Need party planning ideas for food, crafts, decorations and more? 

Check out these themed party ideas below

Farm/Barnyard/Wild West

Suggested Clothing: Cow Boy, Cow Girl, Cowboy Hat, Neckerchief

FOOD
Decorate Animal Cupcakes:
Make your child's favorite cupcake prior to the party.  Provide various colored icings and candies and let the kids create their own farm animal face cupcakes

GAMES
The Chicken and the Egg.: Hide plastic toy filled eggs around the party area and send kids to gather the eggs

Lasso Round Up Make or borrow a rope lasso.  Prior to the party fill a bucket with cement and fill with a hobby horse (this can be as simple as a piece of 2x4 representing a horse head.  After cement is set the kids can lasso the horsey.

 
ACTIVITIES
Purchase gingham ribbon and paper and metal key tags from an office supply.  Have each child write their animal's name on the key tag, slip the ring on the gingham ribbon and tie around the animal's neck creating a great name tag for the animal.
 

Suggested Clothing: Fairy, Wizard, Pirate

FAIRY FOODS - Every fairy loves a fairy tea party!  Have your little fairy help you by cutting out flower and heart shaped sandwiches.  Purchase or make mini-muffins and cookies and be sure to serve your pixie tea (lemonade) in small tea cups called demitasse cups.

DECORATIONS - Utilize nature and bring the party outdoors to a wooded area or create your own fairy garden setting with lots of flowers and flower petals strewn about

ACTIVITIES
Purchase flower and fairy temporary tattoos or paint simple flower vine designs using facepaints.  A dab of fairy glitter on the cheeks and arms will send your fairies fluttering.

CRAFTS
Purchase cardboard treasure chests and paint with metallic spray paint prior the party.  Have lots of jewels and gems the children can glue on their fairy treasure boxes.

GAMES
Find the Fairy Wings: Prior to the party secure bags with candy or other fairy treasures to fairy wings and hide around the party area.  Send fairies on a treasure hunt for fairy wings.  Each time they find a fairy wing they receive a fairy treasure for their fairy treasure box.

Smiling Sprites: Have all fairies sit in a circle and explain that Tinkerbell enjoyed teasing the lost boys with silly faces.  Each fairy will take a turn trying to make the other fairies giggle while making a silly face.   The goal is to not giggle.  After each fairy takes a turn trying to make the others giggle she will wipe off her silly face and toss it to another fairy who will then take a turn.

Suggested Kits:  Any Jungle/Safari Animal

Suggested Clothing:  Zookeeper

DECORATIONS
Create a jungle with green streamers draped around the room and hanging from the ceiling.

FOOD
• Dried ants (dried cranberries or raisins)
• Snake eggs (green or red seedless grapes)
• Live worms (hot dogs cut into strips lengthwise and boiled until curly)
• Beetle wings (potato chips)
• Croc teeth (apple sliced into wedges)
• Animal crackers
• Animal Bites - Make your child's favorite sandwiches and use cookie cutters to    cut them into animal shapes

CRAFTS
Safari Binoculars: The children can make binoculars from two toilet paper rolls glued together then they can decorate them with animal stickers and stamps.

GAMES
Scavenger Hunt: Send kids on a scavenger hunt for various animals hidden around the room.  Give each child a pith helmet and set of binoculars to outfit them for their expedition.

 

Suggested Outfits:  Princess, Knight

GAMES
 

Pass the Poison Apple - similar to hot potato using an apple. The princess who is left holding the apple when the music stops can either fall asleep or can help with the music.

What’s missing?: Place several items on a tray or cookie sheet. Try to find items that work with the theme. Tiara, lipstick, Wand or royal scepter, Silver spoon, Jewelry, Handkerchief etc. One player leaves the room. Remove one or two items from the tray. When the player returns they must guess what's missing. Everyone gets a turn.

ACTIVITY
Decorate a Tiara - Purchase paper tiaras and crowns and decorate with gems.
 

Suggested Outfits:  Soccer, Football, Basketball, Cheer, Hockey, Any Sports

FOOD
Cookie Medals - To make the medals, bake sugar cookie using your favorite recipe. Use a toothpick to make a hole in the top of the cookie as soon as you take them out of the oven. Insert a colorful ribbon through the hole when the cookies are completely cool. Write "You're #1" in cake icing on each cookie.
Set up a hotdog stand with all of the fixings. For drinks, use sports bottles. Popcorn, cotton candy and snow cones are a great addition.

GAMES
Long Jump: This game is a standing long jump, so running starts are not allowed! Mark a starting line with masking tape on the floor. Mark each jump with a piece of tape and write the player’s name on it. Record each player’s longest jump.

Training Course: Every athlete needs to be in top physical shape and this course will give the kids a workout. Set up an obstacle course using items you already have around the house; Chairs, tires, jump ropes...the teams will race the clock to go through the course.

Baseball Toss: Use a "Nerf" ball or real base ball to hit a target or make it through a hula hoop. This will also work with tennis or football.

Balloon BEE: Prior to the party a letter of a sports team (cut out from construction paper) into balloons. Do this multiple times and add in some extra letters. Split your guests into two teams. The team that pops the balloons first and spelled the sports team name won a prize.

Football Toss: Hang hula hoops for a football toss with nerf footballs.

Suggested Clothing:  Any outfit

DECORATIONS
Use a fog machine to set your prehistoric surroundings.  Make a simple centerpiece by tying a bouquet of helium balloons to a large plastic or plush dinosaur. Tape dinosaur footprints on the walls and floor. Create a jungle effect by hanging strips of green streamers in varying lengths from the ceiling. Place plastic and plush dinosaurs throughout the party area.
Poster board dinosaur prints can lead from your front door to the party room or patio

FOOD
Dirt: Make this fun treat before or during the party. The kids will enjoy making
their own treat and you'll have another fun party activity.You'll need:
chocolate cookie crumbs
chocolate pudding
Gummi worms
rock candy "dino eggs"
clear plastic cups

To Make:
Spoon a layer of pudding into clear plastic cups.
Add a few gummi worms and then a layer of cookie crumbs.
Repeat this process and top with some worms and dinosaur eggs.
**Be very careful when using dry ice! Handle only with tongs or heavy gloves! Do not put the dry ice directly in the punch or touch it with
bare skin, it can burn and should NOT be ingested.
Dino shaped chicken Nuggets
Dinosaur Eggs (cherry tomatoes or grapes) in a Nest (shredded lettuce)

ACTIVITIES
Dino Dig: Fill a small pool with dirt or sand to create the excavation site. Or use construction tape to designate a dig area in your yard. Bury any these items before the party: Real or plastic bones, popsicle sticks, small dinosaur toys, or old coins. Provide each child with a small shovel or soup spoon and a paint brush to clean their finds (optional).

Dino Egg Hunt: Fill plastic Easter eggs with candy. Kids love this so plan on hiding a lot…at least 15 eggs per child.
Ring Toss with Dinosaurs: SOLID, heavy plastic dinosaurs are the targets for this game. Rings can be purchased or easily made with heavy rope and duct tape. Play just as you would horse shoes or Ring Toss. Take turns and reward EACH child for a job well done!


CRAFT

Binoculars: The children can make binoculars from two toilet paper rolls glued together then they can decorate them with animal stickers and stamps.
 

Suggest Outfits:  Fireman

GAMES
Water Brigade: Carry water from one large bucket to another empty bucket, using a small beach pail. The children will form two lines and pass the pail from one player to another until the large filled bucket is empty. They can then reverse play going in the other direction.

Firehouse Obstacle Course: Requires a large space or backyard. Every firefighter has to go through rigorous training before they can receive their badge. Set a up an obstacle course with piles of dirt, tires, stepping stones, caution tape and any other safe items you can think of. To play, the children will go through the "Fire Zone" as fast as they can. They will probably want to run the course several times. At the end of the course each child will receive a badge or ribbon for bravery!
Pin the Tail on the Dalmatian: Play just like Pin the tail on the Donkey using a hand drawn Dalmatian dog, paper tails and double stick tape.

"Hot Hat": Pass the fireman hat around the circle from person to person quickly, while music is playing. When the music stops, the person holding the fireman hat sits in the middle or controls the music for one round.

Outfit Suggestion:  Hawaiian, Swimwear

DECORATING
Aloha/Tropical print paper products accented with BRIGHT balloons/banners. Set an island tone with Calypso music playing in the background. 

GAMES
Limbo!: The Limbo is an absolute must for a summer/island themed party. How low can YOU go?

" Hot Coconut": Pass the coconut around the circle from person to person quickly, while music is playing. When the music stops, the person holding the coconut sits in the middle or controls the music for one round.

Tropical Relay Race: Divide the group into two teams
Equipment: Two Grass skirts, 2 pairs of Bermuda shorts, 2 pairs of sunglasses 2 Straw Hats, 2 lei necklaces, 2 Beach bags, 2 Beach chairs
Each team lines up in a row. Place chairs a reasonable running distance in front of each team or any distance your space will allow. The objects listed above are placed into the beach bags and located with each team. The first players on each team, put on ALL of the items, run to the chair, return to their team, remove the items and pass the bag to the next player. The next players continue until the entire team has had a turn.

Bobbing for Seashells: Fill a large plastic tub with water. Purchase floating items; plastic fish, shells, pineapples, flip-flops... Before the party use a permanent marker to write either a 1, 2, or 3 on each item. They will be placed in the water at game time. Make three prize bags filled with candy bars, gum, or other inexpensive items. Write 1, 2, or 3 on each bag. Players hold their hands behind their backs and use their teeth to grab an item. They then collect a prize from the bag that matches the # on the item they caught. This game can be played with any age group, using simple variations on the same principle.

CRAFTS
Lei Necklaces - You'll need: yarn, drinking straws and colored paper.
Before the party, cut 1" pieces from drinking straws and flowers from colored paper. Make a hole in the center of each flower using a hole punch. The children will bead their lei's alternating straws and flowers until it is the desired length. Tip: Wrap a piece of tape around the end of the yarn for easy beading.

FOOD
Skewer pieces of fruit, cheese, and meat with fancy toothpicks. Serve Swedish fish and Goldfish crackers in sand bucket. Have a frozen drink station…but don’t forget the little drink umbrellas. Kids love those!
 

Suggested Clothing:  Karate
 

CRAFTS: Give each child a strip of fabric to decorate using fabric markers. Tie them around your guest’s heads to get them in the party spirit.

GAMES/ACTIVITIES
How High?: Have a kicking contest, where the kids compete for the highest kick.

Pinata: Forget the stick at piñata time. Have the kids punch or kick it!

Balloon Bop: Blow up a lot of balloons. Now tie 2-3 feet of string to each one. Then have each kid tie the other end to his dominate ankle. Tell them to try to pop everyone elses balloon by stomping on it. Last one with a non-popped balloon is the winner!

Gift Roundup: Sometimes gift opening can be chaotic and overwhelming. If each guest brought a gift, try this idea . . . Have children sit in a circle with presents in their laps. Play "hot potato" and pass gifts as music plays. The gift that lands in the birthday child’s lap when the music stops is the next to be opened.
 

Suggested clothing:  Pirate, Mermaid

DECORATIONS
Decorate with mardi gras beads and seashells around the party area to create your own treasure island.  Bring in potted palm trees for an island feel. 


CRAFTS
Treasure Chest Craft: Have children decorate cardboard treasure chests with jewels, gems and pirate themed foam pieces.

GAMES/ACTIVITES
Pass the Hook:  Play pass the hook similar to "Hot Potato".

Walk the Plank: Use a 2x4 board to make the plank. The children take turns walking across the board. When they get to the end they all get a chocolate coin or a small prize. Repeat as many times as you wish.

Treasure Hunt - Make your own treasure map using easy to follow instructions such as take 15 steps to the leaning palm and turn right...

Crocodile Crossing - Make a 6 ft paper crocodile or use an inflatable pool toy.  Send kids on a scavenger hunt for a gold coin, ukelelee, and rope.  Lay the crocodile in the path to the treasure.  Explain to the children that a crocodile will fall asleep as long as the children play the ukelelee.  Have one child wrap the rope around the croc's mouth while another plays the ukelelee.  Each child will then toss a gold coin on the croc's back and jump over the croc on their way to the treasure.
 

Suggested Clothing: Pajamas, Robe & Slippers

Suggested Clothing: Cheer

ACTIVITIES/GAMES
Cheer!: Hire a high school cheerleader to teach some cheers to your guests.

"Pom Pom": Pass a pom pom around the circle from person to person quickly, while music is playing. When the music stops, the person holding the pom pom sits in the middle or controls the music for one round.

Balloon Bop: Blow up a lot of balloons. Now tie 2-3 feet of string to each one. Then have each kid tie the other end to his dominate ankle. Tell them to try to pop everyone elses balloon by stomping on it. Last one with a non-popped balloon is the winner!

 

Suggested Clothing:  Magic Hat & Wand, Wizard

GAMES/ACTIVITIES
Magic Freeze Tag: Play this game just like "Freeze Tag". Give each player a small pouch of glitter before playing. One player will be "it". When you say "GO" the kids run from whoever is “it”. If “it” tags a player, that player is frozen until another player sprinkles fairy dust on them. Make sure that each player has a turn to be "it" and that each round does not take too long.

What’s missing?: Place several items on a tray or cookie sheet. Try to find items that work with the theme. Magic wand, a star, a Wizard hat, a crystal, a stone etc. One player leaves the room. Remove one or two items from the tray. When the player returns they must guess what's missing. Everyone gets a turn.

Magic Potions: It wouldn't be a true gathering of wizards if you could not sample the latest batch of potions. Fill assorted jars with a variety of colorful sports drinks or juices. Then set out ice-filled tumblers into which kids can pour their beverage of choice or perhaps mix a few together. For a little added authenticity, provide a sprig of magical herb--mint leaves that the guests can pull off and drop into their potions.

Search for the Magic Beans: A job is always easier when great wizard minds join forces. In this case, that means solving a series of cleverly cryptic clues to find a stash of magic beans (a fanciful container filled with multiflavored jelly beans the kids can divvy up and take home).To set up the hunt, first choose four to six successive hiding spots around your house or yard (the last one being where you hide the treasure). Then write a clue that leads to each one. For example, the first clue, which might direct the kids to look under a pot of marigolds, could be printed backward so that they will have to hold it up to a mirror to read it. The second clue, hidden under the flowerpot, might lead them to the mailbox. This time you could write the clue with a white crayon on white paper and leave it with a colored marker and instructions to scribble all over the paper to reveal the message. For the remaining clues, consider posing a riddle, coming up with a numeric code and a key to translate each number into a letter, or even creating a word search puzzle.

CRAFTS
Sorcerer’s Glitter Globe: These crystal ball party favors are sure to cause a stir among attending wizards. In the center of each one is a sparkly sorcerer's stone. Use your hands to mold some polymer clay (such as Sculpey III) into a small mushroom shape, then press plenty of glitter onto the clay surface. Next, press the bottom of the clay "stem" onto the inner lid of a small clean jar so that it is firmly attached. Fill the jar almost to the top with water and stir in a few drops of glycerin (sold at most pharmacies) and 1/2 teaspoon of glitter. The glycerin will increase the density of the water and cause the glitter to fall more slowly. Finally, tightly screw the lid onto the jar and invert the globe.
 

Suggested Clothing:  Tee Shirt

FOOD
• Cut sandwiches or cheese with a Dog bone cookie cutter.
• Fill new red dog bowls with coco-puffs cereal and M&M's for a dog kibble treat.

ACTIVITIES
Face Painting: paint a nose and whiskers with child friendly face paint


GAMES
Dog Trainer Says: Based on Simon Says, this game has the kids doing dog tricks--but only when the leader prefaces the command with "Trainer says..." The trainer will need a cheat sheet to remember appropriate dog commands: Sit. Lie down. Roll over. Speak. Jump. Shake. Stay. Three-year-olds may have trouble keeping the rules straight. For them, forget the "Trainer says" part and just pretend to teach them tricks like Run around the yard, backward. Five-year-olds might like the game better if you speed it up and add silly commands like Growl, Wag your tail, and Bark your head off. All good puppies get treats for learning their tricks.

Where’s My Bone?: Prior to the party hide 8 dog bones per child. Give each child a paper bag and send them on the hunt. Once each child finds 5 bones, have them return them for a small gift

What’s missing?: Place several items on a tray or cookie sheet. Try to find items that work with the theme. A dog bone, collar, tags, dog brush, stuffed dog, etc. One player leaves the room. Remove one or two items from the tray. When the player returns they must guess what's missing. Everyone gets a turn.

CRAFT
Puppy Collars: Purchase paper key tag rings from an office supply and scrapbook ribbons.  Have children decorate the key tag and write their puppy's name on the tag - slip it on the collar and tie around their puppy's neck for a cute kitty name tag.
 

Suggested Clothing:  Tee Shirt

ACTIVITIES
Face Painting: paint a nose and whiskers with child friendly face paint  - you can order kitty ears online at www.birthdayexpress.com


CRAFT
Kitty Collars: Purchase paper key tag rings from an office supply and scrapbook ribbons.  Have children decorate the key tag and write their kitty's name on the tag - slip it on the collar and tie around their kitty's neck for a cute kitty name tag.

 

Suggested Clothing:  Mermaid or Pirate for Boys or Swimwear

DECORATING TIPS
Purchase sea shells and mardi gras necklaces and decorate your party table representing a treasure strewn sea floor.

CRAFTS
Mermaid Crowns: Purchase paper tiaras from www.orientaltradingcompany.com.  Have children decorate a mermaid crown.

GAMES/ACTIVITIES
 

Mermaid Make-UP Station - Mermaids love to beautify so set up a station where Mermaids can apply mermaid body glitter, accessorize with mardi gras beads and flowers in their hair.

Treasure Toss: Fill a wading pool with water and throw a couple of green plastic bowls into it. Provide a treasure box of pennies to try to pitch into the bowls.
Hidden Treasure Search: Bury gold coins, seashells, jewels, jewelry etc in a sand filled area. You can then use the seashells and jewels to decorate the Mermaid Crowns.

" Hot Seashell": Pass the seashell around the circle from person to person quickly, while music is playing. When the music stops, the person holding the seashell sits in the middle or controls the music for one round.

Bobbing for Seashells:Fill a large plastic tub with water. Purchase floating items; plastic fish, shells, pineapples, flip-flops... Before the party use a permanent marker to write either a 1, 2, or 3 on each item. They will be placed in the water at game time. Make three prize bags filled with candy bars, gum, or other inexpensive items. Write 1, 2, or 3 on each bag. Players hold their hands behind their backs and use their teeth to grab an item. They then collect a prize from the bag that matches the # on the item they caught. This game can be played with any age group, using simple variations on the same principle.
 

Suggested Clothing:  Army outfit

DECORATIONS
Check you local area recruiters for FREE Army, Navy and Marines posters. Many recruiting offices offer free stickers and other trinkets for goodie bags.
Green, brown and black paper products and balloons
Dog tags can be made for next to nothing from cardboard from a shoe box lid, covered in aluminum foil with a small mailing label stuck on. Make two tags - one for their first name, the other for their code name. Punch a hole in each tag and attach them to string.

GAMES/ACTIVITIES
Obstacle Course: It starts with 10 swim rings blown up and tied together, the kids have to run thru it, a foot in each circle. Next take 6 dowel rods and pound them into the ground, in two rows of three and then tie string back and forth between them. The kids have to crawl under this. Next place a long plank over two short saw horses, for the kids to walk over. Then position 5 hula hoops, small and large ones around the yard for them to crawl through. Fill gallon baggies with sand and set them on the hoops to hold them up straight. Then have the kids push a large ball (52 inches) which they couldn't see around, thru a small area set up with cones.

Water Gun Game: Issue their water guns and have a marksmanship game where they shoot down army men.

Grenade Launch: Each child gets 3-5 grenade water balloons to toss at army men sat up on cups.

Search and Rescue: Hide Army men and give the kids binoculars and a camoflauge bag to find as many as they could. Keep extras on hand just in case someone doesn’t find any.

Face Painting: Paint patches of brown, green and black for camouflage on the kid’s faces to out them in the party mood.

Land Mine Walk: Set out a bunch of water balloons and blindfold each solider. The kids have to make it through without breaking any balloons.
Diffuse the Grenade: Everyone got three balloons which had a small present inside and they had to pop their balloons, just using their bodies.

“Sergeant Says”: Play this the same as “Simon Says”

CRAFTS
Binoculars: The children can make binoculars from two toilet paper rolls glued together then they can decorate them with animal stickers and stamps.

Paper Jet fighters: Supply a stack of paper, a little guidance and let the kids make their own paper airplanes. Let them decorate their planes with markers, crayons and stickers.

Camo Boxes: Get some small wooded storage boxes and set out paints in camo colors (light pink, dark pink and white are good for girl’s camo).