 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
||||||||||||
 |
 |
 |
|
||||||||||
 |
 |
 |
|
||||||||||
 |
|
||||||||||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
||||
 |
 |
 |
|
||||||||||
 |
 |
|
|||||||||||
Looking for some inspiration for your child's
next birthday party? Look no further than
the games, toys and stuffed animals in your
playroom. One of my favorites is Candy Land.
The childhood classic makes for a sweet party
theme for kids 5 and under.
This party is original, engaging and (most importantly) very affordable. Skip those expensive cookie-cutter, prefab parties and get back to good old-fashioned, memory-making fun.
Here's how to bring your Candy Land party to life.
THE INVITATIONS
Buy large lollipops and attach a brightly colored card with a satin ribbon. On the card, provide all the party details and hand-deliver them. If you don’t want to deliver sweets, draw and cut out a large lollipop and attach a pipe cleaner for a stem. You can include all the necessary party information on the lollipop.
THE DECORATIONS
Use your child’s favorite primary colors for the balloons, streamers and tableware. Mix and match colors. For the table centerpiece, fill a large bucket with Fruit Loops and stick in large lollipops. If you've got good weather for the big day, make your own Candy Land path to your front door with different colors. If it is bad weather, put the Candy Land path around your party area.
One of the best ways to organize this party is to have the guests visit each area of Candy Land, where they will do a game or activity. Be sure to have the description of each area, per the game, printed out, so your guests can really feel like they are inside the game.
BRING THE GAME TO LIFE
Tie a rainbow of balloons together and place it at the start of the come-to-life board game. Your first activity can be a rainbow-themed taste test. Blindfold the kids and have them taste a variety of foods, such as white sugar, lemon juice or lemon drops, orange carrots, etc. The taste test can include anything you want to put out, but make sure it utilizes those bright, primary colors. With the kids blindfolded, it will be a real surprise!
For the “Gum Drop Pass,” place out a big jar full of gumdrops and let the kids take turns guessing how many gumdrops are inside.
For “Mr. Mint,” set up a relay race using a spoon and a peppermint. Divide the kids into two teams and have them race back and forth to see which team can finish first without dropping the peppermint.
For the “Licorice Castle,” the kids can make licorice bracelets. Use thin black and red licorice for the bracelet and let the kids string on colorful Cheerios for edible bracelets. Yum!
For “Grandma Nut,” give each child a spoonful of peanut butter and see who can finish it first. Be sure to make sure that none of your guests have a peanut butter allergy first. Depending on your findings, you may want to skip this activity.
For “Gloppy,” set up a table with chocolate syrup and big sheets of paper so the kids can finger-paint their own masterpiece. They will love this one, but be prepared for a mess!
For “Queen Frostine,” set up a chair at the end of the game and ask your birthday girl to take her throne. Then, present her with a crown on a little pillow (and a cape, if possible!). If the party is for a little boy, crown him King of Candy Land! Give out fun Ring Pops during the crowning event! This is also a major photo-op time. Take a picture of each of your guests with his or her majesty. Be sure to include a copy of the photo in each guest's thank-you note.
OTHER FUN IDEAS
Let the kids make their own Candy Land house using graham crackers and frosting as glue. Provide all sorts of candies for the kids to decorate their homes.
Play the Candy Land game! (Gather enough games from neighbors and friends so everyone can play at the same time.)
Make a large circle of Candy Land pieces, and let the kids walk around on the giant “game board” set to music. When you stop the music, call out a color, and the child on the color is out. Play until only one child remains.
Play “King Candy Says” like you would play Simon Says.
Play “Licorice, Licorice, Lollipop” like Duck, Duck, Goose.
Play “Queen Frostine May I?” like Mother May I? (Let the birthday child be the queen or king.)
Have the kids decorate giant gingerbread cookies with frosting and candies.
THE MENU
Serve sandwiches, cookies and Jell-O jigglers cut out into candy cane and gingerbread man shapes.
Set out rainbow-colored goldfish, carrot sticks, pudding cups and chocolate milk.
Instead of cake, serve a batch of cupcakes topped in a rainbow of colored candies. Peppermint ice cream also works well with the theme.
THE FAVORS
Oh, the possibilities are endless: The kids can take home candy, of course, or a bright box of crayons and a Candy Land coloring book or printable pages.
Lisa Kothari is the founder and president of Peppers and Pollywogs (www.peppersandpollywogs.com),
a kids’ party-planning company that provides parents with ideas, entertainers and interesting web-based tools (customized rhymes and cards for your invitations!) to make kids’ party planning easy. She has recently written and published Dear Peppers and Pollywogs… What Parents Want to Know About Planning Their Kids’ Parties, which is available at www.amazon.com and www.peppersandpollywogs.com.
HOME | ABOUT TFG | CONTACT TFG | FREE TFG | ADVERTISE TFG | SHOP TFG | PRIVACY POLICY | TERMS & CONDITIONS
