Creative Birthday Party Invitations

Fashion a classic cootie catcher into a birthday party invitation. Use the inside flaps to reveal who, what, where, and when.

Attach a puzzle piece to a simple invite. The guests must take it to the party to help solve the mystery. (Have a duplicate puzzle on hand in case of no-shows.)

Send an invite that your guests can wear! It folds from a triangular hat into a square -- perfect for mailing.

If you're planning a scavenger hunt party, mail your invites in small brown sacks. Ask the guests to bring along the bag to collect their loot.

This earth-friendly card can multitask with the front flap doubling as a gift card. Mail with mini colored pencils and attach a ribbon to the corner.

Rummage through your desk for materials to make clever -- and unexpected -- invitations.

The Internet offers great invitation options for non-crafty party planners. At poseprints.com, design a look-alike character to match the birthday child. Log on to pingg.com for stylish electronic invites that you can e-mail, print, or send via text, and check out invitationland.com for free customizable cards that you can print at home. At picnik.com, make an eye-catching announcement by adding text, stickers, and effects to photos.

Originally published in the May 2009 issue of Parents magazine.