Superheroes like Batman, Spiderman, Superman and Ben Force 10 are great party inspirations for kids. Invitations can be made based on comic book characters, and hero masks and capes are easy to make for guests. Convince an adult friend to dress up as Batman or Spiderman and teach the kids some karate moves or use LEGO video games as a base for the activities. Use background music or movies and give the kids some action adventures and prize challenges. Party favors like temporary tattoos and sticky plastic spiders are very popular with children. The food should be simple, but imagine some imaginative labels like Spiderman Power Punch, Big Chill Icecream, and Bat cookies to perpetuate your chosen theme.

Thomas the Tank Engine is a popular theme for children who are fascinated by trains. A great party idea would be to take the kids on a real train ride or to an old train station where the party might be held. Failing that, with imagination you can transform your house or garden into a series of stations with tracks painted on brown paper. Each station becomes an activity point with fun crafts, ending with a free-standing train face with a hole so kids can stick their heads out and take a picture. These go home with the thank you note. Regular party games easily become having a Thomas pinata and playing Pin the Number on Thomas.

Harry Potter parties can get a little more complicated. Ask guests to come in their favorite wizard costumes and plan activities by referring to the books and movies. A scavenger hunt would work and you would have the Harry Potter board game and DVD handy. The official Harry Potter colors are green and orange, so select Harry Potter balloons, streamers and other decorations in these colors. Some of your Halloween decorations can be recycled to add a spooky effect, and of course, a hired magician should do the trick!

Pirates are a wonderful theme as you can base the party on Peter Pan and the Pirates or Pirates of the Caribbean. It’s not hard to think of invitations in the form of a treasure map or a Jolly Roger flag, or even a message in a bottle. A treasure hunt could be the highlight of the party and hopefully you have a part of the garden where a treasure chest could be buried. Tattoos and pirate hats, eye patches, colorful sashes and plastic swords to play with will add to the atmosphere and all you need is Blackbeard’s “Rum Punch” and Captain’s burgers Hook to complete the party theme.

Spongebob Squarepants has a great fascination for children and parents who need inspiration can watch the TV show for ideas. An underwater theme works well, a SpongeBob cake is easier to make than most, and fish, starfish, crabs, and jellyfish are fun to make out of colored paper, whether you or the kids they can do it. Other popular TV shows and movies as party themes are Toy Story, which combines cowboy and astronaut themes, and the great assets of Sesame Street. Characters like Big Bird, Elmo, and Cookie Monster can be created with time and trouble, and the bright primary colors of these characters give you a color scheme to start with. Wiggles parties are also a good bet because you can have the shows play on the TV in the background and customize the party with all four Wiggles performers and their individual colours.

Remember that children need lots of activities, always plan some extra noise-based games or activities such as musical chairs, or silly fun like tying a balloon to the children’s ankles with a prize for the last one left intact. Unfortunately, the rule seems to apply that the more preparation, the more successful the party is. Start planning and shopping for supplies weeks before the event and pace yourself so there’s no exhausting rush at the end. After all, it’s your party too.