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Designing your party using a theme
Themes! You've heard about them and other moms seem to make them work without effort! How do you?
Giving your party a theme actually makes it easier to do the party. Where some parents get stuck is by thinking within "the box." Especially when you are doing a syndicated, copyrighted character birthday party (Sesame Street, Barney, Batman, Barbie, etc....) parents immediately decide to just buy the stuff and presto the party will happen. However, all this is "just stuff" and fancy paper plates won't make a party special or memorable.
For example, you've decided to have a Blue's Clues party. Now what? Because Blue and the show is syndicated your first thought is to rush out and buy lots and lots of Blues Clues stuff...such as paper goods, games, party favors etc... You're thinking is that by having this stuff your party will just magically "happen."
Before you do all that lets take a step backwards. What is the show all about? Finding CLUES to answer a question about what Blue wants to do. Couldn't you design your party in the same manner?
Taking this a step further... You decide that Blue wants to wish your son, James, a happy birthday. You make clues to put around the house (birthday candles, a photo of a cake, a wrapped present) and stick a big blue pawprint on it cut out of construction paper. You give each guest a clue notebook when they enter the house.
Your games are designed around "doggie" and "clues." A tag game becomes "Catch Blue" and your treasure hunt is a "clue hunt." Any traditional game can be adapted to any party by changing the name and some of the rules to fit in better with your party.
Be sure to have other characters around such as Mailbox, Mr. Salt and Mrs. Pepper, who could be cut out of construction paper or made out of boxes. You make "puppy dog" ears for your guests and have them all eat cake (shaped like a big blue bone) out of dog dishes. You and your child are wearing a green striped shirts like Steve's.
You've chosen Blues Clues plates, light blue cups, dark blue plastic ware, and a mix of two different color of blue balloons around your birthday table. A stuffed Blues Clues dog with a homemade doghouse made of a cardboard box is your centerpiece.
Did you rush out and buy lots and lots of Blues Clues stuff? Does your party look like a Blues Clues clone that everyone in the neighborhood is doing? Not really.
The point here is that many of these themes with "characters" can be adapted to tested and true themes that are highly detailed in all the party literature. A few examples follow ~
Scooby Doo - Mystery party or 60's/70's party
Batman - Superhero party
Sesame Street & Barney - Neighborhood block party, counting, colors, alphabet etc...
Barbie - Fashion show, dress-up, make-up party
Rugrats - Baby party
Arthur - Going to School, neighborhood, and family
Curious George - Zoo, animals, safari
Your theme, no matter what it is, should incorporate these key elements ....
1.) Color (choose two to use). Your chosen colors should be used in the balloons, plate ware, silverware, cups, crepe paper etc... By picking two colors and using them in everything your house will appear more pulled together than if you picked 3-5 colors spread throughout.
2.) Balloons. If buying less than 10 keep the balloons together. They have more impact when spaced together than when placed through your home. Use your theme colors. Pick one to be the special character balloon if needed and be sure to hang it over the table using your chandelier. I prefer latex balloons over Mylar, as Mylar balloons don't stay up as long as latex.
Please remember that balloons are the No. 1 Choking Hazard for children!3.) Paper Goods. Plates, cups, silverware, tablecloth should all be done in the same colors or in the same character. Honestly though kids don't notice character plates so I would buy them sparingly and mix them with solid colors which are a cheaper buy.
4.) Food. Your food should also fit the theme. Hotdogs for Blues Clues or Scooby party. Animal cookies for Curious George. etc... Your punch should be given a special name such as Shaggy's Juice or Curious Punch.
5.) Cake. Your cake doesn't have to be a ho-hum sheet cake with Barbie's face sprayed on. Try something different but make sure it fits the theme. Shocking idea... try to make it yourself!
6.) Tabletop Centerpiece always makes the table so much more special. Lego castle for lego party, pirate play ship for pirate party, Barbie dollhouse, etc... Look through your child's toy chest. If they like this theme so much they are bound to have toys that fit it. Put them on the table and dress them up by using confetti, putting the favor bags inside the doghouse, or let the kids play with the toys after the birthday cake.
7.) Invitations. Keep them with the theme and the colors. Invitations you make with your child are always so much more special and gets them involved.
8.) Games. Your games should have names that fit your theme even if they are traditional games. Duck, Duck Goose, becomes Ernie, Ernie, Big Bird for example.
9.) Party Favors. Keep them within the theme too. Many party favors are just an odd collection of junk that gets thrown away when the child gets home. Pick something that fits your theme and stick to about 3 items. For example, Blues Clues could be the notebook and crayon; Scooby Doo a magnifying glass to search for clues; Barbie could be a pair of kids sunglasses etc...
10.) Music. Don't forget this important part. Get a CD with music that fits your theme to play.
11.) Adult Involvement. Dress up to be within "character" of the party. Become a princess, a pirate, a "Steve", or whomever. If you are involved in the party and play along too it will set the entire mood. If your just not the type, see if someone in the family would help you out, perhaps a brother, sister, mother or cousin.
12.) Child Involvement. Get the guests involved as soon as possible. Get them excited about the theme and the party by asking their help. Ask them to bring something to the party (their favorite Barbie) or have them sign in when they enter the door, or hand out a clue book etc...
