Game Time
To keep little hands busy and entertained some games are in order. Some easy to plan games with a royal theme are Crown Building, High Heeled Foot Race, and Musical Hearts. Each game can be modified as needed to accommodate a different number of kids or different age ranges.
Crown Building
Crown Building is a great activity for the children to do shortly after arriving at the party. For younger kids preparing the crowns ahead of and having them ready to decorate is a good idea; for older kids, using a template on gold poster board might be more fun.
To decorate use multi-colored sequins for jewels and stick them onto the crown with self-adhesive sticky dots (link to website provided). The self-adhesive sticky dots are like glue but no mess kids of nearly any age can use them with supervision and it allows the sequins to work like stickers.
If finding time is an issue using premade paper crowns from a party supply store or from a fast food restaurant can be a good solution. Simply prepare the crowns with some gold paint and once dry spray the whole thing with glitter paint, then finally seal with a glossy spray on enamel. The jewels will still stick but the glitter won’t get all over the kids.
High Heeled Foot Race
The basic game is this: all the girls must run across a certain space to a box, the box has high heels, a necklace, and a purse, the girl must put on all the items in the box and get back to her starting point to win.
For very small girls, having just a necklace inside the purse waiting at one end, and putting these on before running back will likely be enough of a challenge. For older girls even more items can be added to the bag or box at the mid-point of their race.
Prizes can be given for the first three winners or each girl could be awarded a prize as they finish so all the girls can be winners. Some good prize ideas are candy necklaces, ring pops, or simple ribbon sashes.
To make a ribbon sash simply use a variety of colors of wide silk ribbon (three inches wide works nicely) cut to a length of 3 ½ to 5 feet depending on the height of the girls. Fold the length of ribbon in half, slightly turn one side sot the ends make a “V” then staple in place; cut a notch out of each end to complete. If desired use fabric paint marker to write Princess on each one or use making ribbon with the words woven on it.
Musical Hearts
Musical Hearts can be used to wind the party down, between cake and presents. Every parent knows the situation, upon the announcement that present opening will begin, each eager guest rushes to grab their present and present it to the birthday child proudly and all at the same time. To make neat work of this gift giving cluster play musical hearts.
Before the party cut out enough hearts for each child to have one, make the hearts out of card stock or card board. Besides the hearts, music will be needed to play the game, any music will do. Then think Musical Chairs.
To play the game lay the hearts out in a circle, for the first round each girl should have a heart, even the birthday girl. After the first round the birthday girl should sit out and watch and two hearts should be removed from the circle. Then when the music starts, all the girls should walk around the hearts, preferably doing a little dancing or wand waving. When the music stops each girl should once again rush to stand on a heart.
The girl without a heart to land on will be out, but she will also get to give her gift to the birthday girl, while the others watch from their hearts, then sit by the birthday girl and look through her goodie bag. This process should repeat until all girls have gotten their turn.
Having a royal good time can be as fun for the parents to plan as they are for the kids to play. These are some simple ideas to make a special party even more fun. All the games can be modified or expanded on, to suit the individual needs of each party.
