Bring the circus home for your little one's birthday. Credit: Getty Images
Circus themed birthdays are full of opportunities to recreate the thrill of the big top right in your own home. A little planning and some clowning around is all it takes to have a three-ring adventure.
Come One, Come All!
Create your own circus ticket invitations on your home computer, using colorful card stock for the "tickets." Place multi-colored confetti in the envelope -- when guests open the invitations they'll know that they are in for a circus-style celebration!
If you are planning a "classic" old fashioned circus themed party, Birthday Express has one of the best selections of party supplies on the web. They are traditionally themed with clowns, the big top striped tent and an elephant. Select balloons, streamers and curling ribbon in primary colors to complete the setting. Use your child's stuffed animals to further enhance the circus environment. And be sure to purchase old fashioned popcorn containers to use as goody bags.
Welcome to the Big Top!
Greet guests at the door wearing your ring masters hat and welcome them to the circus. (If your guests are preschool aged, we suggest that you avoid having a clown at the front door; many children are still scared of clowns at this age, and you don't want the party to get off on the wrong foot.) Direct them to the "Big Top" and let the fun begin!
Game and Fun
The circus is filled with games, animals and fun. Set up some circus-inspired games like a ball or ring toss, or a "milk bottle" game using empty water bottles filled with colorful tissue paper and a little bit of dry rice or sand at the bottom. Kids can use balled up socks as the "ball" to knock over the bottles. Carnival style guessing games are also fun for little guests; have kids guess the weight of the birthday boy or girl, or have them guess how many peanuts or jelly beans are in a jar.
Circus Eats and Cake
Animal shaped sandwiches (use cookie cutters) are a fun and easy food to dress up an old favorite. Hot dogs are also a popular choice for circus eats. Set up a hot dog bar with all the fixings and let guests help themselves (with a little help from mom and dad of course!) You can make mini popcorn cupcakes to act both as centerpieces and yummy treats. And of course, cotton candy is a circus staple. Rent or buy a small cotton candy machine and dazzle the kids by making it right before their eyes.
For dessert, create a fun circus cake, either a sheet cake with circus animals on it or something more elaborate. Wilton.com features a circus tent cake and a variety of other circus-inspired cakes that are easy to make. Follow step-by-step instructions and you will be admiring your creation in no time!
