Harry Potter Party

Decorations

• Outside front entrance - signs for Platforms 9 and 10. Inside foyer, Sign for Platform 9 3/4.
• Have one area set up for Diagon Alley (store fronts painted on the walls: we used large rolls of brown kraft paper for this and stores set up around the room), another for Hogwarts - house colours and pennants, balloons in house colours, and the sorting hat. The last as the Great Banquet Hall - where the children will eat their meal and have the birthday cake!
• I had volunteer adults dress up as the Teaching characters from the movie - we had Hagrid, Professor Snape, Professor Quirrel, and Professor McGonagall.

Games/Activities

• Children arrived and were met by Hagrid and given a list of items they needed to start school at Hogwarts.
• Hagrid led the group towards Diagon Alley. Set up a brick wall for tapping the entrance to Diagon Alley.
• Once inside, children went to Gringotts for a withdrawal of galleons (preprinted on the computer). Then off to the various shops. I set up a craft table for making their owl, toad or cat. A wand shop. A broomstick making craft, and a table for purchasing books - Harry potter activity books that I printed off the net which will go in the loot bags. Children also painted plant pots that were later used for planting their own plants in Herbology.
• Once all items have been purchased, it is off to Hogwarts with Hagrid leading the way. Professor McGonagal met the first years at the Hogwart's entrance where the sorting hat was introduced to the group. Saying the poem for the sorting hat, each child was sorted into a house by choosing a necklace (premade with house emblems) from the sorting hat. Children will wear these for the remainder of the party as House points will be awarded and taken off for behaviours (or at Professor Snape's whim)
• Potions Class: children will have the opportunity to create different potions under the direction of Professor Snape.
• Transfiguration Class: children will have the opportunity to transfigure items through the use of clay.
• Herbology Class: children planted plants in clay pots that they had painted earlier at 'Diagon Alley'.
• Wizard's Chess with Professor Quirrel: A giant chessboard was constructed in a room for this game. Children were on opposing sides of the board and moves were drawn from a hat. If your move landed you on an occupied square, then then that child was knocked out of the game as in the live version of wizard's chess from the movie. (although we did it much more gratiously)
• Golden Snitch Game: bludgers were hidden around Hogwarts with point values attached to them. Children were awarded the points that was on the bludger that they found and it was added to the points for their House. One golden snitch was hidden - the game ended when the golden snitch was found and the 'seeker' was awarded a bonus of 150 points for their house.

• Basilisk Eggs Treasure Hunt: I made treasure stones and hid a stretchy snake in each one. They were hidden around the room and each child found a basilisk egg and cracked it open to reveal their baby basilisk. The snakes came in different colours so you could have a colour point system set up and then tally the points for each house. Children don't know the colour of their basilisk til it is opened so every house has an equal chance at the top point snakes.
• Keeper of the Philospher's Stone: Have children sit in a circle. Set up a philospher's stone (rock painted red) on a small cushion or pillow in front of you. Choose one child to be the 'keeper of the stone' and they sit infront of the stone blindfolded. Children are then chosen to try and sneak up to steal the stone. If the child is successful, they become the new keeper.

Food

• The great banquet hall was set up with a feast of BBQ chicken wings/drumsticks, pizza, vegetable tray, and cheesy garlic bread.
• Harry Potter Cake: money was hidden within the cake for an extra surprise for the birthday guests.

Loot Bags

This is where planning ahead REALLY pays off! Visit Party stores and dollar stores frequently and purchase items that relate to your theme for the loot bags. This is one of the most enjoyable part of planning the party and the best part... you get to be there and watch the children's faces when they receive your awesome theme-based loot bags! Halloween is one of the best times of the year to stock up on items that would be great for a Harry Potter party. You can buy after the holiday when everything is on sale if you know ahead of time that this will be your birthday theme. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

• Small black cauldrons for the loot containers
• Rats (Scabbers)
• Spiders
• Harry Potter Stickers
• Harry Potter Merchandise: keychains, gluesticks, pencils, puzzles etc.

• Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans: you can make your own sachets and fill with jelly beans if you wish
• Small magic trick kits
• Small bags of chocolate coins (Galleons)
• Chocolate Frogs: I purchased a mould kit from Michaels Craft store to make the frogs. I bought a couple of packs of Harry Potter Trading Cards and made a cute bag from a template found on the net. We added a picture of a frog to the front of the bag. The chocolate frogs were wrapped in celophane and tied with a ribbon then added to the bag with a trading card to complete the package.

• Harry Potter Activity Books: Simply print off the pages below to create a book.