Throw a nature walk kids' birthday party

Now that the weather is finally warming up, kids everywhere will find it easier and easier to resist the lure of their video game consoles in favor of a day spent playing outside. Since everyone's mind is on the nice weather, an outdoorsy birthday party is in order for any big days your little ones have coming up.

A nature walk is a fun activity for kids during the day, and they're bound to enjoy it even more when there's pizza and birthday cake waiting for them at the end.

If you're lucky enough to have a suitable backyard, organize a trail that you can lead the kids on and come up with a list of instructive scavenger hunt items - perhaps by the end of the day, the kids will not only have enjoyed the fresh air, but they'll have learned a thing or two about identifying a dogwood or a certain kind of berry.

To start, give each kid a mini woven picnic basket as a birthday party favor and a fun storage bin for all the leaves and twigs they collect along the way. If you had a special spot for a picnic in mind, pack a small lunch in there too - it wouldn't hurt to include a tiny chocolate surprise!