Celebrating A Birthday At Stricker's Grove?

10 GREAT BIRTHDAY IDEAS

Going to be at Stricker's Grove for someone's birthday? Celebrate throughout the day with these fun ways to keep the birthday fun going!

These ideas are sponsored by the Great Dollywood Adventure Challenge - Watch the video below for details!

Wrap a single gift many times, preferably with different colors/types of wrapping paper and containers (though not necessary.) Give the birthday boy/girl the gift at the beginning of the day and tell them that they can unwrap ONE layer in each line that they wait in. Don't tell them how many layers there are - let them wonder if each layer will be their last! If you don't plan on going on many rides/attractions, you can also have them unwrap one layer every hour.

Plan a fun scavenger hunt throughout the day at Stricker's Grove. There are all different types of scavenger hunts to go on, each with a different format. Although for some parties having different teams compete with each other can be a lot of fun, for someone's birthday when there is one person to honor, it's typically best to have everyone on the same team - everyone gets to help the birthday boy/girl be successful…when one person wins, they all win! These can be a lot of fun to create, but can take some extra work to make creative (sometimes you'll need more than just a list to excite some teens, for example.) Consider our GREAT ADVENTURE CHALLENGE AT Stricker's Grove - a package for them to open once there filled with all kinds of puzzles and things to do! CLICK HERE to learn more!

If you'd like to give them a gift for them to open AT Stricker's Grove, consider putting it in a locker first and then wrapping up the key to the locker in a little gift bag. This way you won't have to carry around the gift all day and it's always fun and mysterious to get a 'secret key' as a gift! This also works especially well if you're planning a treasure hunt or scavenger hunt inside Stricker's Grove.

At one point, buy a helium balloon at Stricker's Grove. Each person there uses a Sharpie marker (that you brought with you) to write down something positive they'd like to wish for the birthday boy/girl for that coming year (or later in life.) Once everyone has had a chance to write them all down on the balloon, allow either each person to share what they wrote or allow the birthday boy/girl to read them all. Finally, let the birthday boy/girl RELEASE the helium balloon in the air and watch their dreams sail up and up - where the birthday boy/girl will 'catch up with them later'!

This is a great game to play for a larger group (4+). Ahead of time, prepare a list of fun tasks to do at Stricker's Grove at write the out separately on small pieces of paper - at least enough for each person going. It's best to have someone else (who is NOT going with you to Stricker's Grove) write them out - someone you can trust. Throughout the day, the birthday boy/girl periodically pulls one task out and reads it out loud. He/she then CHOOSES who in the group must complete the task right then. The rules are that EVERY person completes one task. The birthday boy/girl cannot look ahead at the different pieces of paper to see which ones he/she wants to assign or do for himself/herself. This can also be a great thing to do in the different lines you might wait in.

Surprise the birthday boy/girl with special 'guests.' Do not tell them about your plans to invite one or more of their friends to join you/him/her at Stricker's Grove. Make it seem like a family trip. Arrange to meet his/her friend(s) AT Stricker's Grove. It will feel like an added gift to see their friend(s) there when he/she wasn't expecting it!

Head of times, write down on small pieces of paper different topics for memories to share about the birthday boy/girl while standing in line or throughout the day. For example, you may choose that every 30 minutes a different person (NOT the birthday boy/girl) will draw a piece of paper out of a hat - perhaps the first one says "FUNNY." That person will then share a funny story about the birthday boy to share with everyone. This is a great way to encourage the birthday boy/girl throughout the day!

Before you even leave for your day at Stricker's Grove, decorate the INSIDE of your car with streamers and balloons (of course, being sure to not obstruct the view of the driver.) This will get the excitement going for the day ahead before you even get there!

Make up shirts for all those going to Stricker's Grove with the birthday boy/girl that say something fun like "It's Tim's Birthday today!" or "Point and smile at Tim - he's 18 today!"

Have a stack of cards already made out by the birthday boy/girl's friends and family. Throughout the day at Stricker's Grove (preferably while they are in line for a ride/show/attraction) hand them a different card. They will be reminded of how much they are liked and loved throughout the day by those that weren't able to join them inside the park!