They say that every little girl wants to be a princess. While we can’t all grow up to be Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge and real-life princess, we can still get a taste of royalty in our pauperdom. For kids, in particular, a birthday party is a special affair, which makes for the perfect chance to embrace a bit of magic.
If you’re planning to make your daughter’s fairy tale dreams come true this year, you’ll need the right inspiration to turn your regular venue into a temporary palace. From decorations and food to entertainment and goodie bags, the proper preparation on the part of the palace staff (that is, the princess’ parents) can create the perfect setting for a perfect day. Your little girl can be the belle of the ball, complete with a tiara, princess dress, and a sprinkle of sparkles. If the next event on your calendar is your child’s princess party, stock up on stickers, nail polish strips, and other magical must-haves to plan the best party possible.
Decorating the Castle
Every princess needs a palace! Be ready with plenty of balloons, in pastel colors or on-theme shapes like carriages, crowns, and castles and, for a special touch, be ready to do some DIY. Head to Pinterest of your favorite mommy blog for inspiration to create some unique pieces of art and other décor.
Need some supplies to make your DIY dreams a reality? Head to Paint Loose for all the tools you’ll need to make some royal-worthy creations. With your arsenal of acrylics, canvas, brushes, and other art supplies, you can create a masterpiece for the occasion. Not confident in your creativity or artistic ability? Paint Loose also showcases premade artwork, too. Order some pastel flowers or acrylic sunsets to set the scene for your little one’s special day. Child guests will love the vivid colors while their grown-up chaperones will appreciate your good taste. Plus, your kiddo can keep the artwork as a long-term souvenir of their special day.
Add a bit of glitter, confetti, or streamers to the tables, or use your nicest cursive script to prepare some classy cards to mark your guests’ seats. A special birthday banner can declare it’s your daughter’s special day—with or without a royal crier to give a decree.
A Meal Fit for a Queen
When the king and queen throw a ball for their beloved princess, there’s sure to be a banquet involved. Of course, there has to be a cake. Seek out a professional baker to create a character cake featuring your little one’s favorite film, TV, or real-life princess to inspire the rest of your party plans. Or, opt for a fancy cake or sleek cupcakes, decorated as if they were from a royal’s real banqueting hall.
You could even opt for some high-class petit fours in place of a typical cake with classic childhood flavors like chocolate or vanilla and bright frosting in different colors. But that’s hardly the only food your princess party will need. Order some cotton candy, funnel cakes, or snowcones for a little bit of kid-friendly carnival flavor, or put together some teatime-inspired finger sandwiches. If your kiddo has particularly mature tastes, you can try some classic tea sandwich fillings. Standard picky eater? Even peanut butter and jelly can be made fancy in a festive shape or bite-sized crustless form. With some tasty chocolates and a palace-ready punch on the side, your party will be ready to serve the princess and her subjects on this special day.
The Court Jester
You could hire a princess performer to stop by your little one’s party but, if she’d rather be the only royal in attendance, a court jester (or, to us commoners, a clown) can be the perfect addition to your palace party. Clowns for birthday parties offer a wide range of entertainment. Some create balloon animals while others wear multiple hats, so to speak, as jugglers or magicians.
For the best, most festive results, be sure to ask your clown about how they can personalize their performance to your theme for the day. Perhaps their balloon twisting can include balloon crowns or knights’ swords. They might be able to answer to your princess’ wishes like a true jester or even wear a costume that fits in at the castle. Put on some medieval-inspired background sounds to add an audial touch to the entertainment or rent a pony to play royal steed. Whether you bring a whole cast of characters or simply the best clowns in the area, your princess will enjoy fits of giggles throughout the day.
Planning Plenty of Activities
A party fit for a princess wouldn’t be complete without an assortment of activities to excite the birthday girl and her guests. Face paints make for a typical children’s birthday party activity that can be tailored to this theme—a bit of paint in their favorite colors can make for a creative tiara! Or, consider setting up a royal salon and dress up station for an activity that will keep the children occupied for hours. Include some wigs and tiaras for crown fittings and give every guest a chance to play princess.
For an extra fairy tale-ready touch, order some fairy wings and wands for a little bit of magic, Bring a friend or hire a professional to apply some nail polish with glitter and kid-friendly colors, or invest in some nail polish strips to make things even simpler. Stick on nail polish ensures no dry time or risk of smudges. Add a bounce house shaped like a castle for a more active palace pastime—you can rest assured that the nail wraps will stay put, but be careful that no one trips over their ballgown as they jump. Games and activities can keep your guests entertained so you can focus on perfecting the last thing or two you need to keep the party running smoothly.
Send Off Visiting Royalty with Gifts
The guests are sure to have a great time at your child’s party, but a few extras to send them off will make sure it’s an event to remember. Put together a festive goodie bag packed full of royal jewels—include some nail polish strips in the party’s color palette or some stickers or temporary tattoos featuring popular cartoon princesses.
If your clown/court jester has worked some balloon twisting magic, make sure the kids take home these custom crowns, balloon animals, and other creations. Some yummy candy can add a touch of something sweet—rock candy would be a particularly on-theme choice—while small toys and other favors will let the fun go on for a long time after your guests have returned to their own kingdoms. These small gifts are a great way to thank your princess’ royal subjects for coming to the party and celebrating her special day.
A children’s birthday party can be worthy of royalty with the right preparations. Cast a clown as the court jester and DIY some décor, and make sure your food and activities follow the theme. With fingertips colored by nail polish strips and a tiara expertly created by your face painter, your princess and her guests are in for a royal treat. The only downside will be your next goal: making the next party as good, if not better!