• Give your little cowboy an unforgettable party.cowboy hat image by Mat Hayward from Fotolia.com
  
  If your little cowpoke is coming up on his fifth birthday, plan a cowboy party for him and his friends. Let the clothing and colors of the Wild West inspire you. Browns, from dusty to dark, with reds and blues can adorn the guests, decorations and food and wrangle the party into the perfect cowboy theme.
  
  

Invitations

• Card stock paper can be cut into horseshoes, cowboy hats or sheriff's badges. Look for paper that has a bandanna pattern or other cowboy paraphernalia. You can also create a wanted poster, telling the guests they are wanted at a cowboy party in honor of your 5-year-old. The invitation should include details of the party and promise a "rootin', tootin'" good time. You should also remind guests to come dressed in their best cowboy attire, which might include a pair of jeans. This should also imply they might get a little dirty.
  
  

Decorations

• Your decorations, whether inside or outside, should transform your space into a corral or Wild West town. If you have access to some authentic horse materials, these would be great placed around the house. Saddles, saddle blankets and horseshoes can adorn a table or just be stashed in a corner to add to the ambiance. Wanted posters, with pictures of your guests, will delight the little cowpokes as they show up and see their own faces. If you want to use traditional balloons and streamers, choose brown, red and blue. If you want a more creative alternative, use bandannas and ropes to adorn the space.
  
  

Activities

• As guests arrive at your party, allow them to finish their ensemble with bandannas, sheriff's badges, cowboy hats and other costume materials. These can be part of their take-home favors. If you want to make it a game, give them all a stack of costumes and see who can get dressed the fastest. If you are up for it and have the space, rent a horse or pony for the day from a local farm or stable. The children can take turns riding their horses. For a less expensive option, buy or make stick horses. The children can race their horses through obstacle courses.
  
  

Foods

• Cowboy boots and hats make thematic shapes for birthday cakes. If you want a sheet cake, use cleaned plastic horses, cowboys and other toys to create a scene on top of the cake. If you use enough of the toys, you can even cut the cake so that each child gets a toy on top of his cake. If you are serving a meal, use a cowboy campfire as your inspiration. Serve cornbread, beans and franks. If you need a little snack for everyone to munch on, try a trail mix.