After all the simple DIY birthday parties at home and in his favorite restaurant, for DiploBaby’s 4th Birthday we planned a small party with his closest classmates at playschool and football to celebrate getting through the past tough year and a half and create fun memories for him before we possibly get posted again. At the end we did a quick video of the celebration!
LEGO Blue White Gray Theme
I wanted a theme that was more sustainable and yet luxe, like the minimaluxe lifestyle that I espouse, so we decided on a LEGO party because
- Lego are amazing toys that last for several lifetimes and can be passed on from one child or generation to the next.
- Fun from kids from 2 years of age (DUPLO) to adults!
- I don’t want to buy super cheap toys that will break after 1week of play and will go straight to the landfills.
I also wanted to create party decor that can be passed on to other mom’s when I’m done so it doesn’t just go in the trash after one use!
Those of you who know me, know that I’m allergic to too many colors and I espouse white living. So for this LEGO party I wanted to go with only shades of blue, white, gray with pops of yellow so that it’s not so noisy or busy. I wanted it to be a modern and Scandi inspired, unlike most of the super colorful LEGO parties I saw online.
I was very much inspired by this kid’s party. This is my Pinterest inspiration board and though many of them are colorful, I wanted execute the ideas in our more focused color theme.
I also loved and found super helpful this helpful party planning checklist!
LEGO Party Invitation & RSVP
I designed this e-vite that was sent to a few of DiploBaby’s closest friends. We were limited by our small venue, but in a good way because I personally prefer more intimate gathersings.
A few days before the party I sent an RSVP with a reminder. I know it seems pretty forward, but I’m practical and straightforward like that. As a declutterer/organizer, I recommend that hosts also have either an Amazon wishlist, a gift registery, or a little note like this so that it conveniently narrows down the choices for guests who want to bring a present.
I was also warned by other parents here in Manila that guests usually take home the decor. Thankfully, that didn’t happen in our intimate party. I think this usually happens here in the Philippines in bigger parties with 100+ guests. They seem to assume that the decor will be thrown afterwards, and assume that they are only helping out by taking home the decor.
DIY LEGO Birthday Banner
The simplest way I thought to do a banner is by buying colored paper in A4 size and dividing them in the middle at the 15cm mark to create single LEGO blocks. The top portion is 5cm wide and about a ruler width tall.
For the white letters I found these FREE letter printables which I printed on scratch paper – yup these have stuff printed on them on one side. Trying to reuse as much as I can!
To put them up in the venue, we used Masking tape that is specifically labeled as “residue-free” from National Bookstore so that we didn’t damage the wall of the function room in Shang Salcedo.
If you are overseas, you can get Frog Tape or Scotch Blue from Amazon. These are painters tapes that don’t leave any residue or damage the surface you use them on. This was really important because the venue, Shang Salcedo, does not allow taping anything on the walls. They only allow if it’s residue-free!
The Venue: Shang Salcedo Place
Stunning Shang Salcedo Lobby 
Excited Birthday Boy
We chose Shang Salcedo Place because they have smaller function rooms for 30 people, an outdoor spill out for 25 people that has a lovely outdoor playground that’s always breezy. In reality, we were able to place 4 round tables for 10pax, and 2 Brickz 4 Kidz (now Bricked MNL) LEGO tables for kids with 10 kids’ chairs inside the Sampaguita Function Room.
DECOR
I basically only had 3 main points for decor. I basically had a bundle of DIY lego blocks with a CAUTION: Master Builder At Work sign on two locations + the balloons below.
1. By the entrance
2. By the gift/activity table
3. A fancy schmancy balloon arrangement in the center of the room as a good photo backdrop
I also had a balloon arrangement by Blloons Luxury Balloonery & indeed the set up was really quite luxe and what I imagined it to be. They did a set up that did not use hydrogen, because it is not allowed in Shang Salcedo due to it’s supposedly flammability.
Contact: +63917 157 9778 • mail@blloons.com • IG • website
After the party I gave the balloons away for free to another mom, because I just wanted them to be reused before they deflated. Since the age of the kid was different I kept the number 4 in gold foil my son still plays with it. I love that this gold foil ballon is reusable! We just use a metal straw to inflate when it gets smaller.
Caterer: Arlene’s Cuisine
Contact: Arlene’s Cuisine FB Page • Tita Arlene 0917-7006945
We loved the roast beef on mini-baguettes and mushroom truffle cream pasta we had on DiploBaby’s First Birthday Party at home before, so we decided to contact Tita Arlene again for this party. She was very accommodating and brought several color options for the table clothes on the day of the party so we could choose which photographed better.
In the end, we still chose all-white tables to go with her clear chairs because it was clean, simple and as tested they photographed so much better than the blue.
She brought 2 extra rectangular tables: 1 for desserts and the 2nd for the gifts, giveaways & activities. To keep things simple we only had one big beautiful white floral arrangement with the food, and I created some 4 shaped DUPLO centerpieces for the 4 tables.
Then I also had a sign for the party hashtag #DiploBabyLegoParty encouraging guests to use it if they post pics of that they took during the party. This is a great way to collect digital pics from the guests’ point of view! I also designed these myself. I used my name tag holders that I bought in Berlin.
We simplified the menu for merienda so everything that was served was yummy:
- Mushroom Truffle Cream Pasta
- Roast beef Baguette Sandwich
- Chicken Nuggets with dip
- Arce Ice cream in mantecado, mocha, etc.
We invited 78 people and ordered food for 60 and it turned out pretty accurate. Here’s a little video of our merienda (afternoon snack) spread!
She has kid’s tables and chairs too, but we opted not to get because we needed the space for the 2 LEGO tables.
Desserts by CupcakeLabPh
Contact: viber +6399-88538586 •  ask@mcjcgroup.com • IG
In my mind, a beautiful dessert table is really all you need for a great kid’s party, even if it’s just at home like these. After seeing how professional-looking their cakes, cupcakes and cake pops were on their Instagram, I chose CupcakelabPH and they made my LEGO dessert table dreams come true! Thank you Cay Cuasay and team for really making my vision come true! Cay is a Genius! And the taste is as incredible as it looks! These don’t just look good baby!
I made sure to send them my mood board and a pic and video of my son because I wanted the cake to be a LEGO block + topper to be DiploBaby of holding 4 balloons + classy metallic candles.
Before choosing the flavors, we ordered a box of 12 to sample the choco chip cookie, red velvet and lemon flavors and were so impressed with ALL of them, so we got their package for:
- 1 layer cake in Choco Chip Cookie
- 15 cupcakes in Red Velvet
- 20 cake pops in Red Velvet
LEGO blocks + Man + sprinkles 
My son really loved the little cupcake toppers of him as a LEGO boy! Look how happy he is! And most importantly the taste was amazing. No dried out fondant or inedible layers here!
This was the Instagram post that made me fall in love with CupcakelabPH and it was also my peg for our cake. So classy right???
And this was the simple yet oh so cute LEGO cake that they designed and made for us!
DIY Dessert Table
I couldn’t find my cake plate, so I just placed a serving plate on top of serving bowls upside down as a workaround. Can you tell it’s a workaround?
I also use my etagieren from Germany for the cupcakes. These 3-tiered serving dishes are commonly used there to serve Afternoon Tea. I love that it added a classy height element for the cupcakes. I do not like to use the paper versions of these because normally if they are stained by the icing, you have to throw them away after
I also ordered some stackable original LEGO containers from Amazon + some gray LEGO-compatible plates from Facebook just to section the cake pops on. I didn’t mind spending for them because I knew we could use them after the party or sell them off. I had to use Amazon Global Shipping (Air freight that takes 1 week only) because I only had a few weeks before the party. To stand the cake pops I used tac from National Bookstore. It’s important to me that I avoid single-use items whenever possible. Where to buy:
Can you tell that the kids loved the desserts on the dessert table?
I loved the LEGO heads that my assistant Max handmade were both decorative and could also be used for cute photos!
Indoor Activities
Initially, I thought of using this 1500 piece LEGO set to lay on the center of the kid’s table so they could create something for DiploBaby, but then some mom’s told me there is no guarantee that pieces wouldn’t get lost and another mom recommended Bricks 4 Kids (now called Bricked MNL) to me.
Bricked MNL
Formerly Bricks 4 Kidz Upper QC. contact: Betina Zulueta 0917-8789543 • brickedmnl@gmail.com
The price for 2 tables with 10 chairs, with enough DUPLO, LEGO & LEGO Technic was so reasonable (Php6,000 + 500 for transport to Makati + 2 meals for attendants) that we decided to simplify our lives and hire them. They came with 2 attendants to watch over the two tables so that there would be no missing LEGOs during the party.
Before guests arrived, I made sure to mist the tables and pieces with Kurin to sanitize in a kid- and food-safe way. I don’t like to use poisonous alcohol anymore for sanitizing because not only does it mess with our immune system, but it’s not food safe for babies and toddlers, who always place their hands in their mouths.
The original LEGO tables and pieces were a hit with the kids of all ages – and adults too! I’m so glad we got them! One table was all DUPLO, the 2nd table was LEGO Technic. So worth it!
THE DUPLO TABLE
THE LEGO TECHNIC TABLE
Guess How Many Legos
Other simple activities were the GUESS HOW MANY LEGO GAME and asking guests to write DiploBaby a note on our Diplo Guestbook!
I designed the GUESS HOW MANY LEGOS SIGN and FILL UP SHEETS myself using shades of blue and pops of yellow. You can download these FREE PRINTABLES below, just print them on board paper. I used cream board paper and they came out really nice. Here are the FREE printable templates that I made on Canva:
TIPS:
- Make sure to stick something behind the sign so it stands straight and doesn’t get bent out of shape. I used corrugated plastic board, making sure the corrugation was vertical.
- Tie a pen to a clipboard so it’s easy for people to write down their entries.
The winner of the contest won this cool LEGO wall hanger set. He guessed 200, which was the nearest to the actual number of 201! Well-done kiddo!
Greetings for the Birthday Boy
One of the things I do as a diplomat’s wife when we entertain is to ask people to sign a guest book with some personal messages. It really makes the celebration more meaningful when we have these lovely messages to read back.
Thanks Maxine for going around to take down the kid’s guesses and having people sign the guest book!
Back up activity: LEGO coloring pages
One of my back up activities was coloring pages for the kids. In the end I didn’t need it so I’m actually selling it off to someone else who can use it. The age range for the party is DiploBaby’s closest friends 3-5yo, a few tweens and some with infant siblings, so I got large but short crayons and made little cups to hold them using an old toothpaste box that I cut into sections. Long thin crayons break easily. so this size was perfect for toddler parties. (Note: I wasn’t able to use the decal LEGO heads on the right so I also am passing them on)
I found FREE PRINTABLES and printed 13 Lego Policeman and 13 Lego Policewoman coloring pages.
Outdoor Playground Fun
The kids – and some of the adults – absolutely loved the outdoor playground of Shang Salcedo Place. Because it’s on the 7th floor, it’s quite windy so it’s very pleasant, especially in the cooler rainy season! Thankfully it did not rain! The kids just had a blast running around, then running in for some drinks and ice cream to refresh themselves. This is why I loved and chose our venue so that the kids could really play!
I personally do not like parties with elaborate and super loud programs that don’t allow us to catch up with our friends and loved ones. So having this nice outdoor playground and the LEGO free play tables were more than enough for us.
The outdoor spill out seating for parents to watch their kids easily 
Gift Table + Lootbags
Let’s start with another FREE PRINTABLE: Stack Gifts Here Sign
I made sure to laminate the sign so I can pass it on to another mama who is organizing a Lego party.
I had a stash of LEGO that I got last December 2018 on the LEGO Store ph’s sale so I decided to make little LEGO creations and some I stuck on original LEGO pens. I wanted the kids to be able to add them to their existing/future lego collections instead of buying cheap toys in Divisoria that will break in a few days.
I didn’t want any plastic packaging so I bought these plain white paperbags then I used non-toxic chalk paint from National Bookstore, and used an actual LEGO plate to stamp the bags for a Scandi Modern Lego touch! I then used washi tape, which is longer in the back so I could write the names of the recipients.
I also designed these signs myself and printed them for the gifts table and to direct people to the party.
Guests
Thanks to everyone who made it! Here are some pics of the guests we had. Special shoutout to my assistants – past and present – who made it all happen!
With food blogger Chichajo of 80breakfasts.com 
LEGO Gift-wrapping
I wanted to wrap our gift to him – also LEGO of course – on-theme too, so I wrapped them in yellow cartolina (colored paper) and hot glued a Duplo Boy onto it. Right before I gave it to him, I opened one of his lollipops to place in the Duplo Boy’s hands for a cute edible touch.
One of his gifts from the party was a LEGO police helicopter and it was the very first LEGO that he did on his own with very little help from mama in reading the instructions and pushing in some parts that were too hard for his little fingers. Look at that face! Melts my heart when he smiles like that, tiny dimples and all!
CUSTOMIZED LEGO PARTY GRAPHIC DESIGN
If you are holding a LEGO-themed party and would like to have the same designs with your child’s name on it, please feel free to PM me on Facebook or Instagram so I can customize them for you for a minimal fee.
PAST BIRTHDAYS
We’ve always celebrated his birthdays quite simply, but always made sure that the decor was beautiful and the food was delicious, even if we were just doing it at home. If you would like to see how we celebrated his previous birthdays, click here: BABY PARTIES SIMPLIFIED.
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