How to Make Birthday Hats for Kids

Party hats add excitement to a birthday celebration.

Party hats have a way of making special occasions more lively and inviting. A child's birthday celebration, for example, seems dull and not complete without those colorful little hats kids like to wear on their heads. A child's birthday party, however, can be expensive. The cost of all the decorations, party favors and food can add up quickly, not to mention the birthday presents. There is no reason to spend extra money on birthday hats when they are so simple to make. In addition to being cost-effective, making party hats can be an engaging activity for you and your child.

Things You'll Need

• Printable construction paper or colored card stock
• Scissors
• Double-sided tape or glue
• Stapler
• One-sided tape
• Hole punch
• Elastic string
• Decorating materials such as stickers, crayons or glitter glue

Instructions

1. Find the birthday hat template located in the resources section of this article. Print the template out on your card stock or construction paper. If this isn't possible, drawing a large half circle with a tab on one side will also work.

2. Cut out the birthday hat template with scissors. Flip the hat template over so that the printer or pencil marks are on the back.

3. Decorate the front, unmarked side of the hat template. Use the stickers to create a quick and easy design; fun stripes and patterns can be colored using crayons. Use glitter glue to make interesting, 3-D designs. Cut out artistic shapes such as stars or baloons from construction paper and glue them on the hat.

4. Place the double-sided tape or apply the glue on the tab of the hat template. Turn the template into a cone shape, adjusting it to an appropriate size, and stick the tab to the underside of the opposite edge. Staple the hat together underneath the tab to reinforce it. Regular one-sided tape can be used on the inside seam for extra holding power.

5. Trim the bottom edge of the hat so it sits evenly on the head. Punch two holes near the bottom on opposite sides of the hat with the hole punch. Make a chin strap by tying the elastic string through the holes, allowing enough slack so the string isn't too tight when placed under the chin.

Tips & Warnings

• Practice on newspaper first to get the shape right.

• Ribbons, pompoms or crepe paper can be glued to the point of the hat to give it added excitement.

• If younger children are doing the cutting, they should use safety scissors.

• Keep the stapler out of any child's reach when not in use.

References

• First Palette: Birthday Hat
• Creative Kids at Home: Cone Hats

Resources

• First Palette: Birthday Hat Template