Whether you’re picking out a party theme for your favorite Birthday Boy or Girl or you want to make your next date night a special night for the kids too, these five outdoor suggestions are perfect for summertime.

1. Camp out!
Let the kids spend the night outdoors in a tent. Here are some fun things to do on your backyard “camping” trip: Play flashlight tag, get a telescope and gaze at the stars, make tie-dyed T-shirts, blow bubbles and shine your flashlights on them (a very cool effect everyone is sure to love), or make luminary bags.

2. Turn any day into Sundae!
Create a sundae bar with ice cream and all of the toppings (nuts, chocolate sauce, cherries, caramel, etc.). You could also make "Creamy Cones," using standard cones and providing whipped cream for the kids to fill their cones with. Top with chocolate shavings, sprinkles, gummies, etc. The kids will love this cool summer treat.

3. Go tropical!
Take an old sheet and have the kids paint a tropical scene on it (palm trees, sunset, ocean waves, jungle animals—the works!) Take it outside and hang it up between two trees. They can spend the night playing tropical charades, holding a Hula Hoop contest, doing the Limbo, or coconut bowling (use a coconut to bowl over pineapples or other tropical “pins”).

4. Just loot it!
Send them on a pirate treasure hunt. For young children (younger than 5), simply hide gold coins in the house or outside and give them small mesh bags to fill as they find their loot! Provide older kids with a treasure map. Use brown crumpled paper and draw a map with points the kids must follow to the treasure. At each point, have a clue available for the kids to solve before they move on to their next location. About five to ten clues would be ideal. When the kids reach the Treasure Chest, have it filled with a variety of fun treasures. Arrrrr…

5. Savor the flavor of summer.
Host your own little strawberry festival, and try these activities for some sweet fun! Purchase mini strawberry seeds and little Terra Cotta pots. Have the kids decorate the pots with strawberries and then plant their little seeds. Have a Strawberry Relay Race— provide spoons and strawberries, and have the kids race up and down the relay path, trying not to drop their berries. Have a large bowl of strawberries displayed, and have the kids guess how many are in the bowl. Chocolate-dipped strawberries are a wonderful treat, especially when served chilled. For drinks, freeze strawberries (whole or sliced) in the ice cubes.

These are just a few tips from party planner extraordinaire, Lisa Kothari. You can find more in her new book, Dear Peppers and Pollywogs (What Parents Want to Know about Planning Their Kids' Parties), or online at www.pepperspollywogs.com.