A few weeks ago we celebrated our Shevy's 6th birthday with a sweet fairy garden themed party. Planning for Sheva's birthday pretty much commenced directly after her 5th mermaid party, although it went through a few different iterations including a space theme that persisted for a few months. Ultimately, the allure of wearing fairy wings (for her) and the convenience of the whole thing taking place outdoors (for me) sealed the deal, and we decided on a fairy garden theme. It came together so cute and was relatively simple so I wanted to share all the details in case you also have little party planning fairies at home.
Step 1
Set the Theme With Decor
The first step of course is to make the invitations. In addition to a digital invite that can be easily shared with parents, I always think it's special for the kids to actually give out physical invitations to their friends (I still remember the thrill of toting home invitations in my backpack) to make them feel involved in the planning. We made little scrolls tied with ribbon for a fairy-esque feel. Of course, we had to change the date (twice!) after they were sent out but that's where the convenience of the digital age comes in. Canva is my favorite for any type of graphics.
Once again, Meri Meri had the perfect party ware for the occasion. Their things are so always so sweet and really add to the festive feel! We used the scalloped party plates, fairy cups and cake topper, toadstool napkins, and goody bags.
Aside from sweet Meri Meri goodies, we also used created a balloon garland, added hanging floral vines to the pergola for a garden fairy vibe, and gave out fairy wings to our guests.
Step 2
Plan the Entertainment
A moon bounce is every little kid's favorite thing, and a great icebreaker for a party, but there's no denying the ones we know and love from the 90's are kind of an eyesore. Having an aesthetic version in white elevated the look and kept all of our mini guests happy which was a win win.
We also had face painting planned, but they unfortunately canceled the day of the party. After a brief scramble, our friends' daughter and her friend stepped in to save the day and did such a great job!. The takeaway being that a home makeup kit is always good to have on hand.
Step 3
Prep the Activities
With little kids, it's always good to have a balance of guided activity and free time, so we planned a flower crown workshop and a woodland animal mask station. The flower crowns came out so cute and each one so unique, although it was a bit tedious to have to hot glue gun everyone's after they chose their designs. Depending on the age of the kids, it could be more of an independent activity, but for 6 year olds it had to more hands-on. To prep, we got a ton of different faux flowers from Dollar Tree (similar here), and removed them from the stems; as well as floral wire and tape for the crown base, and sheer satin ribbon for a pretty finishing touch.
The mask templates I found on Etsy, and printed out on cardstock. I also had them pre-cut and tied with twine so all the kids had to do was decorate them. Interestingly enough, although we set out markers, feathers, and pom poms, all the kids chose to only color the masks. Either way, it was fun for them to wear during the party and take home afterwards.
Step 4
Set Up the Food
Any great party has to have good food, and Sheva sidestepped the traditional kid's party choice of pizza with a request for sushi. We made a few platters and although it was admittedly not on-theme, it was a great finger food that most of the guests enjoyed. We also set out a crudite platter and good old fashioned popcorn. There's just something about food being served on platters that makes kids eat better, don't you agree? They like feeling in control of their selections and having different options, and it usually ends up less wasteful that way than throwing out whole uneaten platefuls.
For cake we went with a grocery store piñata cake that I modified. Actually, they made a mistake with the date and there was no cake when Kovi went to pick it up so he got a back up cake. But luckily it all worked out in the nick of time and we ended up with 2 cakes :) Anyways, I scraped off a full half inch of brightly colored frosting from around the cake so it was more of a naked cake, and added edible flowers and the adorable Meri Meri Fairy cake topper. It was a hit! And cutting into the confetti center was a fun surprise too.
Step 5
End on a Good Note
I really wanted the party favors to be more than junk that gets tossed as soon as the kids come home, so in addition to the fairy wings, flower crowns, and animal masks, we also prepped goody bags with a really cute kaleidoscope, a lip balm, and a finger skateboard. I know, I know, we digressed from the theme a bit, but they were so cute and a fun Target find.
And that's a wrap! It was fun planning out all the details with my big girl and seeing her and her little guests find magic in the celebration. Hope this is helpful for you as well!
xo,