How to Decorate a Backyard as a Circus

A circus theme can add life to any party.

Creating a unique birthday party can be a challenge. A circus theme can turn an unforgettable party into something amazing, and you don’t have to go far away to create a "big top" celebration that wows. Try building a circus in your own backyard to give your child a party that he will never forget.

Things You'll Need

• Streamers or fabric
• Rope
• Poles
• Balloons
• Plastic bowls or small plastic buckets
• Candy
• Popcorn and peanuts
• Stuffed animals
• Toy train
• Glass bottles
• Plastic rings
• Party favors
• Magnets
• Sheet
• Fishing pole

Instructions

1. Make a "big top" circus tent using an existing covered porch. Hang 3-foot-wide lengths of fabric or streamers in alternating colors from the center of the porch roof and create a swag effect by pulling them out to the walls or pillars of the porch and securing them with rope. Allow the excess fabric to hang to the floor, leaving a 3-foot-wide opening in the front of the tent.

2. Create your own circus tent if you don’t have a covered porch by sinking a 9-foot pole into the grass. Hang 3-foot-wide fabric or streamers from the top of the pole and pull them out to attach to nearby fences, trees or buildings using rope.

3. Place groupings of helium-filled balloons throughout the yard. Use balloons in bright colors like red, yellow, orange, green and blue. Tie these in groups of five or seven to chairs, fences, benches or trees.

4. Cover each table with tablecloths in bright colors to match the balloons. Make centerpieces by filling colorful plastic bowls or small plastic buckets with jelly beans. Stick an assortment of lollipops into the jelly beans to create a “floral” arrangement for each table.

5. Fill bags with peanuts and popcorn and line them up on a buffet table. Rent a popcorn machine and place it on one side of the table, creating an interactive focal point for the table. Brightly colored circus trains snaking between the bags completes the look.

6. Cover a few cardboard boxes in varying heights with assorted animal prints. Tape the fabric under the bottom of the box to hold it taut. Place assorted stuffed circus animals like elephants, lions and zebras on the boxes to create a circus animal area.

7. Place a few games around the yard to create a carnival atmosphere. Put a few empty glass bottles on the ground and place rings on a table in front of it to make a ring toss game. Tie a magnet to party favors and place them behind a sheet strung between two poles, using a fishing pole with a magnet tied on the end with which to fish out the toys.

References

• Fisher Price: Birthday Party Planner