How to Host a Harry Potter Party for Halloween or a Birthday

Help your young guests travel to Hogwarts for a halloween party Harry Potter style. This also makes a great birthday party.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Large sheets of black paper
• moon and star stickers
• black pipe cleaners
• Sheets of black crepe paper
• lengths of plastic tubing
• seed beads
• glitter pipe cleaners
• Two hula hoops
• toy brooms
• playground ball
• assorted juices and candy
• sandwich makings
• index cards
• cake ingredients and decorations

1. Prepare a badge for each party guest. Half should be Hufflepuff and half Ravenclaw. (Older children might prefer Gryffindor and Slytherine). Place these badges in a hat by the door.

2. Put crepe paper, stiff black paper, stickers plastic tubing and pipecleaners on a table in the party area. These are the supplies for making Harry Potter costumes.

3. 
   Framed Harry Potter book jackets.

   Prepare a treasure hunt with clues from the Harry Potter books. One for each class. Herbology might have them looking for a particular plant. Transformation might be a message in invisible ink. Charms could be a coded message, Potions might be based on the logic puzzle in the first book. Have the last clue direct the kids to the place in the backyard where the toy brooms and playground ball are hidden.

4. Prepare a quiddich field in the yard by hanging the hula hoops at each end.

5. Prepare refreshments Make open face sandwiches with a slice of cheese on top of a slice of ham. Cut out dots in the shape of constellations with a drinking straw. (Astronomy class) Set out a potions lab for drinks. Pour juices and soft drinks into various clean bottles (salad dressing bottles, condiment bottles, pitchers) place a few candies such as red hots and gum drops in small jars. Label the bottles and jars things like snake oil, swamp water or Mrs. Peasbottum's Patented fairy drops. Make a rectangular cake and top it with ice cream cones. Decorate it like a castle. If it is a birthday party add candles. For Halloween use pumpkin candy.

6. When guests arrive at the party have them choose a badge from the sorting hat to determine what house they are in. Pin the badge to their shirt. Have them make a wizard hat by rolling the large stiff black paper into a cone and turning up the bottom edge. They can decorate it with the moon and star stickers. Tape on a crepe paper cape, Make Harry Potter glasses out of pipe cleaners and a wand by inserting metallic pipe cleaners into the plastic tubbing dropping in a few seed beads and sealing the ends with tape.

7. After all guests have arrived give them the first treasure hunt clue. When they find the brooms and ball show them the hula hoops and tell them they will play quiddich for their house team. Don't worry they will figure out how.

8. Serve the sandwiches and allow the kids to use the potions ingredients to make their own drink. Serve the cake. Halloween candy makes a good favor.

Tips & Warnings

• This party works best for elementary aged children. I have thrown it for first and fourth grade boys.
• Eight to ten guests is a good number.
• Scrapbook or craft stores often have stickers which are perfect for badges.
• Harry Potter trivia games are available in toy stores. Have a team quiz game if you need another activity.
• Get a cake from the bakery to save time.
• Decorate your porch or door as the Hogwarts Express
• Involve your child in the planning.
• If you are throwing a birthday party have a designated place for gifts.
• Remember halloween is a busy time. Invite guests well in advance.
• Supervise the quiddich match.
• Try to avoid an evening party on halloween night as some children might prefer to go Trick or Treating.