How to host a Puppy Party for Kids

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My daughter loves dogs. Because we don’t have dogs of our own, she volunteers at our local Animal Shelter on the weekends we’re free. So when she turned 8, she asked if we could have a small party at home but didn’t want her friends to bring her any gifts. Instead, she wanted them to bring donations for the dogs at the Animal Shelter.

We were naturally moved by the thought and though she wanted a low key affair, we decided to jazz it up a little by throwing a Puppy Party!

We started off at home with a few fun activities for the kids and ended the evening at the Shelter. Thanks to the Shelter’s Administrator, we were able to have a mini-tour of the facility, hand in the donations and the invitees got to play with a few residents.

Puppy Party

This was one party one the kids will remember for a very long time.

Planning a Puppy Party isn’t hard and doesn’t cost a whole lot. I have a few ideas that can help make your party a dog-tastic one!

How to host a puppy party for kids

How to host a Puppy Party for Kids

1. Decorations

If you check your local dollar store you just may find a paw print wrapping paper that you can use to line a plastic tablecloth. You can also print a paw print template to create paw prints instead.

2. Food

You can really go to town with the menu and create Puppy Chow (trail mix), cookies in the shape of bones, bone-shaped or kennel shaped sandwiches, hot dogs and fetch sticks (pretzel sticks coated with white chocolate or milk chocolate). For the cake the options are endless. (Because I was hardpressed on time as baby was 3 weeks old at the time, I did my favorite kit-kat cake and popped The Littlest Pet Shop pups on top)



3. Games

Some fun games that can be played include Pin the Tail on the Puppy, Passing the Bone (this is basically Passing the Parcel), Master Says (this is Simon Says)and Fetch (a scavenger hunt to get the “pups” to find missing treasures!)

4. Watch a dog-themed movie/episode while eating

Here are a few fun dog movies and episodes that will provide great entertainment for the kids. For older kids, the Dog Whisperer or Martha Speaks is a great, quick watch while younger kids would enjoy Clifford. If longer entertainment is preferred, any of the Buddies movies are great, Beethoven or even Snow Dogs.



5. Fun activity before or after the party.

Try and arrange for the kids to visit the local Animal Shelter and play with the dogs. (The kids at our party had a blast as they were given a mini-tour, played with a few dogs and even got to name some of the new dogs at the Shelter.)

Do you think a Puppy Party would be fun? Do you have a favorite doggy movie you would screen at your Puppy Party?



 

48 Comments

  1. I know some toddlers who would absolutley love a puppy party. Far too cute cakes and yes, they love all puppy shows on Netflix!

  2. I never thought to visit an animal shelter as a group activity! That is a great idea. My son loves dogs enough to spend a day in that type of place.
    Mitch

    1. My kids are the same! They would love to spend a day at an animal shelter helping. Great idea for a party activity.

  3. What a lot of fun that party would be. My daughter loves the Puppy Playdate movie.

  4. Super cute. In lieu of presents, I would have each party goer bring a something that the shelter needed, blankets, food, etc. The party looks like it was fun.

    1. Yep! That’s what our guests did and it was so fulfilling to see the staff’s face at the Shelter light up when the kids gave in their “birthday gifts”.

  5. How very cool! I have never heard of a puppy party but could totally get into this. Love the movie selections too. I’m sure my two toy Aussies would go gaga over them too LOL

  6. This is such a cute idea! And how sweet that your daughter wants to donate and help at the local shelter. So sweet!

  7. I bet this was a great time! The cakes (hello Reese’s and Kit-Kats) are super cute and I bet very tasty!

  8. Such a fun idea! I love hosting theme parties and my daughter would love this one!

  9. This is such a great, kind idea. I’m so glad your daughter wanted her friends to help the puppies, rather than just bring gifts for her. I would be all over an idea like this for my son (or any theme of a party, really.)

  10. I love this idea! We have two pups that LOVE to play with other dogs. I never thought to have a party but we have a huge backyard that would ne perfect for this.

  11. This is such a great idea! What a kind and thoughtful daughter you have. I volunteered at an animal shelter before I took on extra work, and it needed all of the extra money it could get.

  12. What a great idea. We don’t have a dog, yet. Puppy parties are becoming popular. I was invited to one the other day.

  13. That. Is. AWESOME! How very generous of your daughter-she has such a big heart and those dogs are better for knowing her 🙂 I never really thought about having a party AT an animal shelter but what a fantastic idea!

  14. my friends son loves puppies. she did a whole puppy dance party for the prek class last year. the kids LOVED it.

  15. That is such a unique and fun idea. Kids with or without puppies of their own would love it!

  16. What an adorable idea! My niece would absolutely love this!

  17. What an adorablexciting idea! As a volunteer, I’m sure your daughter is used to not bringing home a puppy, but did the other children get upset about not being able to adopt?

  18. This is a really cute idea for a party! I just saw the new Clifford’s Puppy Days on Netflix this week. It’s on our queue now!

  19. Oh I love dogs! That Weiner Dog Nationals looks funny from the cover. I might look for that one later.

  20. Interesting idea. I would not have been able to leave the shelter without taking a few of those pups home with me.

  21. A puppy party sounds like so much fun! Smart idea to have a movie playing during the meal.

  22. I think 101 Dalmations will always be my favorite puppy movie. I just love the idea of doing a party with this theme.

  23. How adorable would it be to groom their little puppy friends?! I love all of the themed movies, super cute for little ones

  24. A puppy party would be so much fun! Of course, get me anywhere near a shelter and I’ll start whining about *needing* to adopt a puppy!

  25. So cute! I love the idea of a puppy themed party and adding movies to the party activities for some quiet calm down time after all the sugar and chaos!

  26. This is such a cute idea! How wonderful that she asked for donations to the animal shelter instead of gifts.

  27. That’s positively awesome that your daughter did that. We had a similar situation with our daughter last year at Christmas – asked for gifts for the shelter. It’s awesome that our kids have such compassion!

  28. we are getting a new puppy in 7 weeks, I am so excited. Can’t wait to host one of these.

  29. Super cute ideas that kids can appreciated! A lesson and a party all mixed in one!

  30. Ha, ha,ha… so super-cute. I loved that movie Beethoven… never thought of putting a party together around it. Great idea

  31. What an awesome idea!! You must be proud of your daughter; 8 years old not wanting gifts for herself but for the shelter instead. You’ve got a great daughter with a big heart!!

    1. She made us very proud. I pray she grows to be a woman with a generous heart always.

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