Harry Potter Party! Plan a Harry Potter Party
with these Harry Potter Party Supplies, Harry Potter Birthday Party Ideas,
Party Favors, invitations and more!
Harry Potter Party Invitations
Make a sorcerer's hat out of black construction paper for a great
invitation. Write the invitation so it sounds like the guests have been
"accepted" to this special Harry Potter Party.
Decorate the invitation with Silver Sparkle Powder,
and write the party details with a silver paint pen.
Harry Potter Houses
When the guests arrive, assign them to the different "houses" at Hogwarts
School. Write the house names on pieces of black paper with a silver paint
pen. Place them in a Witch's Hat
and have each child draw a house to belong to for the duration of the party.
The house names are:
Gryffindor
Ravenclaw
Slytherin
Hufflepuff
Harry Potter Party Decorations
"Decorate" each guest with a Thunderbolt mark on their forehead -- just like
Harry. Use face paint, stamps or tattoos.
The Merlin Mural will be awesome to add to your party room. Attach it to
foam core and hang on a large wall. It is part of the "Medieval Magic" kit
and measures 4' by 6' 5".
Set up a Forbidden Forest area. This can be an area of your home where you
do not want the kids to enter -- either the upstairs section of your house
or your living room. Be sure they know that this area is off-guards!
Cover a large wall with some black flat paper and then affix some glow stars
and silver die-cut stars to it.
A 4' Castle Tower Cut-Out would be great for creating Hogwarts School. Add
some Flagstone-patterned Gossamer to create large drapes and swags around
the castle.
Cover the floors with Cobblestone Flat Paper
Create a cauldron for Professor Snape's potions! Place a smoking cauldron
onto a pile of silver metallic shred . Place this at the entrance to your
party room to set the theme.
Set a spooky scene by using a black light for your party.
Balloon Ghosts
11" black latex balloons
White plastic tablecovers (1 rectangular tablecover will make 4 ghosts)
White Curling Ribbon
Inflate a balloon. Cut the tablecover into 4 equal pieces. Drape the
tablecover over the balloon, leaving the tied end of the balloon on top. Cut
a small slit in the top of tablecover and push the tied end through. Mark
and carefully cut out eye holes. Attach to the ceiling with curling ribbon.
Your ghosts will come to life as the wind moves them as people walk by.
Harry Potter Party games & Activities
Play "Pin the Scar on Harry."
Hire a magician for the kids. Have the
magician teach the kids some of the tricks after the Magic Show.
Play a Harry Potter Trivia Game. Visit www.scholastic.com/harrypotter/
to find questions to use for the Harry Potter Trivia Game. Do this after the kids
are divided into
their "houses" for this game, and see which house scores the most points.
Award Bertie Bott's Any-Flavored Beans as prizes!
Decorate brooms.
Make their own wizard cape with some economical black
gossamer, or black with silver stars patterned gossamer.
Set up a Magic Potion Station where the kids create their own "potions".
Have different flavored juices, sodas and plastic wands available to create
and stir up the potions. Plastic tumblers would be the perfect place to
create these tasty concoctions, and then will make an awesome favor!
Decorate their own Magic Wands with special, "magic"
decorations. Use some silver metallic shred as the "unicorn hair" and some
sparkle powder as "fairy dust". Make the wand from a 12" long piece of dowell rod (available at hardware stores). Cover it with black electric
tape.
Set up a "Quidditch Match" Obstacle Course. The kids must get through the
course on a broom, while balancing a boiled egg or a ping pong ball on a
spoon. Again, you could divide the kids into their respective "houses" for
this event.
Recreate the invisibility cape with a black capes.
Lightning Bolts
As your guests arrive, give them the mark of Harry Potter! Draw a lightning
bolt on each child’s forehead with face paint, or affix a Temporary Tattoos!
Chamber of Secrets
Once all your guests have arrived, inform them that the Chamber of Secrets
has been opened and an evil monster has been unleashed! In this game of tag,
choose one child to be the monster, who petrifies other players (witches and
wizards) when he or she touches them. When a player is tagged by the
monster, he or she must freeze. Unfrozen players can free petrified players
by tagging them. Once a player is frozen three times, he or she remains
permanently petrified. The last player to avoid being petrified, wins!
Muggle Quidditch
Your guests will enjoy playing this version of the most important sport in
the wizarding world! You’ll need a broom for each child, a small ball
painted gold (golden snitch) and a playing area, such as a garage. Divide
players in two teams (use a sorting hat for fun) and position them on
separate halves of the garage. Each team tries to sweep the golden snitch
past the other team to the wall on the other side of the garage.
Hogwarts Treasure Hunt
Turn a treasure hunt into a true Harry Potter adventure with clues written
in invisible ink! Before the party, write the name of a different household
object on 8-12 individual 3x5 cards using invisible ink. Add the clue # to
the back of each card (in permanent ink) and make a master list to keep
track while you hide the clues. Hide the treasure stash before the kids
arrive. When it's time to play, hand out the first clue and a "magic" pen to
reveal what’s written on the card (the location of the next clue). If the
first card says "dog house," the kids will go there and find the next clue
card. They’ll use the magic pen again to find out where to go next, and so
on. The hunt continues until the children find the stash of theme-related
treasures (or the birthday cake) that you've hidden!
Prisoner of Azkaban
In this game of tag, inform guests that an evil prisoner has escaped Azkaban
and the Dementors are in the area! Choose a child to be a Dementor, who
petrifies other players (wizards) with a mere touch. Tagged players must
freeze, but can be “unfrozen” by other players. Once a player is frozen 3
times, he’s permanently petrified. Last player to avoid being petrified,
wins.
Silver Snitch Search
A lively variation on the popular sport played at the Hogwarts School in
which a golden snitch is the coveted prize. Purchase small treats or gifts
and wrap them in aluminum foil balls. Hide them in and around the house or
yard. At the party, let the children search throughout your “arena” to find
their “silver snitches.” (To keep it fair, limit the number each can
collect.) They’ll love opening their snitches and finding treasures!
Mini Aunt Marge
Pass out large balloons to each guest. Help everyone blow up their balloons
and tie them. Have kids draw a funny face on a small circle of paper, then
affix it to the balloon. The object of this game is to launch ”Aunt Marge”
in the air and keep her afloat the longest. Whoever’s balloon stays in the
air the longest amount of time, wins. This is a fun way to start or end your
party.
Catch Scabbers’ Tail
Turn Peter Pettigrew into a party game—as Scabbers, Ron’s pet rat! Direct
everyone to form a single-file line, and hold onto the waist of the person
in front of them. The first person in line is the head of Scabbers, and the
last person is his tail. When the game begins, the head tries to catch the
tail. If the head is successful, he or she stays at the back of the line and
becomes the new tail. The chase continues!
Find Moaning Myrtle
Your guests will be sobbing with laughter in this fun game as they try to
outwit the birthday child with their best moans, groans, whimpers and sobs!
Before starting, blindfold the birthday child. The rest of the players
spread out around the room, but must not move once they’ve chosen a spot.
All players then begin moaning and crying while the birthday child roams the
room in search of “Moaning Myrtle.” When the birthday child finds someone,
he or she tries to guess who it is by feeling with their hands. If correct,
the two switch places and the game continues. Use creepy music for
background noise to set the mood!
BoggART
All young wizards must bravely master the boggart, a “shape shifter that
takes on the likeness of your worst fear.” This activity gives kids a chance
to be creative, too. Have drawing paper (enough so each child gets 2
sheets), colored pens, markers, etc. Give everyone 2 pieces of paper and
have them draw something they fear on one. Have them “turn it into something
silly” on the second piece. When finished, have each child show-n-tell what
they created.
Potions and Spells
Before your guests arrive, decorate a shelf with clear glass bottles and
jars filled with odd or creepy-looking contents. Label jars with the names
of potion ingredients. For some ideas, see the list of potion items, and
their Muggle names, below:
Dragon Toenails - chopped artichoke hearts
Manticore Pituitary - capers
Beetle Eyes - small black beads or poppy seeds
Salamander Skin - pickled ginger
Eye of Blind Cat - cocktail onions
Hippogriff Gizzard - smoked oysters
Bat Liver - chopped canned mushrooms
Bloodworms - cooked spaghetti in red-colored water
Deadly Nightshade - fruit of the miniature eggplant
Mandrake Root - whole ginseng root
Hollow Stump Water - dirty water mixed with potting soil
Sleeping Potion - water colored green with food coloring
For fun, leave the labels blank on a few jars and have a contest to see who
can come up with the best names. Make a potion and cast a spell, and then
let the kids make their own. Be creative and have fun!
Hooting Owl
Help Harry find Hedwig with this fun game! You’ll need a glass pop or milk
bottle with a narrow mouth and a blindfold for Harry. To begin, choose a
child to be Harry and gently blindfold him or her. Seat everyone in a circle
around Harry and gently spin him or her a few times; everyone else passes
the glass bottle around the circle without speaking. When Harry says “stop”
the player holding the bottle must blow across its mouth to hoot like
Hedwig. If Harry can guess who it is, the children trade places and continue
playing. Since this game involves a glass bottle, it’s best sitting down. If
young children will be present, wrap the bottle in plastic bubble wrap, or
another protective layer to prevent it from breaking in case it’s dropped.
Dragon Eggs
Collect large plastic Easter eggs, or the egg-shaped containers in which
nylons are sometimes packaged. Paint each one with fleck-stone paint to
create an enchanting, mysterious look. While the paint dries, follow the
recipe below to make “flubber.” This gooey substance will represent the
fluid inside the egg that oozes out when the dragon hatches.
To make flubber, follow the instructions below:
1. Mix 2 cups of white Elmer's Glue™ in a large container with 1-1/2 cups of
warm water. Add drops of food coloring for added fun (optional).
2. In a second container, mix 1-1/3 cups warm water with 3 teaspoons of
Borax™.
3. Combine the two mixtures into one bowl and stir. The resulting mixture
will become gelatinous.
4. Mix well, pouring off any excess water. Keep in an airtight container
until you’re ready to put the dragon eggs together.
After the paint has dried, put a dragon figurine inside each egg container,
and fill the egg with flubber. Give the children their dragon eggs when they
arrive, and instruct them to keep them warm until they’re ready to hatch.
When the children can’t wait any longer, let them hatch open their dragon
eggs to see what’s inside!
Student Witches & Wizards
Turn your party into a Hogwarts gala by making a simple cape for each guest
using black cotton fabric. As each guest arrives, give him or her a
home-made cape. After the sorting ceremony, allow the members of each house
to come up with a crest or shield to represent their house.
Using felt, cut out small shield shapes for the children to decorate.
Provide glue, glitter, pens, additional pieces of felt to cut out shapes,
etc. For young children, simply draw large letters ("H" for Hufflepuff, "S"
for Slytherin, "R" for Ravenclaw, and "G" for Gryffindor) on each shield
once the sorting ceremony has divided them into houses. When the shields are
finished, attach them to the capes with tape or a safety pin. For a look
that's simply "Harry Potter", fashion spectacles from black pipe cleaners.
Your guests will surely enjoy their Hogwarts attire long after your party is
over!!
Tame the Dragon
Ask your guests to help tame Hagrid’s dragon Norbert, a Norwegian ridgeback!
Hang a dragon piñata in the center of an open room or garage. Clear the area
of all objects, so no one will trip when it's his or her turn to "tame the
dragon." Blindfold each guest and position him or her near the piñata. For
older guests, spin each player three or four times before handing them a
stick (or other long object) to hit the piñata. For young guests, purchase a
pull-string conversion kit for the piñata (sold separately). This gentler
piñata activity includes a trap door release and 20 pull strings
Making Magic
As your guests arrive, invite them into the Great Hall at Hogwarts!
Transform your party room into the school's legendary hall using a roll of
corrugated cardboard with a stone wall print to decorate the walls. Cut it
to fit the walls and mount it with thumb tacks. It's available through many
party supply shops and hobby stores.
As your Hogwarts students walk into the Great Hall, give each guest a
home-made wand. These can be made of any material you choose, but should be
made before the party.
To make wooden wands, carve small wooden handles from dead branches of a
tree. Bore a hole in the end of each, and insert a stripped and sanded twig
from the same tree into each one using a little wood glue. Twigs that are
twisted, bent, and lumpy with knots, will look great. Hint: allow the wand's
tip to extend about 1/8" beyond a knot. This gives a nice finished end, and
makes the tip safer because it is has less of a point.
Your guests' imaginations will take them into their own magical game as they
cast spells and turn each other into toads, lizards, rabbits, etc. This is a
great way to entertain the children until all your guests arrive!
Sorting Hat
Introduce your guests to the fantastic world of Harry Potter as soon as they
walk through the door! Create your own Sorting Hat from construction paper
or felt before the party begins. (It's o.k. if it looks a little tattered
and torn - afterall, it's been around for thousands of years!) Place the hat
upon each guest's head as they enter the party room. (Prerecord a deep voice
repeating the houses - Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Gryffindor, Slytherin - one by
one, in any order you choose.)
After each guest has worn the hat for a short while, play the recording to
let them know which house they've been chosen to join. After the Sorting Hat
has "spoken", give each guest a party favor representing their house. For
more fun, invite guests to come dressed in wizards or witches robes.
During the party, encourage good behavior by awarding (or subtracting)
points for each house based on the actions of its members. At the end of the
party, tally up the points for each house to see who is the winner. Award
small party favors to the witches and wizards of the winning house.
Wizard Hats, Wands & Brooms
This enchanting activity will keep your wizards and witches busy casting
spells on one another for hours. You’ll need construction paper, markers,
glitter, feathers, sequins, ribbon, glue, scissors, and anything else your
student magicians might need to make their magical necessities absolutely
perfect.
For hats, provide large sheets of construction paper. Roll them into a cone
shape, and secure with glue. Let the children decorate them with materials
of their choice.
To make wands, collect short, dry sticks from your yard, or purchase wooden
rods from a hobby store. (Rolled up construction paper also works well.)
Attach a feather, sprinkle with glitter, decorate with sequins or ribbon,
etc. Let the children decorate their own special wand.
If your guests want to make brooms instead, simply tie a bunch of twigs, or
straw, to a pole with string. Even though it won’t fly, your guests will
love it.
Muggle Magic
Even the youngest Harry Potter fans can accomplish this neat trick! Pick
five pennies with different dates on them. Place the pennies in a wizard hat
and ask one of your guests to pick a penny and look at the date without
telling what it is. Have all the guests pass the penny around to look at the
date. Quickly put the penny back into the hat and shake up the pennies. Have
your young magician reach into the hat and pull out the chosen penny. The
secret? He or she will know which penny was chosen because copper absorbs
heat, and the penny everyone has handled will be warm. Once everyone knows
how the magic is done, let all the children take a turn.
Harry Potter Party Favors:
Harry is a big fan of soccer, so give guests an Imprinted Mini Soccer Balls.
You can imprint something like "Harry Potter's Quidditch Ball" on them,
along with the party details.
For fun, give each child some candy that Harry would enjoy -- Eyeball
Gumballs, Jelly Bellies, Candy Dots and Gummy Worms. Place all the items in
a black tote bags and add some silver metallic shred. Write the kids' name
in silver paint pen.
Harry Potter Food and Recipe Ideas:
Kids may not like some of the food that Harry eats at Hogwarts, so
rename yummy foods that kids love with names that would make Harry proud.
Some ideas include:
Professor Snape's Pizza
Forbidden Forest Fruit Salad
Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream
Polyjuice Potions
Golden Snitch Donut Holes
Black Licorice Wands
Gummy Worms
Make "Butterbeer" -- mix apple juice and ginger ale and serve on dry ice.
For your cake, make a Sorcerer's Hat Cake with an accompanying magic wand.
Place a cupcake at the end of the wand.
Hand Delivered cakes...Anywhere
Cauldron Cuisine
Make your child's favorite soup, stew or other hot dish and serve it from a
cauldron or large pot! (Plastic cauldrons are available locally at costume
stores or hobby shops.) As you dish out each child's portion, sprinkle salt
over it and chant a magic spell for fun! Example: A dash of mandrake root
and a bit of dried swamp flowers, keep this magical soup hot for hours!
Deathday Vegetable Platter
Invite your guests to try this suspicious dish--left over from Nearly
Headless Nick's deathday party! To begin, make edible "eyeballs" by peeling
radishes, leaving thin streaks of red skin on them to represent blood
vessels. Use the tip of a vegetable peeler or a small knife to carefully
scoop out a hole (roughly the size of an olive) in each radish. Stuff a
green olive, pimiento side out, in each hole. Arrange "eyeballs" on a
serving tray with baby carrots (goblin fingers), red Jell-O® squares (heart
of veela), cucumber slices (Basilik tongue), etc. Be creative and have fun!
Dragon Snot
This is more appealing in a witch's cauldron if you have one. Simply mix
green sherbet and sprite together.
Magic Potions
Your guests will be delighted to try out these mysterious magic potions! For
this drink recipe, you’ll need a light-colored beverage, such as white grape
juice or lemon-lime soda, and several colors of food coloring. Pour your
beverage of choice into plastic goblets, adding a drop or two of food
coloring to each glass. Serve guests different colored drinks. For more fun,
name each colored potion: red (love potion), green (sleeping potion), yellow
(laughing potion), etc.
Cockroach Clusters
Treat your guests to a sweet snack enjoyed by every student at Hogwarts
School of Witchcraft and Wizardry! Simply follow the directions on the back
of a Rice Krispies Cereal® box to make Rice Krispies Treats. Shape them into
small bug shapes and dip into melted chocolate; let cool on waxed paper.
Enjoy!
Magic Wands
Ingredients
(Makes 16 Wands)
1 cup Pillsbury® Creamy Supreme® Chocolate Fudge Frosting
1 cup chocolate candy sprinkles
16 pretzel rods
1/4 cup Pillsbury® Creamy Supreme® Vanilla Frosting
Directions
1. Line cookie sheet with foil. Place chocolate frosting in microwave-safe
13x9-inch (3quart) glass baking dish. Microwave on HIGH for 10 to 15
seconds or until melted; stir until smooth. Place candy sprinkles in shallow
dish.
2. Dip each pretzel rod in melted frosting, turning to coat completely. Roll
in candy sprinkles; place on foil-lined cookie sheet. Refrigerate 30
minutes or until frosting is set.
3. Place sheet of foil on work surface. Place vanilla frosting in small
microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on HIGH for 10 to 15 seconds or until
softened. Dip 1 inch of each coated pretzel in vanilla frosting; place wands
on foil. Let stand about 4 hours or until frosting is set.
“Finger” Sandwiches
Could they have belonged to…Peter Pettigrew? Eeew! To make, simply purchase
cheese and refrigerator croissants, and mini turkey sausages or similar
favorite that resembles a “finger.” Slice sausages lengthwise and cut cheese
into strips. Unroll croissants and stuff them with sausages and cheese. Roll
back up and bake as directed, or until golden brown.
Bewitching Brew
Your guests will be spellbound when they witness your ability to turn an
ordinary beverage into an enchanted drink that crackles and spits! Simply
pour your child’s favorite beverage into glasses for all your guests. After
you have placed a glass in front of each guest, add a few Pop Rocks™ candies
to each one. Since this candy is processed with carbon dioxide, it will
crackle, pop, and spit when it comes into contact with water, juice, soda
pop, etc. (Pop Rocks is a registered trademark of the General Foods Corp.)
Magic Cupcakes
Use the Pop Rocks™ left over from your Bewitching Brew to make these
surprise snacks! Simply make your favorite cupcake recipe, or purchase
Pillsbury® cake mix and follow the directions. After your cupcakes have
baked and cooled, frost and sprinkle with Pop Rocks.™ When eaten, the
candies will react with saliva to crackle and pop in the mouths of your
guests! For fun, make up a spell before serving your guests. They’ll be
delighted with these tasty treats, even if they know the secret!
Veggie Wands
Make eating vegetables fun with mini wizard wands. Before the party, cut
carrot rounds and cucumber slices. Spear them on skewers with cherry
tomatoes, mushrooms or any veggies the birthday child chooses.
To display for serving, cover a tray with lettuce and set a head of
cauliflower with the stem removed in the center. Drizzle a bit of food
coloring on it and tell guests it’s the “brain of a werewolf.” Stick the
skewers into the cauliflower, and arrange your child’s favorite condiments
in small cups around the edge for dipping. Let guests choose their own
vegetable wands.
Scabbers Snack
A favorite of wizards-in-training at the Hogwarts School.
Ingredients: .
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter.
1 cup chocolate chips.
1/4 cup butter.
8 cups Crispix® or rice Chex® cereal.
2 cups powdered sugar.
Melt the peanut butter, chocolate chips and butter together. In a large
bowl, pour over the cereal and stir well. Pour the powdered sugar into a
large brown paper bag and add the cereal. Fold the bag to seal, shake well
to coat evenly, and pour onto wax paper. Serve in bowls around room.
Sirius Black Sodas
For this drink recipe, start with a light-colored beverage, such as white
grape juice or lemon-lime soda, and several shades of food coloring. (You
can make ice cubes beforehand by filling several ice trays with apple juice.
Freeze for at least five hours, or until completely frozen.) Pour the
beverage into clear plastic cups, add a drop or 2 of food coloring to each
to create “icky” shades. Serve guests the colorful concoction of their
choice…vile blue, pond scum green, blood red, etc.
Honeydukes Sweet Shop Cupcakes
Straight from the favorite bakery of Harry, Ron and Hermine. Bake regular
cupcakes and let them cool. Frost with homemade or store-bought icing,
tinted with colors if you prefer. Pile the icing on extra thick and top with
favorite sprinkles, little candies, etc. (For another option, add silly
candies like gummy worms cut in half and sticking out of icing, chocolate
eyeballs, etc.) You want to go over-the- top here and serve something
that’ll amaze and delight your young wizards!
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