Whether they are tea-sipping fairy princesses or mud-rolling super villains, every child wants a birthday party to remember. SignUpGenius has a few ideas to kick start a stellar celebration!
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Party
Doesn't every child dream of being dropped into this wonderful world of sweets? Print invitations on golden tickets (rectangular pieces of yellow paper with interesting print) and invite each child to dress up as a character of their choice. Stock up on candy and toys and hold a "candy shop" in part of your house. Each treat should have a price tag. Through a series of games, kids will have the opportunity to earn "Wonka Bucks" and can use them to buy things from the shop. One possibility for a game could be "Augustus and the Chocolate River" where rubber ducks with Augustus' face pasted on top are fished out of a baby pool with a net. Label the bottoms of each duck with varying amounts of Wonka Bucks the kids earn. Have the kids make candy necklaces, hunt for hidden bubblegum balls, and play the "Save Violet" game where a blueberry is placed in a cup of juice and the first one to drink all of the juice and reach the blueberry wins. Continue to give out Wonka Bucks as equally and generously as possible.
Olympics Party
Make this party an opportunity to be a champion! Hold a series of competitions to win gold, silver, or bronze medals. Divide the kids into three teams and hold competitions such as hoola-hooping, relay or potato sack races, or a scavenger hunt to find the 5 Olympic rings (colorful diving rings). Depending on who wins each competition, award the teams with gold, silver, or bronze medals, and keep track of who gets what. At the end of the party, award the winning team with anything from an extra prize to first dibs on birthday cake!
Superhero Party
Invite the kids to the Superhero Headquarters, and don't forget to tell them to wear their favorite hero gear! Set up an obstacle course that involves things such as zig-zagging through cones, jumping over a bar or "building", crawling under a bar or through a tent, rescuing a baby doll, punching a villain, and tagging the next hero. Or, play musical chairs to a superhero theme song.
Animal Rescue/Veterinary Party
In the invitations, ask each child to bring their favorite (stuffed) animal. Upon arrival, give each child a nametag that says "Dr. " along with a clipboard, which should have a doctor's checklist: Have three sections labeled Grooming, Vaccinations, and General Health. Then, get friends or family to man three stations. Include combs, brushes, "shampoo" bottles (glitter recommended), ribbons, and hair clips at the Grooming station. For the Vaccinations station, have play syringes (labeled as cures for different diseases), pills, cotton swabs, bandages, and stickers for the pets (or vets) who are good during their shots! For the General Health station, have a scale, a nose and ear light, a stethoscope, and a reflex hammer. Direct the kids (the checklist will help) to check each part of their animal. After the check-up, play games such as Pass the Puppy (hot potato), Pin the Tail on the Cat, or Bandage the Kitten (using a stuffed kitten and toilet paper). Talk to your local vet practice and see if they will give you some extra prescription bags to hold party favors.
Pretend Sleepover
Give those little girls a chance to be teenagers…without, you know, acting like teenagers. Make it an evening party, and have the guests come in their pajamas and slippers. They can bring sleeping bags and stuffed animals and spread out the sleeping bags in a room with a TV. Then let them watch their favorite movie, play with fun makeup, tell jokes, and play games like twister or hot potato. Or, if they feel particularly grown up, truth or dare using homemade cards is a good option. (Truth: What is your favorite color? Dare: Show us your best dance move!). They can feast on popcorn and pizza, and go home that evening. Easy preparation, lots of controlled freedom, and your little girl will feel like a grown-up! With a few alterations, this can also be a boy's party!
Before whipping up that cake batter, remember that SignUpGenius can assist with the planning of any party, be it for football stars or fashion-istas!
