A Princess Party Theme

by Shawn P.
(Portland, Oregon)

The two things our daughter loves the most are princesses and the color pink, so for her 3rd birthday we gave her a pink princess party theme. We decorated the house with big pink pom poms, pink balloons and streamers, and princess themed tableware. One of our friends contributed a fantastic castle cake (made with the Wilton castle cake set) that became a pretty centerpiece for our buffet table.

Because we were inviting a number of toddlers and their parents, we knew it would be important to have a variety of activities to keep the little ones busy. Luckily, the party was held on a warm summer afternoon, so we were able to set up some play areas outside. The biggest hit of the party was the wading pool full of toys out on the back deck. All the kids enjoyed splashing, pouring, and filling squirters to spray everything in sight. The other outdoor activities we had were sidewalk chalk and bubbles. We gave each child their own container of bubbles, but if we were to do one thing differently next time, it would be to use non-spill bubble containers because most of the bubble stuff ended up being tipped over before the children figured out how to use their bubble wands.

Inside, we set up a crown and wand making station. We used pre-cut foam craft kits for this. The children were able to add gems, stickers and ribbons to decorate their own royal accessories.

For lunch we used heart and flower shaped cookie cutters to create fancy peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. We also served popcorn, apples, goldfish crackers and popsicles. For the adults we made a quiche and salad. The grand finale was, of course, the castle cake, although it seemed a little sad to cut into something so pretty.

The favors that went home from the princess party were the craft crowns and wands, bubbles, and pool squirters. We used small pink gift bags labeled with the kids' names to gather up and hold all their loot.

All in all, the day was a great success. Having lots of options for independent play was the key, because it allowed the parents to actually sit and chat. A good time was had by all.