Tractor Birthday

I can't believe it, but my MonkeyBoy turned two years old this November. Where does the time go?

This year, although still a huge fan of monster trucks, he opted for tractors. I scoured the web, and here's what I came up with for a John Deere-esque Birthday Party:

1. Tractor Cake

Thanks to this fabulous idea, this bad boy was one of my easier cakes to make since it was basically all props. I purchased an Ertl John Deere tractor with hay baler "hook up", as my son calls them. I also found the miniature animals, fencing, and trees at my local crafts store's hobby section.

What's great was the prop became one of MonkeyBoy's gifts!

2.  Party Favors

Following the John Deere theme, I found some green and yellow gift bags at my local dollar store (above pic with the cake). Luckily they had two packs in assorted colors, and I was able to find eight two-packs of green/yellow combos.

For inside the bags, I found a four-pack of toy push/pull tractors at Walmart in the party supply section, green and yellow hankerchiefs, and tiny board books that came in two-packs from the dollar store. Since we were also having the party run until five in the evening, I stuck in some glow sticks for the kids to have fun with outside.

3. Chocolate dipped French crullers

I found these coolest and yummiest tractor wheels you'll ever eat! Dunkin' Donuts even had them covered in chocolate already, so one less thing to do. 

4.  Tractor Wheels and Cheese

I forgot to take a picture of this, but this one's fairly easy. I purchased rotelle pasta and just melted Velveeta all over it. Super yummy and a toddler winner every time.

5.  Hay Stacks
I thought this idea was so cute, and super easy. Take vanilla wafers and cut them into smaller rectangles to resemble stacks of hay. Who doesn't like vanilla wafers?!?

6.  Cardboard Tractor Box

I took all my son's birthday gifts and gave them to him in a big tractor made from a cardboard box. I used brass prong paper fasteners to attach the wheels so they could spin.

7.  Tractor No-Sew Fleece Blanket
MonkeyBoy is obsessed with anything that is fleece. Fleece blankets, fleece clothes, fleece pillows, ANYTHING FLEECE. How could I possibly go wrong with a Tractor Fleece Throw?  It only took about 20-30 minutes to make. He immediately laid down on it when he opened it.

8. Farm Felt Board

For more toddler entertainment, I created this fun board hung at baby level. I'm excited to start creating other scenes to change up for different seasons and holidays.

9. Tractor Bean Bag Toss

I was so proud of this, and yet all the kids wanted to play with was MonkeyBoy's new toy (see #8).

10. John Deere Pedal Tractor

The pièce de résistance. This is a fabulous little riding toy with a chain and pedals to work those little muscles. It also came with a "hook up", one of my son's favorite things. He loves stuff hooking up.
















All in all, the party was a huge success. And for not having a nap that day, we were shocked that he was still going at 8:30 PM that night without any "toddler incidents."

Yankee Doodle Dandy,
– TYG