If The Very Hungry Caterpillar Hosted a Birthday Party…

By TMoM Team Member Suzy Fielders 

The Very Hungry Caterpillar was always one of my favorite kid’s books and still is to this day. My middle daughter also loves it, and the many spin off books like The Very Hungry Caterpillar’s First Fall. For her first birthday I thought it would be fun to do her party in that theme.

If you and/or your child love this, or really any children’s book, then consider having a book themed birthday party! 

Birthday party planning tends to get exhausting (and this comes from someone that planned corporate events for a living at one point in my life!). So, below are some tips to help you plan your own Very Hungry Caterpillar themed birthday party. Most of these tips can apply to any book theme!

Amazon is Your Friend

Of course, I took to Amazon first to find ideas on themed party supplies. I thought how much could there really be on such a simple theme. Spoiler: there is a lot! 

Save yourself some time and don’t go down the rabbit hole that is Amazon basic searches. Instead of looking up “Very Hungry Caterpillar theme” in an Amazon search, look for specific items you know you want. For example, “Very Hungry Caterpillar themed cupcake toppers”.

Do this for each item you’d want at your party. Below are some items we used and additional ideas:

• Banners
• Decorations 
• Tablecloths
• Plates
• Napkins

Dress for the occasion 

Whether it’s the birthday kid only or the entire family, book themes make for great outfits. It doesn’t need to be complicated either. I found a white onsie with The Very Hungry Caterpillar on it and paired it with a fun green tutu style skirt. Don’t forget the bib for baby or toddler birthdays! We did this fun The Very Hungry Caterpillar themed one. 

Splurge on Desserts

I’ve always been of the mind set there are some things that you should splurge on, and desserts is one of them. That doesn’t necessarily mean splurge money-wise but could mean time-wise instead if you are up for the baking task. We opted to use the local bakery, Ava’s Cupcakes. If it’s a first birthday, then be sure to get a smash cake! The photographs alone make it worth it!

Plan a game

You can either find a fun book-themed game online or you find one by searching that specific item. Again, it doesn’t need to be complicated. We got a fun ‘guess things about the birthday girl game cards’ that were The Very Hungry Caterpillar themed. 

Capture the moments

Finally, make sure to take or get photos. If it’s a ‘big’ birthday, like the first or another major number, then ask a trusted friend or family member to take photos so you can focus on hosting and enjoying the party. Or, do like us, and hire a photographer. I’m so glad we did and were able to capture important photos like grandparents with their grandbabies. When I began planning this birthday party in February, I had no idea that when it happened in June my mother would have passed away just weeks before. I wish I could have captured images of her with her grandbabies, but so blessed we were able to get ones of her other grandparents to cherish for many years. 

One final tip – be sure to enjoy the day and all the book-themed fun! Don’t get so caught up in the details that you forget the fun – and reason – behind it!

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