Boys love to play pirate. Eye patches, swords, and hooks are all the rage these days, with all of the movies and television shows that feature pirates. A pirate birthday party is sure to be lots of fun for any young swashbuckler.

Pirate Party Invitations and Decorations

Invitations for pirate parties can be lots of fun. You can probably find a variety of designs at any party supply shop, but it's much more fun to make them yourself if you have the time. Your soon-to-be birthday boy will probably be glad to help.

Treasure maps are ideal for pirate party invitations. You could make a regular card with a treasure map on front, or you could make an authentic-looking treasure map with the party information on the back. Using parchment paper, or paper that is of a similar color, will make the maps look more authentic.

If you're hand delivering the invitations, a message in a bottle is lots of fun. Simply write the party details on some parchment or similar paper, roll it up and tie it with string, and put it in an empty glass single-serving soda bottle. You could even put in some sand or small shells for added effect.

For decorations, you could use Jolly Roger flags or toy swords hung on the wall. Pirate or ship piñatas also make great decorations, and they provide an easy party game as an added bonus. Large treasure maps also make great decorations.

Pirate Party Food and Favors

There are several types of cake that would go well with a pirate party. A skull and crossbones cake is a popular choice. A cake with blue icing would make a great base for a pirate ship cake topper. Alternatively, you could use cupcakes topped with pirate-themed toppers or candies.

Fish-shaped snacks go nicely with a pirate party. Goldfish crackers or gummy fish could be served with the cake. You could also cut apples, pears, or other fruits in half and stick a toothpick in the middle of the flat side, adding a triangular piece of paper to make a pirate ship.

Small pouches filled with chocolate coins make fun and simple party favors. Goodie bags can also be filled with items such as eye patches, small toy swords, and other treasures. A treasure hunt makes a great party game and allows guests to "earn" their favors.

Planning a pirate party is lots of fun, and the party itself is even better. Playing pirate is great, and it's even more enjoyable when you have lots of props and plenty of friends to play along with. Make sure you have a camera on hand, because there will surely be many memorable moments.

Princess toys and clothing are favorites of many young girls. So what could be more fitting for her birthday than letting your daughter be princess for a day? A princess theme party is guaranteed to be great fun for all involved.

Princess Party Invitations and Decorations

Princess parties are quite popular, so you can find princess-themed invitations at many discount and party supply stores. You could also design your own with your computer, or you could make them from scratch.

Crown-shaped cards would be very fitting. You could add stick-on jewels from the craft store, or some silver or gold glitter. Other shapes that are good for princess party invitations include castles and glass slippers.

For decorations, you could make a princess banner and put up lots of pretty streamers and coordinating balloons. A princess needs a throne, and you can whip one up in no time using a chair, a sheet, some ribbons, and a soft pillow to sit on. Piñatas are decorative and serve as a party game as well. Choose something like a unicorn or castle to go with the rest of the décor.

Princess Party Favors and Food

There are lots of party favors that would work well for a princess party. Wands, goblets and costume jewelry are nice if you're going with store-bought favors. You can also find inexpensive paper crowns to use instead of the standard party hats.

You could easily make your own party favors to save money and add a creative touch. Card stock paper will make a fairly durable crown, and you could provide stick-on jewels and other pretty things to the girls and let them decorate their own. You could also cut out stars from cardboard, decorate them with glitter, and glue a dowel to the back of them for homemade wands. For a simple yet elegant favor, put some assorted candy in some pretty tulle and tie it up with a ribbon.

Miniature sandwiches make a dainty food for a princess party. Simply make regular peanut butter and jelly or ham and cheese sandwiches and cut them into quarters. Pink lemonade or fruit punch served in goblets or teacups provide royal refreshment.

Castle cakes are a hit at princess parties. Most bakeries can make them. If you want to make your own, you could use a regular sheet cake with a smaller cake centered on top of it. Add upside-down ice cream cones at the corners to create a castle shape. Then decorate with icing, and add a tiny princess figurine to complete the look.

A princess party doesn't have to be expensive to be fun. You can make almost everything on your own, or you can find inexpensive favors and decorations at your local discount store. Your little princess will have a memorable birthday, and her friends will talk about what a great time they had for weeks to come.

Little girls love to have tea parties with their parents, siblings, or stuffed animals. Why not expand on that and have a big tea party for her birthday? It's a great excuse to play dress-up and have a fancy get-together with all of her friends.

Tea Party Invitations and Decorations

You may be able to find invitations appropriate for a tea party theme at a discount or party supply store. If not, it's easy to make them yourself. Simply cut teapot or teacup shapes out of construction paper or card stock. Write the party details on them. If you want to add any special notes, you could add a string and a small tag with the note so that it looks like the tag from a teabag.

You will need a nice table setting for the tea party. A pretty tablecloth and cloth napkins will add an air of elegance. A pot or vase of fresh or fake flowers makes a nice centerpiece. And don't forget the teapot, cups and saucers!

Tea Party Food and Favors

Cupcakes and finger sandwiches are the natural choice for a tea party. Small fruits such as grapes and strawberries are also appealing, and they add a little extra nutrition to the party menu.

If you prefer to have a large cake, your local bakery or caterer may be able to make a teapot cake. You could also simply make a sheet cake and draw a teapot on it in icing. Or you could make it look like a table and add a strategically placed toy tea set. When the party is over, the birthday girl can keep it to play with.

Tea is the obvious drink for a tea party, but many parents would prefer that their children not have the caffeine-loaded drink. Using decaffeinated or herbal tea will ease fears of hyperactive kids running around for hours after the party. It's also a good idea to offer an alternative such as fruit punch, because some children do not like tea.

Tea party favors could include miniature tea sets. These can be bought inexpensively at the dollar store. Feather boas are also popular, and the girls can wear them during the party for added glamour. You could also buy a normal sized toy tea set and fill the cups and pots with candy. Wrap them in tulle or plastic and tie it all up with a pretty ribbon for a beautiful favor.

Tea parties give young girls a chance to practice their manners while having a good time. They also make for great fun on a birthday. Birthday tea parties are inexpensive and easy to put together, making them wonderful for both kids and parents.