It is your child’s birthday and you want it to be special. Here are a few ideas to make your child’s birthday memorable.

Princess party

If you are planning a party for your daughter, a princess party is the best idea. Send out invites in paper cut outs that resemble a scroll. Decorate your house with plenty of crepe paper and balloons. If the weather permits, plan to have the party outdoors. Make castles from big cardboard boxes, preferably refrigerator boxes. Make cardboard swords and shields, silver coins with foil paper and gilt paper crowns, and put them in the goodie bag so that your little ladies and gents can play with them when the action starts. When it comes to food, go in for candies, pizza and hotdogs. Make a cake in the shape of a castle or crown. Children love them and they are not messy either. Plan games like finding hidden treasure, catching the knave who stole the king’s coins and more.

Jungle safari theme

Plan a wild and whacky jungle themed party. Send out invitations in paper with animal print. Decorate your house with leaves – real or made from paper and crepe. Make palm trees using construction paper and strew about bananas and coconuts. You can buy animal masks for your little guests and include them in the bag of goodies. Get a cake made in the shape of a lion or palm tree. Pass around cookies shaped like animals. These snacks will blend with the theme. If noise is not an issue, you can make jungle drums using tins and play a rainforest tape in the background. Let the guests pick lots which contain the name of an animal and let each one play the role they pick. You can play passing the parcel or ask the children to reach for an apple suspended from a tree without using their hands. The giraffes may excel at this.

Pirate party

Send out invites in the form of ransom notes, or write a note and put it in a bottle along with sand and shells. Let the children come in pirate costumes. Arrange for games like treasure hunt. Draw a map to help the pirates to find the treasure. Use a cardboard box to make a treasure chest. Place cheap beads and crystals in the box. Pack the bag of goodies with gold foil coins, eye patches and cardboard swords. Arrange the cake in the shape of a treasure chest. Have barbeque and ice cream for the foods.

Hawaiian luau

How about a Hawaiian style party? You can send out invites in paper shaped like a banana leaf or pineapple. You can also buy grass skirts at costume stores and you can make leis. Have the birthday girl or boy put them on everyone. Ask your guests to come in bright colorful shirts. Arrange a cake in the shape of a pineapple. Try your hand at cooking Hawaiian dishes. You can find several recipes on the internet. Make a fruit basket using a cored pineapple filled with chopped fruits. This makes a healthy snack for your little guests. Don’t forget Hawaiian music and dance.

Barbeque party

This is a great idea for an outdoor party. There is no need for decorations since the party will be set outdoors. Arrange for a large kiddie pool with plenty of water toys. Let grilled chicken, hotdogs and fruit punch be the main dishes on the menu. You can let the kids roast their own hamburgers and hot dogs under your supervision of course.

Jason Ladock

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