I was thinking along the same lines - a great outdoor game! 

Another game - if warm enough - water ballon 'volleyball' - where the kids/adults are partnered and with a bath towel & have to toss/catch the waterfilled balloons over the net. If its a cooler day you could probably do similar with a normal soft rubber ball or bean bags. 

Old fashioned 3-legged games.  Do a mini-olympics type of set of games.

Check out 'minute to win-it' type games - cup stacking, marshmallow races etc - see link below for more ideas.

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/minute-to-win-it-games-to-play-at-home.html

personally, I think it is a shame that parents feel they have to spend so much money on parties these days and take them out to a special venue. There is so much fun the kids can have around the house.

Sounds like your GD's party will be a family and friends affair.  We used to do that too when our kids were small.  We lived in the country so the parents got invited too and we all had a blast.  All my kids' BDs are in January so generally a tobaggon party and wiener roast was the plan.  Then we just let the kids play in the basement and make up their own fun.  I don't believe kids need to have planned entertainment all the time.  Hide & seek and dressup was their fun.  I had a great dressup box back in the day.

Perhaps have an area set aside if any of the kids want to draw and colour.  You can get big sheets/rolls of paper/cardboard and crayons and let them trace themselves and then colour their image.

Have cupcakes instead of a cake and let the kids decorate their own cupcake with coloured icing and sprinkles (my GDs favourite thing to do)
If you want to do face painting, get the supplies and do it yourself.  Waaay cheaper.

Cheese and crackers, fruit and veggie trays to fill those little tummies.  Do-it-yourself-Pizza is a great idea.  Keep it simple.  You could use hamburger buns for the pizza crust, that would be easy for the kids, and you.  And tastes just as good.  Lots of juice.
Good luck tigsw!  Sounds like a fun day.

that is the way our family is.

one of the women i work with had that.. and the girls just adored decorating them...

the party is to be September 22nd ,  How about crafts with a Fall/Halloween theme?  Many stores are already stocked with halloween supplies.

When DD was that age, her birthday party was a Tea Party theme.   At one point the girls sat around the picnic table and pretended they were sipping tea (juice ) and had finger food to go along such as cucumber sandwiches etc.  

They decorated the cake so the cupcake decorating would work.  A limbo contest .

and since there are so many , if weather permitts, a good old fashion game of soccer baseball...

had a tea party when she was about four. They were all dressed up in beautiful dresses and hats. 

I added another replied below as the first one, which you replied to, had disapeared / I could not see it...Now it`s back   Very confusing.

Mine loved tea parties too, but not just for a birthday.  Often it was a doll's birthday so we 'must' have a party, lol, or they'd have a friend over and decide on a tea party. Easy enough to do, especially on the spur of the moment when you don't need big planning.  They'd love to sit outside with their cups and saucers and little sandwiches we'd make together.  Decorating cup cakes and cookies always a hit; a great winter day activity too.

  I had earlier posted a reply, and now it`s gone...

Anyway , I was saying that since the party is towards the end of September, a fall or Halloween theme for decorating might be fun.   Cupcakes could be decorated by providing white, orange and black toppings etc...

If weather permits, scavenger hunt would also be a good idea as would be a good old fashioned game of kick baseball (soccer baseball using a big beach ball )

Since the birthday girls mentionned bike riding , how about a min olympic sort of afternoon with differant stations set up that are more appropriate for this age group. 

- egg race
-potato sack race
-wheel barrow race (where one person has the legs held by the partner as they race)
-3 egged race

The good old fashioned sorta games.  Having a few adults to co-ordinate the events .

Good Luck.

 

  I had earlier posted a reply, and now it`s gone...

Scroll up, it's still there.  I think the subject is: Since

but earlier it wasn`t there...I check 3 times before adding another reply...Very strange...At least I could not see it ...

If the weather is really nasty - you may be forced to have an indoor party. 

What about a movie? but.. not just one popped into dvd player.  If you have room, set up space like a theater - rows of seats in chairs or cushions on floor.  Kids get 'tokens'/tickets they can use in 'concession' booth for snacks - popcorn, drink, chips or other snacks (frozen yogurt tubes? snack size sandwich bag of sliced fruit?) . The token/ticket also means snacks are limited to the number of tokens available, so they don't just fill up on snacks.  Maybe play a few games prior to the movie where they can 'earn' a couple extra tokens as prizes - but each guest would still get say 3 tokens - one drink, one popcorn, one candy/snack.   A curtain over the tv screen until movie starts and room kept as dark as possible. 

Find an old classic type of kids movie - not the newest 'hot' show (or even from past 3-5 years)- they've likely seen the 'newest' or have older siblings so movies up to 5 or more years may be ones they've seen numerous times at home - but may be quite unfamiliar with movies of 25 + years ago. (Check with a few of the parents for suggestions - some may have rules for 'no Harry Potter movies' or other titles or genres).  Check time/length of movie - I'd go for a shorter one rather than longer - you don't want the party to center on watching tv, & a group of kids may become restless & not that interested... but if you make it a 'theatre' kind of experience you will hook them in better.