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How To Save Your Kid’s Rainy Outdoor B-Day Party

Written by Katie Hintz-Zambrano

Photography by Photo Courtesy of Native

The weather is heating up, which means throwing your kiddo an outdoor birthday party probably sounds like the best idea ever, especially with parks being roomy, cost-effective locales to celebrate. That is, of course, until the forecast shows rain. Yep, it’s happened to us and let’s just say it can turn a once joyous event into a super stressful one. Here, some things you can do to save the day when it’s damp, drizzling, or worse.

-First off, start checking the weather early—the week of the event, then in the days and hours leading up to your event.

-When you’re planning an outdoor event, try to consider your rain plan at the same time, so that you’re not caught in a bind day-of. Think about what you will do if there’s just dampness, sprinkles, or heavy rain. All are potentially different scenarios. If renting a back-up indoor space (parks often have community centers attached to them that aren’t too pricey) or buying a tent (with or without a floor) is a financial option, that’s always one route to take.

-If it’s raining hard, an outdoor party is sadly just not going to be a reality. We suggest canceling the event either that morning (be sure to have everyone’s cell numbers, since not all parents check their email on the weekends) or in the days leading up to the big event. At that point, you can either reschedule the party for another date when you suspect the weather will be better, or you could call it off all together and invite just your nearest and dearest to your home for a smaller celebration (hey, if the cake is ordered, someone has to eat it!).

-Another option is rescheduling the event for a different time that same day, when the forecast shows that the rain will taper off and end. A damp outdoor birthday party doesn’t have to be a total bummer (we’ve had one and it was great!). You can often shorten the amount of time folks will be out in the dampness (say, a 1.5 hour party vs. a 2.5 hour party) and give yourself a little extra buffer to wipe down picnic tables and play equipment between the time the drizzle ends and guests start arriving.

-Outdoor activities that work on damp grass include Stomp Rocket, layering a tarp with beach towels and blankets for a beading or pom-pom necklace activity or a big pile of toys, and hiring an impersonator of some sort to keep folks entertained and not thinking about the weather.

-Make water the theme! Ask that parents dress their kids in get-dirty clothing, rainboots, and rain jackets. If you want to take the wetness up a notch, you could hand out water guns or pumps (just don’t forget the stack of towels!).

-If you have a piñata planned, think about putting the prizes inside cellophane bags, so that the kids aren’t searching through wet grass to claim their damp prizes and candy.

-Remember that it’s all about the kids having fun and the birthday boy or girl celebrating with loved ones! Children don’t care about a little drizzle (puddle hopping is their idea of a good time)—and chances are their parents would love an excuse to get them out of the house. Party on!

Have any more suggestions to add to this list? We’d love to hear them in the comments below!

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