MINNEAPOLIS – When it comes to kids’ birthday parties, there’s a fine line between going all out and going overboard.
The key is to make the party about the experience, not the stuff. The best theme parties use kids’ passions as a springboard for ideas and give them props and a push to let their imaginations run free.
Here are three fun, creative and (mostly) outside-of-the-box ideas for kiddie birthday parties at home.
Party in a box. Kids and boxes. What else could you need?
Invitations: Stow details in a little cardboard jewelry box or folding gift box.
Food: Spread filling between three slices of bread, cut off the crusts and cut into quarters. Keep it simple – PB&J or cream cheese.
Add juice boxes, raisin boxes and anything else you can think of that’s square or boxy.
Decor: Wrap the door and table in brown craft paper. Get small boxes for mini-tables. Remember balloons and ribbons!
Activity: Decorate the boxes! Adults handle the box cutter, tape and tools, but kids can do design and decor with stickers, construction paper, painter’s tape, silk flowers and any other craft supplies.
Goodies: Kiddie construction helmets (cheap at party and costume shops), tool belts, toy tools and maybe a box to go.
Aloha to spring. This will cure even the worst cabin fever.
Invitations: Use your word processor to create a pretend airline ticket, or add tropical clip art to party details. Tell guests to bring summer clothes.
Cake: Pineapple upside-down cake, of course, or warm chocolate cakes, which will burst like volcanoes when the kids cut into them.
Decor: Outdoors, tiki torches. Inside, replace the flame with bright crepe paper. Add paper flowers, netting, shells, paper palm trees. If it’s cold outside, put up a tent or a sheet inside where kids can change into Hawaiian shorts and T-shirts.
Activities: Hula-hoop contest, make paper leis, pineapple bowling.
Goodies: Sunglasses, luau cup, paper grass skirt.
Other thoughts: Don’t forget the music! Lots of breezy island tunes are available for preview and download on iTunes and Rhapsody.
Rock star for a day. Prepare by tracking down and prescreening – with your child – an appropriate karaoke DVD, available online and at the public library.
Invitations: Write the child’s name in black marker on a cardboard gold star, available at party supply stores.
The invitation can later double as a bedroom door decoration. Write the details on the back, or on an attached card. Note that guests should bring a CD with their favorite song flagged.
Decor: Use a yard or two of red felt to make a red-carpet entry into the party area. Hang foil stars and CDs (“free-download” CD-roms) and photos of favorite pop stars. Designate an area as the stage, and hang a backdrop of dark paper. Add a disco ball and directional lights. Note: Don’t embarrass the kids, please. Party stores still stock 1950s vinyl records and ’57 Chevies, so you’ll have to update for 2007.
Activities: Have face paint and costumes, including boas, hats, skirts, scarves and whatever you and your child think might be cool. Have an adult or two help with hair and makeup. Take photos. Crank up the karaoke and let them shake their groove thang.
Goodies: Make a mix CD of everyone’s favorite songs. Give to departing guests, with superstar sunglasses. Write thank-you notes on the back of each child’s rock-star photo.
