Image (c) L Gerlach

Don’t think of a chocolate fountain as just food, although it is yummy! Think of it as part of the decorations, you can set up the fountian on it’s own table and use some nice crystal to hold the foods for your guests to dip. Wrap tulle  and mini white lights, in and around the glass bowls to give the area a light dreamy look.

Use white chocolate tinted to any color to match the theme of your party. You don’t have to stick to white or dark chocolate. You can have pink, purple, blue or any color you come up with.

A chocolate fountain is also great entertainment. Your guests will have a blast dipping their food in the chocolate. Especially the kids. It will be the hit of your party!

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Younger children, especially during the toddler years, don’t really have friends yet. So most of the guests are friends of the family, and the children can be a broad range of ages.

When children get a little older, and start to make friends, then it is important to let them have some say in the guest list.

A couple things to keep in mind when you’re planning your children’s party guest list include:

• Your child’s age, the rough guideline is to invite as many children as your child’s age. So if your child is turning 6, let him invite up to 6 friends.
• Where will you hold the party? Are you having the party at home, or in another venue?
• How many adults will be attending? When younger children come to a party, often at least one adult parent stays with them. You may also have adult friends and relatives who will attend the party.

It’s really important to think about these things when you’re developing your guest list, not at party time.

Image via sxc.hu

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If you want to create a swirl with the icing on top of the cupcakes (instead of just icing them) use a decorator bag and a Wilton #1M decorating tip (2B and 12-round also work well), then just squeeze the icing around and around from the outside of the cupcake to the center.

Lunch a Bunch Cupcakes

Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 12

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons butter or margarine
• 1 package (10 oz., about 40) marshmallows – or – 4 cups miniature marshmallows
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon strawberry extract
• 6 cups Kellogg’s® Rice Krispies® cereal
• Canned frosting or decorating gel
• Assorted sprinkles and candies

How to make the cupcakes:

1. Line twelve 2 1/2-inch muffin-pan cups with paper or foil bake liners or place 12 silicone cupcake molds on baking sheet. Set aside.
2. With adult help, in large saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla and strawberry extract.
3. Add KELLOGG’S RICE KRISPIES cereal. Stir until well coated
4. Evenly divide warm mixture into prepared cupcake molds. Using buttered hands, gently press into molds, leaving tops slightly rounded.
5. Decorate with frosting, sprinkles and/or candies. Serve immediately or store uncovered in refrigerator for up to 12 hours. Remove from refrigerator one hour before serving.

NOTE:
For best results, use fresh marshmallows.
1 jar (7 oz.) marshmallow crème can be substituted for marshmallows.
Diet, reduced calorie or tub margarine is not recommended.

These are a fun treat the kids can help you make before the party. Here are a few Kid-friendly Kitchen Tips from Kelloggs:

Children of all ages should have an adult assistant with them at all times when cooking.
1. Chefs, 7 and older, will try their hand at mixing the melted marshmallows and Kellogg’s Rice Krispies cereal together.
2. Younger chefs will have fun “patting” their treats into the muffin cups.
3. Everyone will enjoy frosting and decorating the cupcakes.

You can find additional tips and fun recipes at ChildhoodIsCalling.com.

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Here’s a video with some party planning etiquette and don’ts to help you get it straight. Some of the don’ts they have listed include:

• Spending too much money on a first birthday party.
• Expecting children to bring a specific toy or doll for a themed party.
• How old should children be before you can expect parents to drop off children without staying at the party?

Image via sxc.hu

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Penny Warner at Balloon Time put together a list of Up movie party ideas centered around the balloon theme. Balloon Time is also offering a $2.00 off coupon for their Balloon Time Helium Balloon Kits right now.

Tips for Throwing a Themed “Up,” The Movie Party

By Penny Warner with Balloon Time Helium Balloon Kits

If one of your children has a birthday coming up, build a party theme around Disney© Pixar’s new movie, “Up.” This delightful computer-animated 3-D film features the adventures of an old man named Carl and an eight-year-old wilderness explorer named Russell. Together they meet up with unexpected villains and escape wild jungle animals – all while traveling in a house floating from a bunch of helium-inflated balloons!

Invitations: Build your own floating house
Cut out house-shaped cards, decorate them to look like the party house, and write the address on the front. On the back, add the party details. Inflate a balloon with helium using a Balloon Time Helium Balloon Kit, tie the house card to the balloon with string, and hand deliver to your guests.

Decorations: Inflate the party goers with fun
Fill the room with helium balloons but personalize them with pictures of the guests flying around the room! Photocopy their yearbook photos onto lightweight paper and cut out the faces. Cut out paper doll bodies from posterboard and glue the faces onto the bodies. Inflate a bunch of balloons with helium and tie each of the “guests” to a balloon bouquet. Then watch them float around the party!

Games & Activities: Bunches of balloons
Balloons are always a hit with kids! Play several balloon-related games and activities in keeping with the theme, to entertain the guests:

Balloon Launch. Inflate about 20 balloons with helium. Collect 20 lightweight objects, such as a sponge, an action figure, a plastic spoon and so on. Place them in the middle of the room. Divide the group into two teams and give each team 10 balloons, tied together in a bunch, with ribbon dangling. Have the teams race to choose objects from the pile and tie them onto the strings. The goal is to tie the most objects to the balloon bunch and STILL keep it floating!

Balloon Attack. Use the Balloon Time Party Create-A-Face Sticker Kit to inflate a bunch of balloons with helium and use the stickers to give each balloon its own, scary face. Tie ribbons to the balloons, short enough to make the kids jump to reach them, and let the balloons float on the ceiling. Divide into two teams. On the word, “Attack!” have one player from each team jump up and grab a balloon string, and then try to pop the balloon as quickly as possible – by sitting on it, stepping on it and so on. As soon as a player has popped a balloon, he or she must run back to the team and tap the next player in line to pop a balloon. The team that finishes popping all the balloons first wins!

Balloon Collector. Inflate 15 to 20 balloons with helium. Select a player, set a timer for two minutes, and then have the player try to hold onto as many balloons as he or she can – stuffed in a shirt, under the arms, between the legs, under the neck, and so on. At the end of two minutes, count how many balloons the player has managed to hold onto. The player with the biggest balloon total wins the game. Meanwhile, the onlookers get to enjoy the hilarious antics of each player!

Balloon Posse. Divide the group into two teams, each representing one color. Blow up enough balloons for each player to have one balloon in his or her team’s color. Set up an obstacle course in the party room or yard, with small tables, chairs, large boxes and so on. Line up teams and give one player from each team a broom and a balloon in the team color. Players must race to get their balloons through the obstacle course using only the broom. The first team to complete the race wins.

Refreshments: Re-inflate the fun with themed snacks
In keeping with the balloon theme, serve your guests round snacks, like cheese and crackers, and balloon-shaped sandwiches using a cookie cutter. For a balloon birthday cake, bake three round cakes, set them together to form a balloon bouquet, and frost them red, blue, and yellow. Use licorice whips as strings.

Favors: Send the guests up, up and away
Insert a small toy inside a dark-colored balloon. Inflate the balloons with helium to use as decorations at the party. When the party is over, have the kids choose a balloon and pop it to find the surprise inside!

Are you planning an Up movie party? Do you have any ideas to add to the list? Please feel free to share.

Image via sxc.hu

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You could also use some pre-made streamers instead of cutting out your own if you wanted to keep it simple.

Image via Flickr Chris Radcliff creative commons

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I love kid’s birthday party themes, and all that goes with them. I can’t wait to read all the fun, interesting, kid’s birthday ideas submitted!

Image via istockphoto.com

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Check out the scheduled episodes for this week:

Martha Stewart Lemon Meringue Cupcakes

• Monday: Scrumptious triple-citrus cupcakes, how to make sweet-and-spicy chicken wings.
• Tuesday: Pistachio-raspberry teacakes and perfect-for-spring ricotta gnocchi.
• Wednesday: It’s The Birthday Show. Celebrate with lemon meringue cupcakes, personalized lollipops, and eco-friendly party ideas.
• Thursday: Baker John Barricelli’s tarte tatin and pineapple-mango upside-down cake.
• Friday: The Memorial Day Show with classic fried chicken, blueberry crumble pie, and patriotic memorabilia.

I think I’ll have to check out the fun!

Image via Martha Stewart

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Tween spa party food ideas:

• Berry Smoothies
• Cucumber sandwiches
• Fruit and Yogurt Parfaits
• Fruit Salad

Decorate for your spa party with candles and light colors to set the mood.

Have the girls bring their favorite nail polish, and manicure products to give each other mini manicures, or pedicures.

Posh Party Box has a party box all set up for a tween spa party with plates, partyware, nail polish, and lip gloss all included.

Let the girls giggle and talk the night away, while they’re getting their special spa treatment.

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Image (c) L Gerlach

I used a combination of butter cream icing and fondant to decorate the cake. I posted the complete instructions for making a Guitar Hero cake at Kid’s Fun Reviewed.

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