How to Throw a Train Your Dragon Birthday Party

Kids' Parties with Flair is on hiatus. Today's post is a selection of the best of the blog - How to Throw a Train Your Dragon Birthday Party. The full party plan is here. This party features games like Pin the Tail on the Dragon, Dragon Freeze Dance, Viking Says; kid-friendly treats like Viking Chicken Fingers and Dragonberry Salad; and a selection of sweets like Dragon Cake and Rainbow Cupcakes. You will find complete directions for all party details and recipes here.

I thank you for being one of over 600 visitors from 29 countries who have visited my blog since my first post on March 1, 2010.

How to Throw a Luau Birthday Party

Kids' Parties with Flair is on hiatus. Today's post is a selection of the best of the blog - How to Throw a Luau Birthday Party. Please go to Holidash.com and check out my recently published e-article.

I thank you for being one of over 600 visitors from 29 countries who have visited my blog since my first post on March 1, 2010.

How to Throw a Firefighter Birthday Party

Kids' Parties with Flair is on hiatus. Today's post is a selection of the best of the blog - How to Throw a Firefighter Birthday Party. The full party plan is here. This party features games like Rescue Relay, Pin the Tail on the Dalmatian and Fire Chief Says; kid-friendly treats like Chili Mac and Firehouse Munchies; and, a selection of sweets like a Fire Engine Cake and Doggone Good Dalmatian Cupcakes. You will find complete directions for all party details and recipes here.

I thank you for being one of over 600 visitors from 29 countries who have visited my blog since my first post on March 1, 2010.

How to Throw an Alice in Wonderland Mad Hatter Tea Party

Kids' Parties with Flair is on hiatus. Today's post is a selection of the best of the blog - How to Throw an Alice in Wonderland Mad Hatter Tea Party. The full party plan is here. This party features games like a Caucus Race, Croquet and Old Maid; kid-friendly treats like Mini Chocolate Chip Scones, Pink Lemonade, and Strawberry and Cream Cupcakes. You will find complete directions for all party details and recipes here.

I thank you for being one of over 600 visitors from 29 countries who have visited my blog since my first post on March 1, 2010.

How to Throw a Rock Star Party

Kids' Parties with Flair is on hiatus. Today's post is a selection of the best of the blog - How to Throw a Rock Star Party. The full party plan is here. This party features games like Dance Freeze and Rock Star Trivia; kid-friendly treats like Cheesy Pigs in the Blanket and Cran-Raspberry Punch; and, a selection of sweets like a Rock Star Cake, a Guitar Cake and Psychedelic Cupcakes. You will find complete directions for all party details and recipes here.

I thank you for being one of over 600 visitors from 29 countries who have visited my blog since my first post on March 1, 2010.

How to Throw a Polka Dot Birthday Party

Who doesn't have a soft spot for polka dots! A Polka Dot Party is perfect for girls of all ages. Colorful polka dots are so much fun they will easily make any party a success. Using dots as inspiration is inexpensive and easy to do. This party plan details some incredibly cool ideas to get you going. If you have a birthday party coming up, this theme is definitely one to consider.

Invitations: For polka dot party invitations several options exist. One, buy polka dot note cards. Write party information on the inside. Ask your guests to wear polka dot clothing.

Two, buy personalized invites in the Bright Dots Party Pack available from Birthday in a Box.

Three, use the free polka dot birthday invite template from Microsoft. Click here to see it.

Decorations: Polka dot patterns are definitely in order for this celebration. Many color combinations are available, choose your favorite and use it throughout your party space. A quick and easy way to fill your party area with polka dots is to cover the walls with colorful dots. One way to do this is to tape round paper plates in different sizes and colors to the walls. Using double-sided poster tape will allow you to decorate for the party and avoid doing any lasting harm to your home. Another way to go is to use removable wall decals. Wall Candy Arts offers a multi-dot design. These peel-and-stick wall decorations include 80 multi-colored dots in varying sizes. After the party, your child can decorate her bedroom or playroom with these fun decals.

Don't forget to fill the party room with polka dot balloons. A good way to do this is to hang balloons from the ceiling using clear fishing line, so the dots can dangle down into the party space.

Cover your party table with a polka dot cloth. Fill small souffle cups with round candy coated chocolates in colors to match your color scheme. The My M&Ms dispenser at your local grocery store is the perfect spot to buy your candy in the colors to coordinate with your party. You can use polka dot napkins, paper plates, cups and so forth. Or if you fear your decorations will seem too busy with all these dots, mix in some solid colors. After all round plates are really giant polka dots.

Activities: If any guests arrive without polka dot clothes, with their permission stick dot stickers on them. Avery sells multi-colored packs of 1,000 for $8.94 at most office supply stores.

Start the party by holding a guessing game. Fill a clear jar with candy-coated chocolate candies. As the guests arrive, have them guess how many M&Ms are in the jar. At the end of the party the kid who guesses the closest to the amount, gets to take the jar full of candy home.

Be sure to take pictures of each guest in his or her polka dot clothes. Have one of your adult helpers print the pictures off during the party, so the kids can take them home as favors. Family Fun Magazine has a free polka dot printable frame that would be great to use for these party pictures. Before the party print the frames on card stock, so they will be good to go on party day to frame your pictures.

Games: There are plenty of games with round or circular themes. Organize a Pom Pom Hunt. Before the party, hide small colorful pom poms around the party area. (You can buy small pom poms at most craft stores.) See who can find the most.

Play Pin the Dots on the Dalmatian. Put up an outline of a dalmatian on the wall. Cut round dots out of construction paper for all the guests. Your dalmatian can be a traditional black and white one or any color you choose. Blindfold the kids one at a time, spin them around, then instruct them to pin their dots on the dalmatian.

Have the kids play Twister, Twister Moves (the dance version) or Twister Scram. The Scram version has 20 colorful round mats and a spinner. The game come with instructions for a modified tag as well as a musical chairs-like contest.

Bingo is another perfect game to play at a Polka Dot Party. Several on-line vendors sell bingo sets or you can make your own using instructions from the Martha Stewart website.

Dominoes would also make a fun dotty game. Kids can play the game of dominoes or have the party guests set up the dominoes to create domino knock downs.

Balloon Scramble is always a party favorite. Blow up twice as many balloons as guests using two colors. (If you have six guests, blow up six balloons of color one and six of color two.) Divide your guests into two teams and assign each team a color. The object of the game is to have each team keep their balloons in the air while trying to knock all of the other team's balloons to the ground. Once a balloon hits the ground it is out of play. The team that runs out of balloon first is out.

If weather permits, kids can Chase Bubbles outdoors. Using bottled bubbles and wands have an adult blow bubbles for them. The party-goers then can run around trying to catch the floating bubbles.

Crafts: Have the kids make their own bracelets. Buy a selection of round, doughnut shaped beads from a craft store. Give the kids lengths of thin elastic cording a little bigger than their wrists. Tie a bead to the end of the elastic to make beading easier. The kids can then string as many beads as they need and adult helpers can tie the bracelet off to fit each child.

A great activity for your guests when you get ready to serve the food, is to give them some connect the dot pictures. Family Fun Magazine has two appropriate choices for this party: Beary Special Surprise and Sailboat Fun.

Food: Dots are the inspiration for this menu. Circular foods are the focus of this feast. Cut PB&J sandwiches with round cookie cutters or serve Smucker's Uncrustables. Pepperoni pizza and Polka Dot Macaroni and Cheese also can carry out the theme. Or make quick and easy Mini-Calzone Polka Dot Puffs. Add grapes, melon balls and/or puffed cheese balls to round out your menu.

Serve a special polka dot concoction to quench your guests' thirst. Make polka dot ice cubes. Fill round cube ice trays with raspberry lemonade. Freeze overnight. Place the round ice cubes in cups filled with lemon lime soda - regular or sugar-free.

Cakes: A Polka Dot Cake is easy to make. Bake your favorite two layer cake. Funfetti mix adds polka dots on the inside. Ice cake with white fluffy frosting. Add polka dots by apply Wilton candy melts on top and sides. Candy melts come in 16 colors. If they are not available, use M&Ms.

If you prefer the ease of serving individual cupcakes, try making Polka Dot Cupcakes. Ice your favorite cupcake with brightly colored pastels. Stick white baking chips, flat side up, into frosting on each cupcake to look like polka dots. Add more dots with Dazzling Dots Cupcake Liners from Wilton.

For a non-traditional cake, try a Polka Dot Popcorn Cake. Plain popcorn, miniature marshmallow and candy-coated milk chocolate candies combine to make sweet treats.

Favors: Party pictures and the craft bracelets will make excellent favors. If you want to do more, there are many fun party trinkets that will complement the polka dot theme. Consider polka dot socks, yo-yos, polka dot rubber duckies, Dots candy, gumballs, super bounce balls, round pots of lip gloss, paint sets, bath beads, life savers or round hair accessories.

Once you decide on your party favors, you can choose the right Polka Dot container. There are a number of choices available from on-line vendors. Or place dot stickers on plain favor boxes or bags. Finish off your party favors by embellishing them with polka dot ribbon.

Mini-Calzone Polka Dot Puffs

Your guests will love these delicious mini bites filled with turkey meatballs, a tasty pasta sauce and shredded mozzarella. They are quick and easy to make.

32 turkey meatballs, if previously frozen, thawed in refrigerator
1 cup of your favorite pasta sauce
1 cup mozzarella, shredded
2 cans of refrigerated crescent rounds (16 rounds)

Step One: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Remove crescent rounds from package. Do not separate into rounds. Using serrated knife, cut each roll evenly into 16 rounds, carefully separate rounds. Press each round into a circle 3 inches in diameter. Place a tablespoon of sauce into the center of each round. Cover with a tablespoon of shredded cheese. Place a meatball into the center on top of sauce and cheese. Shape dough around ball to cover completely. Place puffs on a large ungreased cookie sheet about two inches apart. (Puffs can be made ahead of time up to this point. Cover loosely with foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate.)

Step Two: Bake 17 to 22 minutes or until golden brown. (May need to cook a little longer, if you refrigerated puffs before baking.) Cool 5 minutes. Serve warm.