Category: Party Bags & Invitations

What to Include in a Party Bag

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Party bags are a great way to say thanks to the young guests that have attended your child’s birthday party, and leave them with a little something that gives them a memory of a great day. Making a party bag for each guest that are based around the themes and entertainment doesn’t have to be costly or filled to the brim with items but can just include a small selection of child-friendly items that leave guests saying a happy farewell once the celebrations are over. To help parents decide on what to include in their kids party bags, we’ve created a list of great items that children will love!

• Birthday Cake- With children having already filled themselves up with the party food you provided, once the candles have been blown out and Happy Birthday sung, the cake is best divided and placed in the party bags to be eaten later.

• Toys- Some small plastic party toys give children items that will keep them entertained once the birthday celebrations are over, and can even match the party’s theme. Remember that you don’t need to go over the top with contents, and should aim to have no more than 10 items in their party bags.

• Sweets- A small packet of sweets or chocolate are easy to add to a party bag. Leftover mini packs of sweets from the party food spread can be dropped into the bags as the food table is cleared, or parents can buy multipacks to be purposely used.

• Balloons- A birthday party isn’t complete without some balloons. Our entertainers can create some brilliant balloon animals for kids to take home on the day, but why not include some bright, colourful balloons for them to blow up once at home.

• Thank You Notes- A party bag is already a great way to say thank you to the children that attended your little one’s birthday but parents may also want to consider including hand written thank you notes in their party bags.

• Certificates – Kids love certificates and they don’t have to cost the earth. It’s not a toy but let’s face it, toys get played with for a few minutes whereas a certificate is something they can keep and remember for a long time. They don’t have to cost anything either.

Create your own party bags

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Every parent wants to be imaginative and give their little guests an amazing party bag. So why not let the kids make their own party bags at the party?

If you purchase some white paper party bags with handles which are perfect for the kids to draw and colour on with some colouring felt tips or pencils. Children can write their names and draw some great pictures or shapes, you could even use stencils. The coloured party bags have a special shiny coating which pens cannot be used on. Give the kids a choice of crafty bits to add to their bags e.g. fun stickers, peel and stick alphabet foam letters and shapes, die cut card shapes, trimmed fabric piece with fabric embellishments etc. –

Fold over the top of the colour party bags and hole punch. Thread some ribbon through and tie in a bow, makes a lovely finishing touch! You can theme your party bags to suit your party theme e.g. Pirate Party, Princess Party, Fairy Party, Under The Sea Party.

You can fill your party bags with your handmade crafts from the party or why not fill a tub full of goodies and ask each little guest to put their hand into (in turn) to uncover a special treat to take home.

Getting the children involved in making their party bags makes them it a bit more special. The children are more inclined to cherish their bags when they get home, making the party even more memorable.

Children love arts and crafts and will happily sit on a craft table for hours rather than running around a party venue trying to create their own fun and generally being a ‘bit silly’. Distraction is the key to a successful children’s party.

Star Wars parties

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Long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, Star Wars came to life. Today, Star Wars is still every bit as popular as it was in the last century. Several generations love the saga and there are so many fun ways to throw a successful Star Wars celebration that even Darth Vader will be jealous of!

Planning & Invitations

From the classic rectangle invitation with eye-catching graphics to a light saber replica made from paper, there are many different styles of invitations to choose from. Another great idea is using your DIY skills and some downloads to achieve a completely custom look.

Star Wars party Invitation Ideas

Unique, homemade invitations can really get you in the party mood! If you have the time, here are a few Star Wars invitation ideas to consider:

Cut a piece of white cardstock into the shape of a lightsabre. Use markers to colour the handle grey and the beam blue or green. Write your party details in silver marker on the beam. Alternatively, fold a piece of cardstock in half, cut out two small lightsabres and cross them together in the middle of the card. On the front of the card, write, “You are Invited to a Galaxy Far, Far Away…” Write your party details inside.

Print out movie stills from the birthday child’s favourite Star Wars movie. Write your party details on the back.
Punch a hole in the corner of a card-style invitation and attach it to a Star Wars Mask that your guests can wear to the party.
Make a simple black helmet to resemble Darth Vader’s helmet out of black construction paper. Write your party details in gold pen.

Include creative wording for your party details, such as:

In a galaxy not too far, far away,

Michael is having his 5th birthday!

So fly your spaceship at the speed of light,

To the celebration of our Jedi Knight!

Decorating & Food Ideas

Star Wars Party Decoration Ideas
Aside from sticking to the basic Star Wars colour palette of royal blue, black, white and grey, you can take your children’s party to another level with the details. Choose a couple of accent colours, such as the green, red and blue associated with lightsabres to add a pop of colour to the party. From a cupcake tower centrepiece to a sweet buffet you can definitely make a huge visual impact with your decorations.

A Circus Party

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Roll up, Roll up, you are invited to a Circus party!!!

INVITATIONS;
Use white card and envelopes. Use red cardboard paper to make a big top for the front of card. Square base and canopied top. Square base to be glued on sides and bottom, top to be left open to create a pocket for admit ticket.

DECORATIONS;
Keep decorations simple. Use red/white crepe paper to make a canopy (big top) . Hang paper clown faces from the ceiling. Bright tableware can be placed around the cakes. A lion cake and a clown cake for example.

GAMES;
Put felt tips, glitter, glue etc. around and lots of coloured card paper so kids can make their own circus/clown pictures.

A must would be to have a ‘face painter’ which can paint each kid’s face, take a picture and print each one off before the party ends and stick it in onto their party bags.

Another children’s party game could be throwing darts at different coloured balloons. Whatever colour they pop, they get to pick from that “colour” toy pile. Each toy in different coloured bags so the kids know which one they will win from.

Then an elephant game where the kids have to hook a ring around their trunks. Each child puts on an elephant mask and tries to pick up hoops with the end of their nose. Of course no party is complete without the clown piñata.

PARTY BAGS;
No children’s birthday party is complete without party bags so fill them up with sweets, colouring pens, and candy floss bags.

Toy story party ideas

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Decorate your Toy Story party to look like Woody’s Roundup, Andy’s Room, a toy store or outer space! Here are some other ideas to inspire you when planning a children’s party.

  • Hang paper airplanes from the ceiling with fishing line so the planes look like they’re flying.

  • Use toys and green plastic army men as balloon weights.

  • Use a Buzz Lightyear or Woody pillowcase as a chair cover for the birthday child.

  • Decorate in lime green, blue, white and red for a Buzz Lightyear party or red, gold, cow pattern, and denim for a Woody party.

  • Have the birthday child or adults dress as characters from the movie.

  • Set up the room like Pizza Planet and offer arcade games like skee ball, electronic basketball, bowling, foosball, plastic darts or air hockey for the kids to play. Hand out gold coins to use as game tokens.

Easily incorporate Pizza Planet into your Toy Story party by ordering or making pizza for your guests. Another option is to have a cowboy barbecue with Woody over a campfire with hotdogs and marshmallows. Here’s one Toy Story food ideas for snacks and dessert.

 

  • Mr. Potato Head Rice Krispies Treats. (Use Cocoa Krispies cereal in the batter. Form into flat oval shapes then add marshmallow eyes. Use gum drop for ears, feet and hands.)

    Toy Story Party favours

Thank your guests with a variety of cool party favours! To find a large variety of Woody and Buzz party favours, visit the store and click the “Party favours” tab or the “More Fun Stuff” tab. Some of the favours we have include:

 

  • Mini Slinky Dogs

  • Buzz Lightyear flyers

  • Army men

  • Toy Story 3 stickers and temporary tattoos

  • Toy Story punch balloons

  • Cowboy and cowgirl hats

  • Fun-shaped candy and lollipops

 

Barbie Birthday Party Ideas

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Throw your Barbie girl and her friends a dream Barbie birthday party that will have everyone tickled pink. Read on for our suggestions on Barbie party invitations, decorations, favours, games, and more
In addition to basic Barbie party supplies, like plates, cups, napkins and decorations, you may want to consider purchasing, borrowing or renting the following items for your kids party:
Pink feather boas
A moon bounce
A Barbie Dream House and other Barbie accessories
Costumes
Barbie Birthday Invitations
Make invitations using bright pink card and die-cut dress shapes or house shapes.
Print invitations on paper with a pink gingham border.
Print Barbie pictures from the computer or take photos of your child’s Barbie dolls to paste on the invitations. Better yet, take a photo of your child with her favourite Barbie doll.
Sprinkle glitter or stickers in the envelope for an extra special touch.
Ask guests to bring their favourite Barbie dolls and accessories. You may also want to ask the girls to bring dress up clothes and makeup if you’re planning a makeover session.
Barbie Party Decorations
Sprinkle sequins on the table and add pink candles.
Cut flowers out of bright pink construction paper or poster board and hang on the walls.
Brighten up the table with a Barbie centrepiece.
Barbie Party Food
Make sure to decorate in Barbie’s favourite colours – pink and lavender. Use plenty of balloons and streamers in these colours to fit your Barbie party theme!
Place a sign or personalized banner at the entrance of your home saying, “Welcome to Barbie’s Dream House.”
Tie pink ribbons around vases and around other items in the room.
Place Barbie dolls, furniture, cars, and other accessories around the party area.
Hang Barbie posters on the wall.
Sandwiches cut with heart and star cookie cutters
Mini-hot dogs
Pink macaroni and cheese (just add food coloring)
Strawberry yogurts
Strawberry ice cream and cake
Pink lemonade
Cupcakes with pink frosting and sprinkles
Barbie Party Favours
Thank guests for coming to your children’s party by filling small purses or pink lunch boxes with favours like:
Barbie stickers
Pencils
Temporary tattoos
Pink feather boas
Barrettes and other hair accessories

Making your own party bags

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Every parent wants to be imaginative and give their little guests an amazing party bag. So why not let the kids make their own party bags at the party?

If you purchase some white paper birthday party bags with handles which are perfect for the kids to draw and colour on with some colouring felt tips or pencils. Children can write their names and draw some great pictures or shapes, you could even use stencils. The coloured party bags have a special shiny coating which pens cannot be used on. Give the kids a choice of crafty bits to add to their bags e.g. fun stickers, peel and stick alphabet foam letters and shapes, die cut card shapes, trimmed fabric piece with fabric embellishments etc. –

Fold over the top of the colour party bags and hole punch. Thread some ribbon through and tie in a bow, makes a lovely finishing touch! You can theme your party bags to suit your kids party theme e.g. Pirate Party, Princess Party, Fairy Party, Under The Sea Party.

You can fill your party bags with your handmade crafts from the party or why not fill a tub full of goodies and ask each little guest to put their hand into (in turn) to uncover a special treat to take home.

Getting the children involved in making their party bags makes them it a bit more special. The children are more inclined to cherish their bags when they get home, making the party even more memorable.

Children love arts and crafts and will happily sit on a craft table for hours rather than running around a children’s party venue trying to create their own fun and generally being a ‘bit silly’. Distraction is the key to a successful children’s party.

Party ideas for growing up kids

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So your kids are still young enough to have a children’s birthday party, but old enough to have a party that is not embarrassing for their age. The important thing is to get the balance right between planning a  children’s party and something a little more grown-up. Here are some tips to help you get it right.

Celebrity Party

A celebrity themed party is a great way to bridge the gap between child and teenager. Ask the kids to come dressed as their favourite diva or guitar hero, or alternatively, a glam rock theme can be a big hit.

Essential Activities

  • Air guitar competitions and karaoke, of course.

  • Party Bags

  • Any self-respecting rock star has an impressive array of tattoos.

  • Spa Party

For many (not all) girls, it’s their tweenage or early teenage years when they first develop an interest in fashion and beauty. If this is something your child is interested in, a spa party could be the ideal theme.

Create a calm, clean and relaxing environment, with plenty of towels, seating, easy access to a bathroom and different ‘stations’ for activities. You could also play relaxing music and provide healthy snacks, such as fruit smoothies.

Essential Activities

  • Facemasks with cucumber slices for the eyes, foot spas, manicures and makeovers.

  • Party Bags

  • Fill your spa party pack with lots of girly pampering products, face masks, lip balm or bath bombs.

  • Cinema Party

What could be better than a party including all of your favourite films? Get all of the children invited to suggest an age-appropriate film, and then vote on the ones they want to watch. All you need to do is provide a comfy seating area and plenty of cinema-themed snacks, such as popcorn, hot dogs, and pick n mix sweets.

Activities

  • Film watching! You could also play a movie trivia quiz and movie-themed Pictionary.

  • Pizza Party

The great thing about teenagers and tweens is that they’ve reached an age where they can do more complex activities – still under supervision, of course. Throwing a pizza party is great fun and it results in lots of yummy home-made snacks.

Get the guests to form teams and design their fantasy pizza, using any toppings they like. Once all the pizzas are cooked, get everyone to try each other’s – whichever team’s pizza is voted the most delicious, wins.

Activities

A pizza making competition! You could also put together a quiz on Italy – the homeland of the pizza, or try blindfold pizza tasting to see who can guess the toppings.

General Tips

– Give them some space – early teens and tweens are at an age where they’re going to want some privacy when they spend time with their friends. Make sure you’re nearby and available if there’s a problem, and pop in every now and again to make sure things are OK.

– Don’t treat them like children – OK, so they’re not grown-ups and still require a certain level of supervision, but suggesting children’s games such as musical statues probably isn’t going to go down well.

– Get an extra pair of eyes – monitoring a teen/tween party without making them feel babied is a balancing act. Make sure you have someone to help you – if you know a trustworthy older teen, they could be a great asset.

With the right theme and some tactful supervision, you can get the balance right at your teen/tween party.

Party Invitations made easy

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The invitations to any party are very important. This is one of the first things you should do when planning a children’s birthday party. So here are some great top tips for how to go about your invites.

Ready Made Options –
This is perhaps the perfect time to point out that you can get some great templates on the website for anyone that is stuck for ideas. Many of them can be printed off for free. 

Don’t Hang Around –

It’s important that you give your guests plenty of time to respond to your invites and so you need to get them out in good time before the event. Depending on when your party is, (busy times such as bank holidays and Christmas may need longer) about a month before the occasion is probably best. This should give most people enough time to reply and will also mean the date is firmly in their diary should anything else come up.
Consider Going Straight to the Parents –  
Although it’s exciting for a child to receive an invitation to their friend’s party, children can often forget to pass these onto their parents. You may therefore want to hand the invitations directly to the relevant adults so that you get a swift RSVP. Alternatively, you could get your child to hand them out to their friends but do then check with the parents of the children, that they know about it, in case the invite never made it home. Another option is asking the teacher of your child’s class to put them in the children’s book bags.
Have A Crafty Day –   
If you would prefer to create your own invites rather than use the ones on our We party’s website, then why not have a craft day in order to do this. Set out everything you need to make your child’s own invitations and then work on them together. Kids find this very exciting. This way they can have a bigger say in their party and they can show off their arts and craft skills to all their friends.
Try to Include Everyone – 
When inviting children to the party, it’s often hard to know who should get an invite. The amount of guests that can come will obviously depend on the size of the venue and the budget you have for the party, but where possible it’s a good idea to not leave anyone out and simply invite the whole class at school. If you don’t then some children (and parents) are bound to get upset. Some schools actually ask that you do invite the whole class if you are giving out invites on the school grounds, so it’s an idea to check what the school policy is with this. 
Check All the Information Is Correct –  
Before you send out the invites check that all the information on them is correct. This sounds obvious, but the last thing you want is for people to show up an hour early because you put the wrong time on the invites. Make sure you have included the address of the venue, what time the party starts and finishes, what day and date it is on and whether there is any specific dress code in line with your party theme. You may also want to add that parents are welcome to stay for the duration of the party if you decide you are happy for them to do so. We’d actually suggest they don’t stay (if the children are old enough) because the background noise made by parents charting can actually mean kids can’t hear the entertainer as well and it has an adverse effect on the children’s party. Of course it’s understandable that you may want parents to stay but we’d suggest that if they do, you have a separate room for them to be in.

Kitty Cat Party

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Is your child ‘Cat crazy?’  It could be anything from Hello Kitty or the cute furry things themselves. Why not create your very own cat party for your child?  Here are a few ideas that other people have done and we hope you are inspired to follow:

For the party invitations you can always find pretty stationary with cats on them, you can write invitations on these and will be a lovely keepsake for anyone loving cats.

When your guests arrive why not face paint the guests as cats? You could paint a nose and whiskers and also think about headband ears made of felt and glitter, or get your guests to make a pair?

Now, what about games? You could play ‘pin the tail on the cat?’ or as cat’s love string you could create a sting maze. Attach a toilet paper tube to both end of 7 pieces (for approx. 14 guests) of string or wool, on one end, the tube has a picture of a cat, the other tube has a picture of a mouse. Maze them around the room, underneath chairs, tables and benches and each child has to find who is on the other end of their string.

For crafty children’s party ideas you could buy a set of paper white plates with black card, pipe cleaners for whiskers and googly eyes, guess what these are going to be make into? Yes, you have guessed it, cat faces!!! 

For food, make it fun with little sandwiches cut into goldfish shapes.  If you are feeling adventurous food bowls could be decorated with cat ears and whiskers!!  And don’t forget to serve milk!!

For the cake, you could obviously buy your own, but why not make a cake similar to your child’s favourite kitty? Hello Kitty is a favourite, but if he or she has her own special cat why not model the cake around this? 

Party Bags can be filled with chocolate cats or mice and cute cat stickers and anything you like that involves cats. This is sure to be a success and at a reasonable price too.