A Wild, Wild West Birthday Party

I’m going to tell you right now that I can’t take credit for this AMAZING birthday party featured below.    This is the party thrown by my husband’s family for the sweetest little boy, Wesley, who just turned two last month.  Seriously, they went above and beyond to plan this party & gave me permission to share with you their many great ideas to help organize your own birthday hoedown!

So let me get you started as we enter the “Wild, Wild” West Birthday Party:

Western-Themed Birthday Decorations:

1.  Little Buckaroo sign.  How cute is this birthday sign to help decorate the walls?

2.  “Git Your Gear Here” table.  This table was right when you walked in so people could dress up & get themselves decked out for the party.  There were cowboy hats, cowboy vests, & bandannas all resting on a checkered table cloth.  You may notice Woody, everyone’s favorite cowboy, & the “Adopt a Horse” sign.  These horses in a bag were little gift favors for the kids when they let the party.

3.  Birthday Party Table.  Here you will see picture of the birthday boy in the boot frame, plastic horses and fences, the Welcome Y’All printable sign, & again bandannas to help decorate the table.  I love the wall decor featuring bandannas, cowboy hats, & ribbons hanging from a clothesline.

Western-Themed Food:

This party was not only festive with decor, but also had some awesome “Western” themed food for Chow Time.

1.  The meal line started with grabbing pitchforks and shovels (forks and spoons)!

• Slow Cooked BBQ Chicken Sandwiches
• Make Your Own Wild West Hot Dogs on a Hot Dog Roaster
• Wagon Wheel Mac & Cheese
• Tumbleweed Potato Salad
• Rootin Tootin Baked Beans
• On the Ranch Veggies and Dip
• Haybales, Rice Krispie Treats
• Fiddlin’ Fruit Mix
• Trail Mix: Create your own with chips, crackers, beef sticks, etc.

3.  And you can’t forget dessert with Cowboy Cupcakes, Cowboy Cookies, & Rootin Tootin Root Beer Floats!

4.  You can pick up your choice of drinks from the Watering Hole.  (And this awesome buffet table created by hand by my husband’s uncle.  Again, impressed!)

Western-Themed Birthday Activities:

There were lots of different Western-themed activities that the kids could do at the party.  Check out some of these great ideas:

1.  Hitchin’ Post Station:  Ride the horses on a pole around the room & then hitch them up at the Hitchin’ Post!

2.  Western Themed Photo Booth.  There were two cute cardboard cut-outs that were homemade.  One is the mini cowboy featured on the left, with a bandanna even added to the cardboard for a special touch.  On the right, you will see “Take Your Mug Shot” with the Wanted cut-out.  Add in some fun photo props including cowboy hats, bandannas, a loot bag with the $ sign, cowboy boots, and more & you are ready for a fun and festive photo booth shoot!

3.  Ride the Horsey.  This was created by my husband’s uncle. Take a couple bales of hay and place them together.  Add a pony on a stick for the head and a saddle and you are ready to ride!

4.  Lasso the Horse.  Create these little horses starting with a basic sawhorse.   Create a lasso by wrapping a hula hoop with twine and making a long rope to make a “lasso rope”.  Try to hook the horse with the lasso!

5.  Play in the jail.  Seriously, don’t ask me how they created this mini Best Western Inn, jail, & sheriff’s office.  It’s AMAZING and i kno what it is mostly made with cardboard boxes, paint, and lots of creativity!  The kids had a blast playing in this area.

6.  Dig for Ponies.  They hid miniature horses to find in this pool full of sand.  A great place to keep little ones busy for awhile!

7.  Ride the toys, cowboys & cowgirls.  There were plenty of riding toys that the kids could use to be little outlaws!

Western-Themed Birthday Favors:

Remember, the first party favor featured above was the “Adopt a Horse” miniature stuffed pony that was on the Git the Gear on the table.  The kids also got to shop the General Store where they got to pick their own favorite party favors to put in their goody bag.  Some of the boys’  favorite items included:  the Grow a Lizard that you place in water and grow & the Wanted magnetic drawing faces!

So now saddle up & have a happy hoedown!