Brilliant Birthday Party Ideas

Ages 5+: Glitter Party

High Style Invitations

Use glitter markers to write party details on tags. Using silver thread, tie tags to bejeweled sunglasses. (To save money, decorate inexpensive cardboard sunglasses with glitter paint.) Have guests wear their shades to the party.

Activity

Glamour Relay Race: Have two teams race to dress up in selected sets of accessories. Once they're dressed, let the girls race down a "runway," pose for a Polaroid, and run back for the next girl's turn. The first team to finish wins. Girls can also decorate frames glitter-style to hold their Polaroids.

Very Violet Sparkle Cake

This pretty sparkle cake -- adorned with Necco Wafers dipped in a colorful sugar mix -- will be a sure hit with your groovy girls.*

Pampered-Princess Goody Bag

Attach sparkly hair clips or elastics, pretty costume jewelry, glittery lip glosses, and minibrushes to puffy pink bath sponges. If you'd like to indulge your guests, tie the sponges to bottles of bubble bath.

Copyright © 2004. Reprinted with permission from the May 2001 issue of Parents magazine.