Parents can plan a circus party for a child without spending a great deal of money. Children love to go to the circus and enjoy watching wild animals, clowns, and other circus performers thrill the audience with their daring feats. Replicate some of the excitement of the circus by planning a circus party that will allow children to pretend they are spending the day under the big top.
First, a parent should plan invitations for the party. One idea is to choose a circus tent format. Parents can use white card stock and fashion a simple tent drawing.
Create a tent with flaps that open in order to reveal pertinent party information. For example, make sure to include the day, time, and location of the circus party so guests will show up on time. Ask kids to dress up as clowns or other circus performers.
Decorations for a circus party can include festive balloons hanging from the ceiling and decorating the walls. Another good choice is to decorate the room with stuffed animals featuring lions, tigers, elephants, horses, and other typical circus animals. Banners displaying clown faces or other circus motifs are other decorating options.
Circus party games are easy to devise and enjoyable for kids of all ages. Potential games include a Pin-the-Nose-on-the-Clown game or a bean bag toss. Replicate some of the circus performances by devising safe alternatives.
For example, take a wooden plank and paint it a bright color. The plank can serve as a tightrope-walk game. Children can walk across the plank as they test their balancing skills. A simple rope resting on the floor is an alternative to having children walk across the wooden plank. Find a CD that features kids' circus music to make party guests feel as if they're performing in the circus.
Crafts for a circus party can be something as simple as coloring a clown template or making a clown hat from construction paper. Parents can provide the kids with animal crackers and allow them to glue the cookies to paper. The children can then draw a circus picture utilizing the animal crackers.
If the circus party budget permits, hire a clown to perform at the party. A clown can do magic tricks, make balloon animals, juggle, and perform other comical routines. If the parent doesn't wish to spend money hiring a professional clown, she can find a clown suit at a costume rental shop and wear the suit as she interacts with the guests.
No party is complete without food. Try simple circus-themed snacks such as popcorn, hot dogs, animal crackers, and cotton candy. Cotton candy is sometimes found in grocery stores in small plastic tubs.
More ambitious party throwers can rent a cotton candy machine for the festive occasion. Serve kids a circus-themed cake or small cupcakes. To quench the kids' thirst, provide them with lemonade or juice.