The Harry Potter party theme can be started from the moment the invites go out- try staining the paper with coffee and burning the edge, then roll in inivitation into a scroll and secure with a wax seal or a piece of ribbon. Ask the kids to come in Harry Potter themed costume.
On arrival at the Harry Potter party the kids can be sorted into the four houses of Hogwarts - Slytherin, Gryffindor, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw. The house emblems can be easily downloaded and made into badges with a badge maker or simply copied, laminated for extra strength and a safety pin fixed to the back.
The kids line up and take it in turns to pick a badge from a sorting hat determining the house, and therefore the team, they will be in for the party. The kids are now sorted into four teams and are ready to play party games.
Harry Potter Party Game Ideas
The Harry Potter party games can be based around the timetable that Harry Potter and his friends follow at Hogwarts so the party kids could have a go at:
Harry Potter Party Game Ideas: Quidditch
Have the kids line up in their house teams (Slytherin, Gryffindor, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw) Give each team a broomstick. On go the first member of the team mounts their broomstick and races to the other end of the room or garden, collects some beanbags then has to throw them through the quidditch hoop (netball post or bucket) They then race back and pass the broomstick onto the next member of the team. Extra adults at the party could add more fun by acting as Beaters and throw Bludgers (beanbags) at the children running on their broomsticks.
Harry Potter Party Game Ideas: Herbology
Buy some seeds and compost and let each child plant a pot to take home. Plants such as Venus Fly Trap are in keeping with the Harry Potter Herbology theme. The kids could be provided with some Harry Potter stickers with which to decorate their plant pot.
Harry Potter Party Game Ideas: Potions
Kitchen chemistry works well for potions. Mixing bicarbonate of soda and vinegar always gets a good reaction. Make sure safety goggles are provided and worn
Harry Potter Party Game Ideas: Care of Magical Creatures
Useful as an interlude to calm the children down. Print out some pictures of Harry Potter Magical Creatures. Ones such as Aragog, Fawkes the Phoenix, Gawp work well. Sit the children at a table for each house and provide them with some play dough. Award prizes or house points to the house who produces the best models of the magical creatures.
Harry Potter Party Game Ideas: Ancient Runes
Another good one for calming the kids down. Make up or copy out some sheets of code. Pig pen cypher works well. Sit the kids at their house tables. Provide them with some parchment type paper cut into bookmark size, and some gold and silver pens. Let the kids write something on their bookmark in code. Before the party prepare on some slips with a picture and a message such as "thanks for coming to the party" If there is a spare adult at the party the slips can be glued onto the back of the bookmarks and run through a laminator to make a nice present for the party bag.
The Harry Potter Party Finale
Throughout the party award stickers or house points for the house that performs the best in each of the party games. At the end of the party award the house cup with medals and small prizes for all in the winning house.
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