Farm parties are a great them for many different ages, and in particular pre-schoolers.

Here are some ideas for a fabulous farm party!

Paper ideas:

Cut out cardstock into barn, pig, cow or sheep shapes and write the invitation details on the back

Take a picture of the birthday child dressed up as a farmer for the invitation

Include farm shaped confetti in the envelope

Tableware and Food ideas:

A cow tablecloth a fantastic scene setter

Use a hay bale to elevate some platters, and give the party table a farm feel

Use empty egg cartons to serve food - Try sweets, chocolate eggs or crackers in there.

Wrap Cutlery with Raffia ribbon

Food ideas:

*Moooesli slice

*Watermelon

*BBQ corn on the cob

*Vegetable and fruit patch - Arrange some vegetables - baby carrots, cherry tomatoes, brocoli, etc on a platter like rows in a vegetable garden

*Farm animal shaped cookies - Try Cow, pig, rooster or sheep - You could use these cutters to make sandwiches too.

*Haystacks - Use shoestring fries to make a 'haystack' on a plate

Cake Ideas - Try making a barn (I recently used a gingerbread mould and it worked very well), and decorating with mini animals.  There are also some great shaped cake tins to make a cow or pig cake.

Decoration:

Have some animal music playing in the background.  Some song ideas are:

Old McDonald has a farm, Three blind mice, Baa baa black sheep, Farmer in the Dell, Mary had a little lamb, Turkey in the straw, Little bo peep, five little ducks, BINGO

Hay bales, wagon wheels and gingham fabric

Hang some barn shutters in the party room, or on a fence outside

If you are feeling very creative, why not make a scarecrow out of some old clothes and hay - This would look very effective as a prop

Make a barn from cardboard boxes, or paint a cardboard playhouse red with white shutters.

If the budget allows, hire a petting zoo to visit the party - The kids will love the animals and it will entertain them for ages. 

Games and Crafts

Pin the tail on the Donkey

Herd the Sheep:  Blow up some white balloons and have them in one area - The kids need to move the sheep to a sheep 'pen' without using their hands.  The farmer who gets the sheep there first wins!

Have a cow pinata

Play Duck Duck Goose

Fill the Barn (barn toss).  The kids need to throw bean bags animals into the barn - Whoever gets the most animals into the barn wins this game

Old MacDonald have farm:  Sing the song and ask each child to come up with an animal when its their turn.

Animal Hunt - Hide some mini animals in some Hay and ask the children to find the animals.  They could either keep them as party favours, or swap them for a prize at the end of the party

Hot 'animal' - Like hot potato but with a bean bag animal - Try a ducky bean bag

Gather the eggs - Hide chocolate or plastic eggs around the yard or room and ask the kids to collect them in egg cartons, or baskets.  If you wanted to take a game a bit further, the kids could 'sell' them to the supermarket and get a prize in return

Fishing in the pond game - Weighted ducks are perfect for duck games.  Attach magnets to the tops of the ducks and attach magnets to a fishing rod and get the kids to fish for the ducks.  Write numbers on the bottom of the ducks.  Once all ducks have been 'fished' draw a number out of a hat, and the child with that number wins the prize

If you have a red toy wagon, have 'hay' rides for the kids around the backyard.

Pre-cut animal masks for the kids to decorate.

Milk the cow - Paint a cow on cardboard, or use a large cow balloon, and attach some water filled latex gloves, with holes in the tips of the fingers - The children can 'milk' the cow into a bucket. 

Party Favour ideas:

Check out the party favours for sale on this site for inspiration!

Fill some coloured pails with sweets or a small toy

Decorate some animal shaped cookies and put some in cellophane bags with ribbon.

Wrap your favours in a red bandanna and place in a tree - Attach a green cardstock leaf with a thank you message.  Ask your guests to pick an apple when they leave for a party bag with a difference!

Fill mini milk cartons with some sweets

If you have downloaded farm songs for the party, burn them onto disks and give away to your guests to listen to at home.  Purchase a personalised CD label for your guests to have a lovely party keepsake.

Collect small egg cartons and fill these with treats.  Purchase some personalised stickers with a thank you message for your guests.

Hand out red bandannas when the guests arrive for them to wear at the party, and take home.

Have fun at your farm party!  I hope you have found some inspiration from these ideas.  If you have any other farm party ideas that you don't mind sharing, please contact me!  I'd love to include them.