Daily Party Dish

Fiesta Theme Party Buffet and Menu Ideas

Let’s get ready to Fiesta!  My sister Kathleen came up with a bunch of amazing Fiesta Party Ideas for her daughter’s first birthday party.  The theme was UNO (get it?), and Kathleen decided to have a taco buffet to feed the horde of guests she invited.  With around 100 people attending (and no caterer!), she needed an easy set-up where family and friends felt free to help themselves. 

Of course, with a fiesta theme, Kathleen decided to have a “Taco Bar” (love the taco pinata decoration)!  Ole! Easy Fiesta Party Ideas were a must, so she kept it simple by offering a variety of taco and nacho fixings – guests could mix and match their own tacos to their hearts’ delight.

Below are the menu items Kathleen chose for the "Taco Bar"!  It gave guests a lot of mix and match options, so they could build their perfect meal (and you can also check out our Fiesta Party Food for more ideas...):

• Taco Shells:  Soft corn tortillas, flour tortillas, and hard corn taco shells (a favorite with the kids!)
• Nacho cheese and tortilla chips
• Ground beef flavored with taco seasoning
• Pulled pork
• White rice with cilantro
• Black beans
• Queso dip
• Shredded lettuce and cheese
• Guacamole
• Salsa: Mild, medium and hot flavors along with a pineapple salsa
• Sauces: A variety of hot sauces
• Spicy taco coleslaw
• Sour cream

To start off the buffet, guests grabbed their taco shell - corn and flour tortillas were stacked in a basket and refilled throughout the party!

Of course, if guests didn't want a taco, they could always fill a tray with chips and top it with delicious nacho cheese!  Guests were so excited for this novelty treat, and the funny sign was a bonus (and a classic corny joke the hostess likes to tell).  A favorite among the kids were the "walking tacos" (see top picture).  We made sure to have a sign with instructions - open a bag of Doritos and add your favorite taco toppings (ground beef, cheese, lettuce, sour cream, etc).  Mix with a fork and enjoy, all while walking around the party!

Family and friends finished off their tacos with a variety of fun toppings!  Mild to hot salsas (check out that verde salsa!) along with spicy taco slaw, guacamole, cilantro, lettuce, cheese, and sour cream gave each guest a chance to individualize.  

With all that spicy food, the hostess Kathleen had to make sure guests had something to drink!  Fiesta Theme Water Bottle Labels that she had specially designed for her daughter Lizzy's UNO theme party were perfect.

Instead of serving traditional sodas, Kathleen ordered specialty Mexican pops for guests to enjoy!  They fit right into the fiesta theme, and the glass bottles were a favorite with kids and adults alike.

DIY faux pinatas were easy to make and also made a big impact on the buffet!  Along with a bull pinata, the buffet needed little else for decorations other than this donkey pinata and the taco pinata pictured above.  The decorations were in the party theme's UNO colors of course - red, green, yellow, and blue!

Kathleen made the faux pinatas by cutting the donkey and bull shapes from cardboard.  She attached rows of fringed crepe paper with glue, and voila!  An easy and colorful decoration!

Family and friends loved the fiesta theme buffet - it was the party's main attraction!  Everyone went back for seconds and thirds!

Enjoy planning your fiesta party menu! If you need more fiesta theme ideas, check out my other posts on this great party as well as Party411's invitation and favors ideas:

• Custom Fiesta Invitations and Party Favors
• Fiesta Theme 1st Birthday Cake Smash
• Fiesta Party Ideas: How to Host an UNO Tournament
• First Birthday Party Ideas

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Blue Theme Milestone Birthday Party Ideas

Every year, my sister and I throw a birthday party for our cousin Lily.  We celebrated the big 10 this year, so I had to make sure to come up with some pretty great Milestone Birthday Party Ideas for the birthday girl to choose from. We tossed around a bunch of great Kids Birthday Party Ideas: Ocean Theme Party, Bubbles Galore, and even Knights of the Round Table. But in the end, Lily picked the theme, and she chose blue.  Just blue. 

At first, I was a little stumped with this party theme!  How could I take it beyond just blue paper goods and crepe paper? It didn’t seem like I’d be able to come up with any ideas that would top last year’s party.

Our Milestone Theme Party Invitations and Favors helped to jump start our planning process (lots of color options, including blue!), and then we got down to planning the all-blue decorations and menu.  In the end, the party table we put together was a huge hit with the birthday girl!  Who said a color theme party wouldn’t work?  Not me! :)

Of course, the WOW factor of our table was the ombre link chain backdrop!  See my instructions on how to make your own party table backdrop here.

All of the delicious desserts needed to be blue, too!  Blue Jello cups were easy to make and perfect for our young guests.  A blue ice cream cake made an eye-popping centerpiece, and rice krispie treats along with Oreo favors were party favorites.

These ombre rice krispie treats were not only tasty but they also fit the theme perfectly and looked absolutely beautiful! See how to make them here. I served most of the menu on white or clear platters and serving trays.  It helped give the table a bright look while breaking up some of the blue.

It was easy to pick up blue bottled drinks that the kids would love.  Just rip off the labels and add a fun paper straw that you can find at any party store.  Pile extra straws in a themed cup or bucket! (See my blue one in the background?)

Don't forget party essentials to match your theme, too.  Blue cups, napkins, and plates are a must!  And a few extras make a party fun and memorable.  We bought a blue inflatable crown for the party girl, and scattered homemade card stock confetti to finish off the decorations.

Make sure to handout party favors as guests head home!  My aunt made these chocolate covered Oreos (with blue sprinkles!), and we piled them in a bowl on the party table. They looked great!

Even the birthday girl wore blue to go with the party theme!  Happy Birthday to Lily from the Party Girl, and good luck planning your milestone birthday.  Check out these links for more ideas:

• Blue Ombre Link Chain Party Backdrop
• Blue Ombre Rice Krispie Treats
• Milestone Theme Party Invitations and Favors

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12 Games for a Labor Day Backyard Waterpark Party

This Labor Day, surprise your kids (and all the kiddos in the neighborhood) with a DIY backyard waterpark! Even though the school year has started, that doesn’t mean the days have gotten any colder.  Keep cooler and celebrate one more summer day off with a waterpark party that will have every kid in the neighborhood clamoring to get in your backyard.  The success of any children’s party relies almost entirely on entertainment, and if you don’t have a pool, fun DIY water games are a must!  Try some of these easy to organize games to get all the kids involved (and drenched!).

  image from super cute baseball party over at iCandy!

 

• Water Balloon Baseball: Fill a bucket with water balloons and batter’s up!  Use plastic play bats, so the balloons don’t break as easily.
• DIY Slip ‘n Slide:  Conventional slip ‘n slides are expensive and easily broken.  Make your own using a heavy duty roll of plastic you can buy from any home supply store.  Roll the plastic down a gently sloping hill.  Stretch the plastic tight, using stakes at either end to hold it down. (Nail the stakes down surrounded by foam so no one gets hurt on them.)  Have someone at the top with a hose continuously spraying the slide, and add dish soap for some extra slippery fun!  Keep in mind, this backyard activity is for older children.  Expect a few scrapes and bruises along the way.  Check out this DIY slide from Digital Misery (http://www.digitalmisery.com/2010/07/best-slip-n-slide-ever-from-wiredgeekdad) if you want to try something more permanent.
• Fun Sponge Water Fight: Traditional water balloon fights end all too soon when kids run out of ammo.  Make your water fight last longer with sponges, instead!  Cut sponges in fun shapes (stars, hearts, leaves, fish), and put them in water-filled buckets strategically placed around the yard.  Kids can throw sponges again and again and get soaking wet!
• Life-Sized Bubble Pool: Fill a kiddy pool with a small amount of water and a large bottle of bubbles. Have a child stand in the center of the pool, and use a hoola-hoop to create a large bubble around the child by lifting it up around him or her.  Kids will have fun popping these massive bubbles!
• Holey Cup Batman!: In teams of two, have kids try to fill a bucket with water using a holey cup!  Place two buckets (one filled with water and one empty) twenty feet apart.  Give each child a Styrofoam cup with small holes poked in the bottom.  The task is for each team to fill the empty bucket with water from the full one using only their cups.  The first team to fill their bucket wins!  Makes for a wet and wild game!
• Ball and Chain: Tie a water balloon to each child’s ankle.  Have them try to pop each other’s balloons without breaking their own.  The last one with a balloon wins!
• Water Balloon Parachute: Just like in gym class, use a parachute with kids holding the edges to throw water balloons in the air.  Whoever they land on gets drenched! If you don’t have a play parachute, use a king-sized sheet instead.
• Pool Noodle Sprinkler: Block one end of a pool noodle with a plastic bag and duct tape.  Poke holes along the length of the noodle with a knife, and put a hose through the other end.  Turn the hose on, and let kids run underneath the noodle. This improvised sprinkler is great for toddlers! 
• Water Balloon Piñata:  Hang a couple dozen water balloons on a clothesline, and let the kiddos pop them for a quick cool down!  It’s even more fun if they’re blindfolded!
• Hose Limbo: Just like normal limbo, but use a hose to create a horizontal stream of water.  If you get hit, you’re out!
• Water Balloon Toss: A summer tradition, everyone will have fun with this classic water game! Vary the game by having the kids catch the balloons in bowls, buckets, or strainers.

 

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Bowling Theme Birthday Pictures

David was turning 5 and wanted to celebrate at the local lanes with their glow in the dark bowling. We did a few fun personalized bowling party favors (candy bars, lollipops and water bottle labels) so there was someting for everyone to take home. And when the lights came down the white and blue on the party favors looked great under the black lights!

David also has a bowling pin as a birthday sign in board. How cute! David's mom also handed out glow jewelry to all the guests. Find more great ideas in our bowling party ideas for kids.

Everyone had a "ball" at David's 5th Birthday!

 

Halloween Craft Ideas: Eyeball Picture Frame

If you're hosting a family Halloween party, you'll want to keep your littlest guests entertained with a variety of Fun Halloween Party Games! This not-so-spooky eyeball picture frame is a simple craft project that is wonderful for a Halloween party for kids.   All you need are simple wood craft frames, paint in Halloween colors, glue and “googly” eyes. We used a variety of size eyes for the project.

You’re first step is to paint the background of your frames with a Halloween color.  We used purple and lime green, but of course orange and black work as well.  The frames then need time to dry so you may want to paint the frames before your party or do the project in two steps to give them time to dry.

 

After the frames have dried, glue on as many eyeballs as you like on the frames!  The more the merrier as far as I’m concerned!

 

Then, voila!  You’ve got a great Halloween eyeball picture frame to display your favorite Halloween family photos!

Check out some of our other Halloween ideas, too, to make your party a hit:

• Halloween Party Ideas
• Halloween Party Ideas and Themes
• Halloween Party Favors

Ghostbusters Theme Birthday Party

This past weekend we did a bit of ghost busting at an amazing Ghostbusters theme birthday party for two brothers.  We started with an amazing one of a kind caricature invitation.  We had the invitation information added on the back of the artwork.

Our colors for the party were black and lime “slime” green.  Centerpieces were Ghostbusters plush with green candy scattered around the bases.

We had a fun custom game to entertain the kids. Lifesize cutouts of Slimer and the Marshmallow Man had their mouths cut out so the kids could shoot at them with marshmallow shooters.  This was a great activity.  Since the party was inside, we made sure to station a teenager nearby to make sure no one stepped on the marshmallows.

We also had someone there to do photo favors of the kids.  They loved the keychains with the caricatures on the back.  The kids also all got Ghostbusters badges to show off that they were now Ghostbusters.

After lunch and these amazing Ghostbusters theme cupcake cakes, we had a science group some by and do a presentation for the kids on how to make slime.  They all got to take home their own slime in a personalized plastic jar.  Those went right into lime green goodie bags (with the caricature, of course) filled with more candy!

The party was so unique with the Ghostbusters theme and everyone had a great time! Check out our kids birthday party ideas for other great themes!

Angry Birds Theme Party Ideas

My five year old came home one from school about 6 months ago and said, “Mom, there’s this game called Angry Birds.  Can we get it?”  It seemed like an innocent request at the time.  Little did I know that our family was about to become Angry Birds Obsessed. (The kids even got their grandmothers hooked.)  So what do I do when we become hooked on something at our house?  Well, I plan a party!

My 3 year old was thrilled with the idea of having an Angry Birds theme party for his upcoming birthday party.  We’ve been planning for a while (picture an invitation with him in the middle of an Angry Birds scene, flying across the page) and trying to come up with creative Kids Birthday Party Ideas.

Then one day I hopped onto our site and saw it… Angry Birds party supplies.  Stop the presses.  These are fantastic! 

 

I almost ran home from work to show my kids.  Then a few days later, these fantastic balloons appeared online:

 
I’m sold.  We’ll mix the fantastic Angry Birds Mylar balloons with bright primary latex balloons and the bright paper goods and the party is practically all planned.  On to favors...  There are tons of great Angry Birds toys available.  These Angry Birds backpack keychains are super fun as are these Angry Birds stickers.  I have a feeling more will be online soon now that the paper goods and balloons are available.  I’ll keep you posted.

We’re also thinking Angry Bird (and pig) masks for the kids.  We did something similar for my older son’s Star Wars party and it was a hit.  This site has a great free Angry Birds eps that can be used to create masks or favor tags. 

Grandma has of course been recruited to make an Angry Birds cake. (You remember her great cakes are, right?)  We’ve found some great ones online!  Check out this cake topper set from Etsy.  

 

 I think our Angry Birds party is going to be great.  I’ll be sure to post pictures when we’re done!

 

Sam’s Mom

Sesame Street Birthday Party Favor Bag Ideas

I have an almost-four year old for whom the sun rises and sets with Sesame Street!  There is no other TV show worth watching (my apologies to Dora and Arthur).  So when it came time to plan his birthday party, it was a no brainer – a Sesame Street party was the only choice!  The party itself was easy to plan, craft, games, cake an Elmo piñata, but the party bags took a little more thought.  I am not a fan of party bags filled with junk.  I don’t think that every bag needs to be educational, but it doesn’t have to be “sugar shock” waiting to happen either.  After bit of thought, and consultation with my son, here is a list of fun favors bearing the birthday child’s seal of approval – an honor not easily earned!

Young children love alliteration and mine is no different.  Therefore, we tried very hard to assign a Sesame Street character’s name to each item and then placed a small label on it.  This took a few extra minutes but was such a big hit that it was well worth it.

• Big Bird Bubbles
• Bert’s Bouncing Balls
• Curly Bear Crayons and Coloring Books
• Snuffy’s Stickers
• Ernie’s Rubber Ducky
• The Count’s Cards – simple card games like Old Maid or Go Fish are great and often come as 4 decks packaged together making them an economical purchase too.
• Cookie Monster’s Cookies – buy or bake a Cookie Monster shaped cookie, or include a cookie cutter and small jar of Play Dough to go with it.
• Oscar’s Trash Can Candy – novelty candy stores sell tiny trash cans filled with candy.  They’re very cute and certainly stick with the theme.
• Grover’s Groovy Games – small, handheld games that imitate pinball machines, race tracks or mazes are always great.

As an extra special treat, add a Sesame Street character finger puppet to the bag!    The children will think they’re tons of fun and play with them long after the party is over.

You have plenty of cute options for what to put your favors in. Here are a few fun ones I came across while gathering my ideas:

I spotted these cute diy bags on Be Festive.

I am not artisitc enough to pull these off, but the pails are really fun! Seen on babylifestyles.

Party411.com also has fun Sesame Street Invitations and Party Favors that will match any Sesame Street birthday party! You can check out more fun ideas in our Sesame Street Birthday Party!

Cupcake Cakes: A Sam's Mom Favorite

Here are some fun Kids Birthday Party Ideas – cakes made out of cupcakes! I’ve seen a ton at birthday parties in the last year, and I think they’re a great alternative to a traditional cake. You get all the fun and excitement of a big cake, but it’s easy to serve and has LOTS of frosting. What could be better? Here are a few:

This cake had over 100 cupcakes for a huge crowd!

And a smaller crocodile cupcake cake for a Neverland theme party

And a cute snake and turtle for a jungle theme party.

Maddie, with a traditional “cake” made of cupcakes

These cupcakes were made to look like a big bowl of popcorn!

Why stop at traditional cupcakes? These cupcakes are angel food cupcakes with fruit. Yum!

The possibilities are endless and the cupcakes delicious! If you’re going to have a cupcake cake, please send me one. Thanks! Sam’s Mom

Hungry Caterpillar Theme Party: Josh’s 1st Birthday

I was very excited to help plan my nephew's 1st Birthday. After coming up with a huge list of adorable Kids Birthday Party Ideas, we decided on the Hungry Caterpillar as the theme.  This makes for a very colorful party!

As people walked in, they were greeted with a birthday banner and a mini candy buffet.  This was a huge hit with the kids and all the adults.  Who doesn’t LOVE candy??  The caterpillar in the front was made out of cake pops.  It turned out super cute.

The centerpieces were 2 sided fruit from the book topped off with balloons.  We also added balloons on the fireplace.

In the kitchen, why not add all the fruit that left the caterpillar “still hungry”.  We put the fruit in pails and added a little sign.

The favors were little bubbles, candy bars and lollipops all with custom labels.  Add some cake for dessert and there you have it…the perfect Hungry Catepiller Birthday Party!

• First Birthday Party Ideas from Party411.com
• Kids Birthday Party Games
• Kids Birthday Party Invitations