Winnie the Pooh Adventure

Well I think it’s time to talk about Julius’ birthday celebration!  As you heard in a previous post I had some signs of labor the morning of Julius’ birthday.  I was pretty convinced we were going to have two siblings with the same birthday.  Instead we had a birthday celebration where Julius was the only child invited…

Since there wouldn’t be any children there to play with, I thought it would be fun to do a scavenger hunt adventure to occupy the little man’s birthday.  Julius was a big fan of Winnie the Pooh this year so we decided on a Winnie the Pooh theme.  After hearing about the day, my sister called it “an escape room for toddlers” which I thought was pretty hilarious.  Future business opportunity?  Maybe.

Overall this “party” was far less labor intensive than his last Totoro party – partially because I ran out of time and made many of the props the night before (with help from Will).  We have received a billion boxes since we no longer leave our house and I saved some of the biggest ones for the adventure.

Winnie the Pooh Toddler Adventure Party

The Hunt for a Heffalump Adventure

Among the pile of cards Julius received in the mail, Julius received an envelope that read “Christopher Robin” at breakfast time.  Inside was a picture of a room in our house (the lounge).  Julius then needed to proceed to the location in the picture.

Among Julius’ birthday mail, was a card addressed to (or from?) Christopher Robin.

At the next location Julius discovered “owl’s house” from the blustery day, complete with a wind storm.  The wind blowing through the house blew a bunch of streamers from the ceiling around.  Julius’ job was to collect the streamers.  On 5 of the streamers were puzzle pieces, that Julius then had to assemble (with help) to discover a picture of the next location in the adventure (our bedroom).

Julius entering owl’s house.

Julius sitting in the windy house with the streamers blowing all around.

Julius had a lot of fun collecting the streamers.

Julius is handing streamers out of the house.

Julius is identifying puzzle piece shapes for the next clue.

Julius and Will assembling the next clue.

In the bedroom Julius discovered a beehive piñata (tutorial here).  This piñata was the “pull string” variety instead of the “whack with a bat” variety.  Of course Julius picked the right pull string on the first try.  Inside the beehive he discovered another “photo map” (the garage), a couple “candies” (fruit leather) and some little Winnie the Pooh peg dolls that I painted.  He thought owl was a penguin, so I’m not sure if I did a great a job I did with the painting!

Beehive Piñata

Julius picking a ribbon (or two) to pull.

Julius pulling the piñata string

Pulling to see if more stuff will come out… (it won’t)

Opening the treats from inside the piñata

Lining up his Winnie the Pooh figures from inside the piñata.

Looking at the next clue

The final stop was a “cave” I made out of boxes.  Julius had to spelunk the cave with a flashlight, and at the back discovered Lumpy the Heffalump and Roo!  Julius LOVED the cave and still asks for a flashlight to explore in it every time he sees it.

Into the “cave”

Julius plunged right in!

Showing Meemah and Meepah what he discovered in the cave.

The Lunch

For lunch we had a favorite Julius meal – chicken nuggets (and chik’n nuggets), oven french fries (this recipe is awesome), carrot and celery sticks and a variety of dipping sauces.  It was super low key, which again, was nice for me.

Toddler lunch is served!

He devoured the lunch!

The Dessert

I knew ages ago that I wanted to make Julius a rainbow sprinkle cake for his birthday, so on the advice of my friend Ka I got some awesome sprinkles from Sweetapolita.  We have been using some of the sprinkles for pancakes on the weekends, which is just an added bonus.  The sprinkle cake wasn’t too difficult to make (instructions here) and it was so much fun to watch his face as we cut it!

A fall lunch

Sprinkle cake!

Blowing out his candles

Sprinkle cake opening

Inside view of the rainbow cake!

Stay tuned in future posts for the “behind the scenes” of how I created everything for the party!