All Themes
Girls Themes
Boys Themes
Animals
Characters
Invitations
Decorations
Party Favors
Planning Guide
Games & Activities
Fun Food
Helpful Hints
Have a carnival in your yard, driveway or nearby park. Set-up booths for games, entertainment and food. Give guests tickets for activities and award prizes for games.
Fun Invitations
Design the invitation to look like a large admission ticket or with a photo of a ferris wheel or carnival game.
Fun Decorations
Make a large welcome to the carnival banner and decorate the party area with brightly colored balloons and streamers. Play fun music in the background.
Fun Games & Activities
Have guests drop bean bags or balls into decorated buckets or cans.
Make a "fishing game" with small poles and strings with a magnet on the end. Put paper cutouts (each with a large paperclip attached) in a kiddie pool or large bucket. The magnet on the pole will pick up the paper cutouts.
Float several rubber ducks in a kiddie pool or large bucket. Mark one duck with a bright dot on the bottom. When a guest picks this duck (allow several tries) he/she wins a small prize.
Provide sidewalk chalk for drawing on the driveway or sidewalk. Decorate wagons and ride-on cars with streamers and balloons and have a parade around the block.
Dress up as forture teller and read guests' fortunes (everyone lives long, is very happy, etc.). Have an artistic friend do facepainting or apply temporary tattoos. Take Polariod pictures of guests with their face art.
Fun Foods
Serve soft pretzels, string cheese, watermelon, and fruit punch. For dessert serve a decorated icecream cake or balloon cupcakes.
Fun Favors
If you give prizes for the carnival games, you may not need to provide additional favors. Just give guests a colorful bag to put all their prizes in. If you want to provide additional favors, finger paints, a kazoo, blowing bubbles, or stickers would be fun. Give each child a helium balloon to take home.