Decorations

1. Colourful streamers, large cut outs of paint palettes, brushes, giant crayons, etc. art work on the walls set in frames (real or drawn) as in an art gallery.
2. Set up art work on the walls in frames (real or drawn) as in an art gallery.

Games/Activities

This party is best set up in Art Stations... here are some ideas to get you started :-)

1.Easel - set up a double sided easel with paper and paint on one side and chalkboard on the other.
2.Rubbings - set up a table with stencils and rubbing plates, paper, and crayons.
3.Tye Dye T-shirts - this will need lots of supervision, but will be worth the effort. The t-shirts can be part of the loot bag! Have each child wear rubber gloves and tye dye their own t-shirt. Be sure to write their name in pen on the tag before they start as these will look a lot alike and you won't know who's is who's once they are dry.
4.Make Jewellery - provide clasps, beads, lace, glue, etc. for making pins, necklaces, or bracelets
5.Rexlace - set up a station with rexlace and teach the children different knots to create their own bracelets. The zipper is a really easy one to start with if children are unfamiliar with working with rexlace.
6.Origami - have simple patterns available and origami paper. Fun to make the origami fortune tellers at this station.
7.Paper Bag Puppets - set up a table with bags, scissors, paper, googly eyes, feathers, pom poms, etc. for children to create their own puppets.
8.Treasure Boxes - we purchased wooden treasure boxes (some looked like treasure chests, some had screen for bug keepers - hit with the boys in the group!, and some were more like a jewellery box). Children painted the boxes and added glitter if they wished.
9.Cardboard Boxes - set up an area with flat cardboard boxes and have each child write their name on a box. This will be where children place all of their artwork/crafts when they are completed. This will save someone being upset because they can't find an item they worked really hard on at the end of the party. Each child just picked up their box and I handed out the loot bags when the parents arrived for pickup.

Food

1.Anything colourful goes at this party. Order pizza and serve with a veggie tray filled with colourful vegetables or set up a fruit platter (the kids could even sketch the fruit bowl :-).
2. Palette Cake - make a round cake and cut a finger hole out. Ice white. Use coloured icing or icing gel to make the 'paint' on the palette. To make a paintbrush, melt milk chocolate chips and use an icing bag (or a plastic baggie with the corner snipped) to shape a paintbrush out of chocolate onto wax paper. Use melted white chocolate to make the brush part. Use the coloured icing or gel to add some 'paint' to the brush. Lay the brush across the cake just touching the brush part to the matching palette paint on the cake.

Loot Bags

This is where planning ahead REALLY pays off! Visit Party stores and dollar stores frequently and purchase items that relate to your theme for the loot bags. This is one of the most enjoyable part of planning the party and the best part... you get to be there and watch the children's faces when they receive your awesome theme-based loot bags! Here are a few ideas to get you started:

1.palette paints
2.smocks
3.glitter glue
4.craft materials - googly eyes, pompoms, pipecleaners, etc
5.charcoal, chalk, crayons, pencil crayons, gel pens, etc