Transform your child and his or her guests from Muggles to wizards with our Harry Potter Party Ideas! We have suggestions for everything from invitations to activities that will ensure a mystical birthday bash no one will forget!

Invitations
Decorations
Food
Party Favors
Games & Activities

• Harry Potter Movies
• A Selection of Magic Tricks
• Wands
• A Pinata

• Fold a piece of cardstock in half to create a top-fold card. If you are artistic, draw the Hogwarts crest on the front. If not, scan a picture of the crest and print it directly on the front of the card. Underneath the crest, write, “You are Invited…” Write all your party details inside.


• On a rectangular piece of cardstock, draw curtains along the top and the side to resemble a movie theater screen. On the bottom, draw a line of movie theater seats. Write “A Harry Potter Birthday Party” on the top of the ‘screen’ and the party details underneath, so it looks like the title of a movie, followed by the credits.


• Punch a hole in the corner of a card-style invitation and attach it to a magic wand. Ask your guests to bring their wand with them to the party.


• Create a top-fold card and divide the front of the card into four squares. Write one of the Hogwarts house names in each square (i.e. Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff). Inside the card, write “Which house will be chosen for you? Come to [child’s name] birthday party to find out!” followed by the party details.


• Include creative wording for your party details, such as:
  
  We are pleased to inform you that you have been invited to the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry to celebrate the birthday of [child’s name]. You will find the magical door to the event at [party location]. Muggle attire is acceptable. Please RSVP by owl or Muggle phone at [phone number] by [RSVP date] to accept the invitation.

• Make a “Sorting Hat” by cutting a cone shape from a 24” x 18” piece of purple poster board, as shown below. Roll it into a cone, and tape or staple it closed. Cut out star and crescent moon shapes from yellow construction paper, and glue them onto the hat. As each guest arrives, put the hat over his or her head and announce that they have been chosen to the [child’s last name]’s house! Then, use the Sorting Hat as a centerpiece.


• Tie groups of three or four balloons together and tie them to the backs of chairs. Anchor them with balloon weights and set them near doorways or in the corners of the party area.


• Hang two or three stuffed owls from the ceiling of the party area.


• Cut a large lightning bolt out of white poster board and spray paint it silver. Hang it on the door leading to the party.


• Hang a banner over the entranceway to the party that says, “Welcome to Hogwart’s School of Witchcraft and Wizardry”. Check out our selection of personalized banners and let us do the work for you.


• Create placemats that represent the four houses of Hogwarts using plain white construction paper and colored markers. Write one of the house names on each placemat, and decorate them with the appropriate colors:
  • Slytherin – Green and Silver
  • Gryffindor – Scarlet and Gold
  • Hufflepuff – Yellow and White
  • Ravenclaw – Blue and Silver
  
  
• Hang a pinata in the party area that can serve as a decoration before the activity begins. Remember any pinata can be transformed into a pull-string with our easy instructions.

• Serve “Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans.” We suggest using Jelly Belly brand jelly beans because of the wide variety of flavors available.


• Make edible magic wands by dipping pretzel sticks in melted chocolate, letting them cool, and then sprinkling one tip with coconut or white sprinkles.


• Use a lightning bolt shaped cookie cutter to cut out slices of cheese and serve them with crackers. Serve shaped jello jigglers, cookies, and sandwiches as well.


• Make chocolate frogs using chocolate chips and gummy frogs (available at candy stores). Microwave one cup of chocolate chips for one minute or until melted, and stir. Dip the gummy frogs in the melted chocolate, and then place them on wax paper to cool. Keep the frogs chilled until you’re ready to serve them.


• Serve “magic potion”. Freeze cranberry and grape juice in ice cube trays before the party. Serve a colorless soda at the party, such as ginger ale or lemon-lime. Let your guests select their ice cubes, which will “magically” change the color of their drinks.


• There are a number of treats from the Harry Potter stories that are made from everyday products, such as Butter Beer (root beer), Chocoballs (chocolate covered strawberry mousse balls), Fizzing Whizbees (sherbet balls), Rock Cakes (randomly shaped cakes with raisins), chocolate éclairs, and licorice wands.