A Cat in the Hat Birthday Party is a great theme for a birthday party, pool party, or just a party with a few friends!
A Cat in the Hat Birthday Party and other book-themed parties for kids are a great idea! I have written many posts and website pages on getting kids to read, reading comprehension strategies, reluctant readers, getting kids ready for kindergarten, etc. so I thought I'd venture to a post on book-themed parties for kids!
It's another great way to promote reading!!!!
Cat in the Hat Birthday Party
I LOVE this idea of a book-themed party as reading promotion is needed more than ever. There are too many distractions in our world with so much technology when reading is one of the most important topics to be promoted! So a book-themed party is a perfect idea for promoting reading!
I'm going to give basic ideas and suggestions on what is needed for a party.
The colors you'll need for your Cat in the Hat Birthday party are red, white, and blue. So basically, any food, decorations, etc. you buy or create with those colors will connect to the theme.
There are a ton of things to buy, but if you can buy some items and make a few, that's great for the pocketbook!
I'm giving you links to items to purchase and other ideas that you may want to tackle. These are affiliate links - I get a tiny fee from Amazon, but you don't pay a penny more!
The Cat in the Hat Birthday Party
You can find invitations at a variety of places. The ones that I have shown are from Amazon. If there's no time to get out an invitation, you can just email friends or send an E-invite.
You can purchase Cat in the Hat paper goods in a variety of places, the ones I've shown are from Amazon. Again, just using the colors of the Cat in the Hat story, will also work!
Decorations can be anything with the Cat in the Hat theme - red, white and blue ANYTHING!
You can cut out circles of red, white and blue circles and put them all over your party area or buy the ones lower in the post.
Another idea is to cut up plastic tablecloths to make them into long streamers.
And since it's a book-themed party, you can print out the covers to some Dr. Seuss books.
SOME IDEAS FOR GAMES & ACTIVITIES FOR YOUR PARTY
Play Simon Says - It's always a hit!
You can have all the cupcakes and icing done and each child can decorate a cupcake.
Have a Competition - spelling, trivia, math, etc.
Create Obstacle Course
Balloon Toss
Food - the food at your party depends on the time of day. Some ideas are sandwiches, chips, juice, or pizza. And tacos or chicken fingers are usually a hit also. Or you could have hot dogs and hamburgers. This post by Mom and Munchkins also has tons of ideas.
Making Pizza - You can roll out either pizza dough from a pizzeria or from the grocery store, Pillsbury refrigerator dough you get in a tube, or pizza dough in a box and create the dough in the shape of a top hat. You can top the pizza with the fillings of your choice. This, of course, could be made into an activity with each child contributing to the pizza.
Or buy a pizza. Pizza from grocery stores is usually great bargains. Or of course, your favorite pizza place!
Make EASY Chocolate Treats - these treats can be dipped in white, dark, or milk chocolate that you've melted in the microwave or double boiler:
Pretzel Rods
Small Pretzels
Strawberries
Oreos
Gummy Bears
Rice Krispie Treats
I've also seen neat The Cat in the Hat yummy hats made from marshmallow for the base, a slice of banana and strawberry. Adorable!
Favors can range from a book (Dr. Seuss), bookmarks, pencils, candy, one cupcake from the party, one toy or special item, or a few little goodies!
PARTY TIMELINE
It's better to do as much as possible before the day of the party because things come up that you don't plan for!
Two Weeks or More Before the Party - Planning
☑Figure out the party agenda from the minute the kids arrive to the minute they leave. Read the kids the story or Show the story on video that I have attached to this post.
☑Play a game or get the kids ready for the activity you have chosen.
☑Will you make food and cake or will you order it?
☑What will you do as the kids wait to be picked up by a parent? (tv, game, etc.)
☑Will you ask the parents to stay or will you not.
☑Ask someone to take pictures! You'll be so busy, you won't have time!
☑Send out the invitations.
A Week and a Half Before the Party
☑Get all the paper supplies, decorations, foods that you can purchase ahead of time (candy, ingredients for cupcakes, drinks, etc.) Order cake or know which cake you are making.
A Week Before the Party
☑Have all the groceries on hand that you'll need besides perishables.
Two Days Before the Party
☑Shop for everything you don't have.
☑Make any items for the party that you will make (cake, cookies, cupcakes, appetizers, etc.)
☑Put out the items for your game or activity you're going to have.
☑Figure out where the cake and decorations will be placed. Set out serving spoons and silverware.
A Day Before the Party
☑Set out all of the paper goods, set up the table, decorations, plates, napkins, etc
☑Check with the person that's taking pictures to make sure they remember that they're taking pictures.
☑Decorate
The Day of the Party
☑Do as much as possible before the actual day as things come up that you never plan on happening!
☑Leave only the things that can't be done ahead of time. Pick up the cake. Pick up or blow up balloons.
☑Anything that's in the refrigerator - know where it will be placed, put out condiments, serving spoons if needed, etc.
