Circus Party Decorations

Your circus-themed party for your child may not be as elaborate as Britney Spears' Circus tour but it can certainly be colorful and fun. The circus is, after all, a place where magical and wondrous things occur. There are men and women wearing spectacular costumes, flying through the air, doing death-defying stunts, and exotic creatures--elephants and tigers--performing feats that no animal should know how to do. Yes, the children will have to use their imagination a bit at your circus-themed party but isn't that the whole point?

Shindigz.com, Animal Cut-outsRecruit a willing soul to dress up like the barker and position her at the entryway. Set up a ticket stand, give your guests tickets and let the barker entice them into the big top, which you can create inside your home by hanging material from your ceiling or, if you want to go all out, put up a tent in your backyard.

Purchase animal cut-outs and situate them around your home or yard. Station yet another willing soul behind the cut-outs to provide the appropriate sound effects. The cut-outs can be found on Shindigz.com. Hand out balloons and hang streamers from the ceiling. The circus is supposed to be colorful and very visual. If your party is outside, scatter some saw dust on the ground to simulate the big top.

Shindigz.com, Popcorn StandSet up a popcorn stand to make fresh popcorn. Buy peanuts and put them in a brown paper bag and hand them out to the guests. The popcorn salesman can be dressed up like a clown or any circus-related figure. The more costumes, the better. Buy circus-themed cups and plates, which are available at Partycheap.com and JoJo's Circus Party Theme Supply. Distribute circus party favors such as clown noses and circus notepads and sticker sheets, which can be purchased at JoJo's. If it's a birthday party, whip up a three-ring circus cake (or hire someone to do it for you) and you might consider dressing the birthday boy or girl in a clown costume or some other circus-related outfit.

Shindigz.com, Clown PinataPinatas aren't just for Mexican-themed parties. Purchase a clown pinata, blindfold your guests, hand them a stick or baseball bat to hit the pinata with and let the games begin.

Appoint a headmaster and deck him out in a top hat. Let him "run the show" and provide structure for the party. Get a whip and dress up in a lion tamer's costume and entertain the kids with an imaginary coterie of wild beasts that can't be seen but most assuredly are on the premises.

Can you juggle? If you can't, try learning, or else hire someone to put on a juggling show for the children. Know any acrobats or contortionists? Add them to your circus-themed party and the kids will be amazed by their contortions and stunts.

Download some circus music and play it throughout the party. There is something inimitable about the music that is heard at a circus. We all, adults included, know the sound and readily associate it with tents featuring saw-dust floors; the smell and sounds of exotic creatures waiting to get under the big top; the sight of acrobats in their dazzling, sequined costumes and the requisite clowns; the trapeze and tightrope and, of course, popcorn and peanuts. Pages.prodigy.net has a good selection of circus tunes from which to choose.