Somewhere Over the Rainbow Party Theme

One of my favorite cousins is planning a party for her little girl's 4th birthday. Her daughter has requested a "Wizard of Oz" theme.

Since I live for opportunites to brainstorm overly themey kid party ideas, I have jumped on this opportunity to supply her with some unsolicited party planning tips. So, strap on your seatbelts, here we go:

Invitations
It's pretty easy to find rainbow printer paper at office supply stores, Wal-Mart, and Target. Even easier, an evite might do the trick!

Here's a sample wording idea to give either invite that "Oz" touch:

Calling All Munchkins!
Follow the yellow brick road to _____'s 4th Birthday!
at the Emerald City
123 Main Street
Sometown, MA 01234
RSVP to the Great and Mysterious Oz at
emailaddress@email.com or 781-555-5555.

Or, search for "wizard of oz invitations" at ebay and etsy for some adorable custom invites.

Party Supplies

Make your own using rainbow-colored decorations and red glittery confetti, or buy decorations at the local party store (they're easy to find).

Alternatively, you can order online at places like http://www.birthdayexpress.com/.

Click here for Birthday Express coupon codes.

Be warned, if you order from them, you will receive enough catalogues in the future to kill 10 redwood trees!

Activities

• Rainbow Pinata: Quick, easy, affordable fun. Who doesn't love a pinata?
• Craft: Decorate wands, make lion masks out of paper plates, or make lollipop scarecrows.
• Coloring Pages: Click here for free Wizard of Oz coloring pages.
• Games: Limbo under the wicked witch's broom, play the magic wand goes round and round (instead of a ball, pass a sparkly good witch wand), or freeze dance to "Follow the Yellow Brick Road" or "Somewhere Over the Rainbow."

Ambiance

• Music: Use Grooveshark or Playlist to create a Wizard of Oz playlist, or play the movie on your tv.
• BUBBLES! It would be pretty cool to rent or borrow a bubble machine to place outside your front door when the guests arrive (in honor of Glinda the Good Witch, of course).
• Costumes: If you have 'em, wear 'em! If you don't, they are pretty cheap and easy to find, as they are very popular at Halloween. Check e-bay and your local party store or thrift shop.

Cake

We bought this rainbow cupcake pull-apart cake from our local Shaws for Chicky's 5th birthday. It was a big hit and easy to serve. For a Wizard of Oz flare, eliminate the party hats and add some figurines or tiny ruby slippers.

Here's a link to some homemade Wizard of Oz cake ideas.

Or, you can check out your local supermarket. I am pretty sure I have seen a pretty cute Dorothy cake in the sample books.

Favor Ideas

• Swirly large Lollipop Guild-style pops.
• Sparkly wands (check the Christmas Tree Shops, as they regularly have them there for very affordable prices).
• Bubbles
• Little baskets (Toto style) filled with treats (e.g., Wizard of Oz stickers, little stuffed dogs, Wizard of Oz fruit snacks, rainbow anything, etc.).

Best wishes for an Ozalicious party! Send the birthday girl our best!