| The Circus has come to Town! What an amazing | | | | cardboard. Using a black marker write numbers |
| party idea for both girls and boys of all ages! | | | | from 1 to 3 on the balloons. For example, red is 1, |
| Indoors or Outdoors, In a rented Hall or your | | | | blue is 2 and yellow is 3. Attach at least 20 |
| very own Backyard! The ideas are endless so lets | | | | balloons to the board to make sure everyone can |
| get started. | | | | pop at least one. It might be best to have a few |
| Invitations: A big red ticket stub that reads | | | | extra balloons ready to go just in case the board |
| "ADMIT ONE" to our "Big Top Birthday Party." To | | | | gets low. Each player gets 3 darts to pop balloons. |
| make the card use red (yellow) paper cut into a | | | | Give younger guests a push pin and help them |
| rectangle shape. The ticket should be sized to fit | | | | pop a balloon of their choice if safety is an issue. |
| into a small envelope. Use a round 1" paper punch | | | | A lot of fun! Each game has a point system. You |
| at each corner to give it the rounded detail. | | | | can either place the 3 prize boxes (#1, #2, #3) in |
| Practise a bit on scrap paper first! On the | | | | a central area where the kids can immediately |
| backside of the ticket write out the party details | | | | collect their prize or hand out numbered tickets |
| like time, place and date. Seal the Invitation with a | | | | and they can collect their prizes all at once when |
| circus themed sticker and deliver. | | | | the have completed all the games. Box 1 should |
| Decorations: Balloons, balloons & more | | | | include the smallest (inexpensive) prizes, box#2 |
| balloons! You cannot have too many red, yellow | | | | the medium prizes and the #3 box should contain |
| and blue helium filled balloons. They are also a | | | | the larger prizes as they are the hardest to |
| great take home gift for the guests. Decorate | | | | achieve. Every child should get at least a small |
| your ceiling with red & white streamers to | | | | prize (#1) for playing each game. Make sure each |
| give it that Big Top tent feel. Tape alternating red | | | | child plays every game 1 time before "closing the |
| & white streamers from a center point of | | | | midway." The kids can of course still play the |
| your room and drape all the way across the | | | | games, but the prize and ticket portion is over. |
| ceiling to the corner of the wall. You can use | | | | Some other popular games are Pop Bottle Ring |
| balloons to cover any tape marks that are | | | | Toss and Bottle Bowling. |
| showing. Make 2 carnival booths with a large | | | | Activities: Face Painting - Kids love to have their |
| refrigerator box cut in half. Use 3 sides of the | | | | faces painted! Enlist some extra hands to help out |
| box and cut out a service window. Paint your | | | | at the face painting table. You can paint simple |
| booth with brightly coloured stripes or circles and | | | | things like big red clown noses, big curly |
| place upon sturdy table. If the party is outdoors, | | | | mustaches like lion tamers, ruby red cheeks like |
| be sure to pitch a carnival tent for shade on a | | | | female trapeze artists or whiskers like the |
| hot day. A regular dining tent will do - just | | | | ferocious lions & tigers. It wouldn't be a |
| decorate it as you would indoors. Hang dozens of | | | | carnival without a clown walking around for |
| feet of multi coloured plastic pennant banners all | | | | entertainment! Get family and friends involved to |
| around party area. Get out the poster paint and | | | | help out - I'm sure someone owes you favor! A |
| make a huge "Welcome to the Carnival" poster. | | | | good investment for the party is to rent one of |
| Cover all tables with red, yellow and blue | | | | those big jumpy inflatables like a Moonwalk. The |
| tablecovers. Gather up all your child's (friends, | | | | inflatables are always a huge hit with guests. A |
| families) stuffed animals and place around space | | | | neat idea is to gather up a bunch of kooky |
| for both play and decoration. | | | | clothes, big sunglasses, funny hats and colourful |
| Games: Here are my top five pics for carnival | | | | clown wigs into a big dress up box beside a photo |
| party games. (1) Duck Pond - Use a permanent | | | | booth. Have each child dress up in a crazy clown |
| marker to write the numbers 1,2,3 on the | | | | outfit and take their picture with a digital camera. |
| underside of several small rubber ducks. Float the | | | | The pictures are great in a thank you note! Lastly, |
| ducks in a large container or small kiddie pool. Each | | | | you must have a Balloon Animal table. They are |
| child picks a duck and receives a prize from the | | | | quite easy to master if you learn only 2 or 3 |
| box matching their number. The duck is placed | | | | designs. Balloon animal kits and instructions can be |
| back in the water. (2) Mouse Holes - Using a large | | | | purchased everywhere and are quite inexpensive. |
| cardboard box cut 3 "mouse holes" onto the | | | | Sounds like a good job for Dad! |
| bottom edge of box. The holes should be 3 | | | | Loot Bags & Favors: Use all the prizes the |
| sizes-small, medium and large. Mark the smallest | | | | kids won throughout the day as their party |
| hole with a #3, the medium whole with a #2 and | | | | favors. When the kids arrive or start playing the |
| the largest whole with a #1. Use a golf club or | | | | games, make sure to give them a small gift bag |
| simply roll the golf balls in attempt to get them | | | | so they may collect their prizes as they go. |
| through the holes. Each player receives 3 chances | | | | Having their names on the bags would be a good |
| and receives a prize that corresponds with best | | | | idea! Some ideas for prizes are noisemakers, |
| hole they made. (3) Lollipop Tree - Using a large | | | | blowouts, stickers, tattoos, bubbles, pinwheels, |
| Styrofoam ball and several lollipops. With 3 | | | | clown noses, lollipops, foam airplanes, rubber balls |
| coloured markers, place a coloured dot on the | | | | and any little trinkets that can be bought in bulk. |
| end of each lollipop stick and insert into the | | | | Menu: Carnival Food of course! Here are some |
| Styrofoam. The 3 colours will correspond with the | | | | delicious old fashioned favourites - Hot Dogs, Corn |
| 3 numbers. For example, red is 1, blue is 2 and | | | | Dogs (Pogo's), Cotton Candy, Caramel |
| yellow is 3. Each guest receives the lollipop plus | | | | Apples(apple slices with caramel dip) & |
| the prize that corresponds with the number. (4) | | | | Sno-Cones. Have small bags of animal crackers |
| Bucket Toss - You need 3 buckets decorated | | | | and popcorn ready in your concession stand for |
| with colourful wrapping paper and placed at 3 | | | | pre lunch snacking. The guests will be building up |
| distances about a foot apart. Mark the closest | | | | quite an appetite with all those games and |
| bucket with a #1, the second with a #2 and the | | | | activities! For a real carnival feel, you can rent |
| farthest with a #3. You can use 3 balls, pennies or | | | | popcorn machines, cotton candy machines and |
| bean bags. Each player receives 3 chances and | | | | sno-cone makers from your local rental supply |
| receives a prize that corresponds with the | | | | store. If not, no worries, items like cotton candy |
| farthest bucket shot made. (5) Balloon Darts - | | | | & even caramel apples can be purchase |
| Use a thick piece of cardboard attached to a | | | | pre-made. No go and plan the Biggest & Best |
| piece of plywood. Blow up small balloons in 3 | | | | party ever! |
| separate colours and thumbtack them into the | | | | |