Tea Party

I think having a Tea Party Birthday Party for a little girl would be so sweet.  Think pink, white, little foods, real teacups, flowers, white gloves, hats....  The thought is making me all giggly inside!  Wait, I mean the thought is making me feel all sophisticated inside!

That's the beauty of having a party like this, the girls can be giggly and act grown up at the same time :)

Tea Party Birthday Party Invitations:

Make sure the girls know to come dressed up!

There are a ton of ideas online, but I love this one!  Super cute!!  source

Tea Party Birthday Party Favors:
You could provide white gloves, party hats, stings of play pearls, and/or feather boas.  How fun is that?!?

Think craft store, dollar store, party stores, Oriental Trading, etc. for these kind of things. 

Tea Party Birthday Party Decorations:
This party needs real linens, no plastic tablecloths at this party!  Real flowers.  Real china.  Real plates.  Real silverware.  Mismatched pieces are fine, it will add to the charm of the party.

Oh my goodness, invite me please!!

I love balloons, but no balloons at this party.  You can still create a festive atmosphere, but think outside the balloon-box. 

Martha makes it easy!  source

Tea Party Birthday Party Food:
Think little.  Tea sandwiches.  Bite-sized fruit.  Cheese and crackers. Displayed on tall plates.  Chocolate covered pretzels. Small candies. In small bowls or on small plates.

Gorgeous.  Really, food tastes better when it is displayed nicely!! 

 Cut the crusts off the bread, even if it is just peanut butter and jelly!

Don't you want to eat this whole plate of candy just because it looks so cute?!?

Cupcakes are so easy to make and can be so super-cute.  The key is to get a big tip for your icing bag.  Here is an easy tutorial on icing cupcakes.  Leave a bit of the cupcake showing for that added "professional" touch.

Buy sugar flower toppers at your local cake or candy store.  Keep it simple!

And of course, don't forget the tea!   You might also want to have apple juice on hand (in a tea pot too!) for your non-tea-drinkers.

Tea Party Birthday Party Games:
Little girls cannot sit and eat little foods and drink tea for a couple hours!  You'll need to fill your party time with some games.  Try to keep the games sophisticated, though.  (No running or getting crazy, this is a tea party afterall!!)

Idea #1 - Drop the Sugar Cube
Give each girl a spoon and a sugar cube.  Have them stand above a tea pot or tea cup.  Holding the spoon by their nose, try to have them drop the cube into the cup.  (You might want to use a plastic cup here!)

Idea #2 - Pass the Sugar Cube
Give each girl a spoon.  Have them line up in 2 lines.  Ask them to put the spoons in their mouths and then place the sugar cube on the girl's spoon who starts each line.  They must pass the sugar cube to the end of the line, spoon by spoon.  No hands!  First team to pass the sugar cube the entire line wins.

Idea #3 - Tea Painting
Have different colored tea bags (herbal teas are sometimes different colors, raspberry is pink, for example) and paper.  The girls can only use tea bags and water to create their masterpieces.

Idea #4 -Smile Maker Game
One girl at the table is the designated Smile Maker.  She must try to get the other girls to smile.  She can make silly faces or do whatever she can - but she cannot touch anyone else.  To make it harder, she cannot leave her seat either.  Take turns, allowing each girl to try being the Smile Maker.

Idea #5 - Tea Leaf Art
Break open a few tea bags and place the contents in dishes.  Draw a few ideas on paper (heart, smiley face, etc.).  Place the girls in groups of 2 and have them randomly choose the pre-drawn shapes.  They must re-create the picture in a cup of water, using the tea leaves and a spoon.

Idea #6 - Memory Game
Place items on a tray.  Include items like a tea bag, tea cup, spoon, sugar, milk, cookie, tea sandwich, glove, hat, flower, etc.  (The more crowded the tray, the better!)  Have the girls study the tray for 2 minutes, then either take it away or cover it with a cloth and have them write down as many items as they can remember in 2-3 minutes.  Use a timer!

Idea #7 - Decorate Your Own Hats
If you find plain hats, you can have the girls put their own ribbons, flowers, etc. on their hats.

Have fun and don't forget to invite me!  I want this party for my birthday!!

Super Hero Party

When my son was in kindergarten, he asked for a Super Hero Party for his 6th birthday.  It really was the perfect age for this party - their imaginations were perfect for it!  So we called all Super Heroes to Super Hero Headquarters, aka our church's basement. 

The Super Hero Party invitation: 

The Super Hero Party activities:  When everyone arrived, they had Super Hero capes waiting for them.  Yes, I made them - and no, they weren't hard.  They were all felt so there wasn't any fraying.  Using hot glue and more felt, I put the first letter of each child's name on the back. 

Before they were allowed to begin their Super Hero Training, they had their first mission:  to color their Super Hero Mask and a few coloring pages. 

Making the capes 3 different colors made it easy to break into teams at game time.

 Look how cute they look!

Some kids wore their masks the whole party!

The Super Hero Party Games (aka Super Hero Training):  We told the kids that in order to be Super Heroes, they had to go through training first. 

Game #1:  Spider Blast.  We made sure they had their Spiderman-powers. 

This was hysterical.  We got yarn and wrapped it around one kid's waist and then tossed it across the circle and wrapped it again...  on and on until all the kids were connected by the spider web.  Then we threw in 2 spiders (styrofoam balls painted black with black pipe cleaners and big wiggly eyes) and they all had to work together to get the spiders off the web.  They were laughing like crazy and jumping like mad!

Game #2:  Super Hero Obstacle Course.  We made sure they had their Superman powers.  Could they run faster than a speeding bullet?  Were they able to leap tall buildings in a single bound?  (Or could they jump over a Little People Bus??!!)  Could they crawl through a tunnel?  (Doesn't someone somewhere have that power?!)  Ahem.  Um, yes, they could! 

 That Super Hero is so fast, he's blurry!  :)

Game #3:  Super Heroes, Get the Bad Guys!  (Impressive name, I know.)  I printed out pictures of Bad Guys and they had to throw bean bags into the baskets to get 'em. 

Why does throwing things never get boring for kids?!?

Game #4:  Super Heroes Can See in the Dark!  (Another impressive name, huh?)  Pin the tail on the donkey, super hero form.

This seriously never gets boring with kids either, just make sure it matches the party theme.

And after all this serious Super Hero Training, the kids were ready to eat, right?  NO!  They were ready to fight Bad Guys!

And who were these Bad Guys all dressed in black? 

My "much too old for a kindergarten party" nephews, that's who. 

Get those Bad Guys, get 'em!  With what you ask?

Silly String! 

But wait!  Don't all Super Heroes need a little help fighting Bad Guys from.....

BATMAN??!! 

The kids swooned.  They thought he was real.  Not even my son knew it was his Pappy!

Instant celebrity, that Pappy.  Best money ever spent on a costume, I am telling you what!

Super Hero Party decorations:  Not much.  The focus was on the games and the new Super Heroes :)

 A few balloons, a Batman pinata and Super Hero cake.

Simple tabletops:  balloons and Super Hero confetti.



By party's end, was I exhausted?  YES!  Was it totally worth it?  ABSOLUTELY!!  Kids are only little once, enjoy times like this while you can.  If it means having a Super Hero party, then have it :)