Land o' Candy Birthday Party

Bright balloon pops, cellophane-wrapped wall candy, and a game-inspired pathway make for party decorations that look good enough to eat -- but won't break the bank!

Turn basic balloons into freestanding lollipops. Wrap them in cellophane and add a wrapping paper tube stick, then position them around the room.

What you'll need
Large foam brush, white acrylic paint, wrapping-paper tubes, balloons, ribbon, 2-oz. paint or glue bottles, tape, cellophane, scissors

Make it
1. Use the brush to apply two coats of paint to a tube; let dry.

2. Blow up a balloon, knot the end, and to the bottom attach a length of ribbon that is about 6" longer than the tube.

3. Tie the loose end of the ribbon to the paint or glue bottle (secure with tape if necessary) and drop it into the tube so that ribbon comes out the other end.

4. Cut the ribbon from the paint or glue bottle, pull it taut and tape it to the inside of the tube. (The top of the tube should cover the balloon knot.)

5. Cut a 3'x4' piece of cellophane, cinch around the balloon, and tie with ribbon.

6. Insert the loose paint or glue bottle in the bottom of the tube to help it stand up. Secure in place on the floor with strips of tape if necessary.

These hard candies are super easy to make. Tape together two plastic dinner plates, wrap them in cellophane, and cinch the ends with ribbon.

A Candy Land-inspired paper square pathway will get everyone excited about your child's big day. Plus, you can use the deck of cards from the Candy Land game to play a real-life version on the path at the party.

The iconic colored squares will lead happy tasters past a lollipop forest and gumdrop mountains to the ice-cream-cone castle on this candy covered cake.

Kids will have fun layering colored Skittles in recycled plastic bottles to make a yummy favor.

Originally published in the May 2011 issue of Parents magazine.