other food suggestions would include good old “campfire” food. Nachos and cheese, beans, baked potatoes, chicken wings all served up with barbecue sauce.
Chilli would also be a good choice, make sure it’s not too hot though! Serve it up with guacamole, grated cheese and sour cream.
For drinks, serve up lemonade and root beer, a traditionally non-alcoholic beverage.
For the cake, you could decorate a standard birthday cake with cowboy characters, plastic horses etc. or you could purchase a specially designed cowboy cake from a nearby bakers, perhaps in the shape of a horseshoe.
If you have any old camping gear like this available, place an old-style gas lamp or some rustic old cooking pots around the table, perhaps filled with sweets and goodies to give everything a campfire feel.
Decorate the walls and sideboards of your home or party venue with cowboy hats, ropes, horseshoes, cowboy boots, plastic six-shooters and other assorted western parephenalia. Depending on how authentic you want everything to be, you could have great fun turning your house into an 18th century home on the range!
Cactii also help to set the scene, if you have any available. You could always buy plastic ones instead, they’d be less painful if anyone were to accidentally bump into them too!
Old pieces of wood would also help make up that olde style salloon atmosphere you see so often in John Wayne movies
Dig out those old country and western records to get some authentic tunes playing! I’m sure you’re embarrased to get those Hank Williams and Dolly Parto albums out, but it’ll help set the scene brilliantly!
Games and Entertainments at a Child’s Cowboy Party
There are many interesting and exciting games you can play with the kids to keep them amused, while sticking with the cowboy theme.
Why not bring out the traditional board game Buckaroo, probably best used if there’s only a small number of people at the party, it’s not really a game that everyone can get involved in if there’s a large number of children.
Pin the tail on the horse is an old favourite. Well, except that it’s usually a donkey. You don’t see many of them in the wild west!
Horseshoe throwing a fun event - played with plastic horseshoes, or equivalent (you could cut out some horseshoes from thick cardboard) where a player has to throw horseshoes at a small pole in the ground and attempt to get the horseshoe wrapped around it.