Give each party guest a floral wreath to wear in her hair.
For children who miss the feel of the warm summertime sun during the winter, create a brightly colored tropical paradise indoors for a kid's luau party. Take the party outside during the summer months for water play and let the children run out some energy. Does this Spark an idea?
Invitations
Give guests a hint about the party's theme with the invitation. For invites that can be hand delivered, consider inflating a beach ball and writing the party details on the ball with a marker. Alternatively, write the details on a flip-flop. For invitations that can fit in an envelope, purchase Hawaiian or summer-themed invitations, or make invitations at home. Make a flip-flop invitation using a cardstock flip-flop cutout with a ribbon for the straps. Write the party details on the flip-flop and glue it onto a rectangular piece of cardstock. Glue the rectangle onto a slightly larger cardstock rectangle in a different color.
Decorations
Decorate the party room with imitation tiki lights and inflatable palm trees. Drape long lengths of colorful silk flowers across the entrance way to the party area. Use colorful tablecloths with bright placemats and surround each placemat with colorful leis. Hang one or two piñatas in the shape of a parrot, fish, flip-flops or butterflies to double as a party activity as well. Decorate the gift table with a grass skirt and make a pineapple or hula-girl cake for a food-table centerpiece.
Activities & Games
Play a modified game of charades by writing the names of a variety of animals on small pieces of paper and placing them in a bowl. Divide the party group into two teams and have team members take turns choosing a paper from the bowl and acting out the animal. Reward both teams at the end with small animal figurines. For an activity and party favor, have the group make leis using long lengths of yarn and colorful silk flowers.
Have the children go on a treasure hunt. Hide a variety of small luau-related items then write the list on pieces of paper. Divide the group into teams of two or three kids. As the children find the items, they can place them into a large bowl and let everyone pick a few items to add to their goody bags.
Favors
For an edible party favor, make a batch of sugar cookies. Cut them with pineapple-shaped cookie cutters and insert a thin wooden dowel into each cookie. Spread a layer of yellow royal icing onto each cookie once they have cooled, wrap each in cellophane wrap and tie the cookies closed with a ribbon. Alternatively, fill a goody bag with small items such as tropical-themed stickers, a water bottle, crayons and small tropical coloring books.
Tags: colorful silk, colorful silk flowers, details flip-flop, each cookie, group into