If your child is a born singer and she spends her free time belting out tunes, dress in crazy costumes and playing a toy guitar, why not celebrate her birthday with a kicking rock star party? Here, I share the ideas and activities that may get everyone into a musical birthday groove.
An Outdoor Rockstar Birthday Party At Your Backyard
First, begin your preparations by creating an invitation on the computer. You may invite your guests to perform any act they want (lip-synching allowed) and also make it clear that just being in the audience is fine too. Note that although you will serve popcorn and pizza, there will be no rotten tomatoes in sight.
The next task is to get the yard ready for its debut as a performance venue. Sweep the leaves and cobwebs. Wash the windows and open the doors to let in the light. It had been a beautiful spring, warm and sunny, and the barn was looking good.
Next, cut out dozens of large stars from yellow poster board and hang them along with balloons around the stage area at one side of the yard. Bring in CD and MP3 players to supply the music some acts would need. Hang lights and set up chairs for the audience. The last step is buying the costume.
Party Pointers
No backyard? No problem! Just clear a space in your living room or basement. It should be big enough to accommodate karate demonstrations or baton throwing. Define it as a stage by hanging a large tablecloth or sheet as a backdrop.
Include some examples of “acts” on the invitation so kids understand the range of possibilities: origami, dance, telling a riddle. They’ll be more likely to find a talent to show off.
Ask a guest who plays a musical instrument to provide background tunes for non-musical acts such as yo-yo demonstrations and karate shows. Kids who are performing with music can bring their own CDs.
If children are shy about performing, suggest a joke or two for them to tell. Once they see the other kids onstage, most kids want to get into the act.
Want to give out goody bags? We filled ours with glow-in-the-dark stars, face paints, and lots of glitters.
Don’t be surprised if parents stay to watch the show; be sure to have enough snacks for the adults.
Setting The Stage
Before guests arrive, you can make your family room into a rock arena by pushing some furniture aside. Girl in Star Sunglasses For star-worthy curtains, cut an old sheet in half, strung it on a clothesline, and decorate it with silver posterboard cutouts.
Tuneful tip: To create “backstage” and “onstage” areas, hang the curtains in a doorway between two rooms.
Getting The Look
Instruct to come wearing rock-and-roll finery, the girls can raid their moms’ closets for some pretty outrageous styles. Provide rockstar accessories such as hair and makeup (an excellent way to involve moms in the party) for each new arrival. When everyone is totally glam, make a runway-style photo session to record their fabulous getups.
Tuneful tip: Have plenty of extra baubles, boas, and funky hats on hand. For an even wilder look, let your guests apply temporary tattoos.
Cool Crafts: Guitar Making Party
Next, it’s time to create some musical instruments. You can cut cardboard guitar shapes the night before. For the guitar-decorating station, cover a table with a plastic cloth and set out sparkly star stickers, faux jewels, string, markers, and other goodies from craft cupboard.
Bling Glasses Rock Star PartySince every pop siren needs a microphone, collect a bunch of paper cardboard tubes from the recycling bin. The girls can wrap each with colorful duct tape and fit a ball of crushed foil into one end.
If you can’t make your own guitar or you can’t afford to buy a real guitar, check out these inflatable rock guitars above. They are quite cheap and you can just play the music on the back and they pretend like playing.
Girls On Stage
Set up a karaoke machine, and the girls strum their guitars and sing into their microphones. They may perform alone and in groups, and have a great time cheering each other on and singing along to a playlist of their favorites.
After everyone rocks to the heart’s content, you can play Freeze Dance. The girls can dance to a tune, and when you stop it mid-song, they froze in place. The girls giggle wildly as they try to hold their wacky dance poses. Whoever move has to sit down, until just one dancer, the winner remains.
Tuneful tip: Capture your guests’ music and dance performances on video, then burn discs to send with your child’s thank-you notes.
Treats For Stars
A guitar-shaped cake is a smash hit and ends the party on a high note. The guests will head home with their cardboard guitars and their favor bags filled with boas and sunglasses. And they will leave with happy memories of groovin’ the birthday.