Over the Rainbow Birthday Party

The Décor

• Buy a roll of crepe paper streamers in each color of the rainbow (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet) and make a giant rainbow on a large wall of the party room or hang smaller rainbows in doorways. Run streamers or ribbons across a plain tablecloth on the dining table. Tie streamers on kids’ chairs.
• Purchase bunches of helium balloons in all the rainbow colors. You can send them home with kids as they leave the party.
• If you want to splurge, get a rainbow-colored helium balloon arch to set outside or inside the front door so kids are truly excited as they enter the party through the rainbow! Talk with the balloon specialist at a party supply store for options.
• Ask an artistic volunteer to do face painting of rainbows, clouds and pots of gold.
• Set out sidewalk chalk in rainbow colors so kids can sign their names as they leave.

The Games

For Younger Kids:

• Hide gold coins (foil-wrapped chocolates) in a designated party area. Kids can search for them, collecting them in a gold or yellow paper bag. The chocolates become a party gift.
• Play “toss the gold coins into the pot."
• Spray-paint two pots or pails, or wrap them in metallic paper, and set them at the end of a rainbow made with crepe paper or with chalk if you’re playing outside. Divide kids into two teams and have them form separate lines. Give each child a bag of play coins to toss into a gold pot

For Older Kids:

• Organize a treasure hunt with hidden clues. The last clue should lead to a hidden pot of gold coins or a gold pot filled with individually wrapped gifts for each child. Paper play money and coins or rainbow-themed favors are good options for prizes.