Littlest Pet Shop Party

The Littlest Pet Shop is a line of toys from Hasbro that has been popular for years. It is also TV show that features five miniature animals: Stu (a blue dog), Chloe (a purple cat), Viv (a pink rabbit), Chet (a yellow horse), and Squeaks (a red monkey). The animals live on Littlest Lane in a treehouse.  Many children love these little characters, so “Littlest Pet Shop” would make a fantastic party theme!

For your party invitation, ask your birthday child who her favorite Littlest Pet is, and create an invitation based on that character. As an example, if your child picks Stu, cut a small dog paw out of heavy card stock and write your party details on it. You can make the invitation even more thematic by hole punching it and attaching a small bag of pet treats with a ribbon. Ask your guests to bring the treats to your party.

Tip: If you want to request “no gifts” on your party invitation, requesting a donation to a local animal shelter would go along well with this theme.

Alternatively, use a thematic Littlest Pet Shop invitation for your party.

Make sure to request that your guests bring along a favorite stuffed animal to the party too.

Decorations:

Cut out extra paw prints and place them on the walkway leading up to the party entrance and on the front door.

At the front entrance to the party, create a sign that says, “Welcome to (Birthday Child)’s Pet Shop!”

Birthday in a Box carries darling thematic party supplies to help you pull your decorations together, as does Celebrate Express. You can mix and match solid balloons, streamers, and tableware for your party as well.

If you have a pet carrier, clean it out and place all of your child’s stuffed animals in it. The kids can play with these during the party. If you have a fish bowl, small cages, pet supplies, etc., place them around the party area for additional decor.

Set a fish bowl in the center of your party table. If you don’t have a real goldfish, fill it with colorful Goldfish crackers.

Using a large cardboard box, create the treehouse that the Littlest Pets live in. Place it in the party area as an additional decoration and for the kids to play in during the party.

Activities:

As the children arrive, have a face painter draw puppy and cat whiskers on the kids’ faces.

After their faces have been painted, have them register their pets by making a collar for them. Provide foam collars that the kids can decorate with stickers and markers. When they are done, have them put the collar on their stuffed animal.

Set up different stations where the kids can do pretend activities with their pets, including:

• The vet clinic: Set out different doctor tools for the kids to examine their pets with so they can make sure they are healthy.
• The bakery: Have the kids make up special treats for their animals.
• The salon: Provide brushes, lotions, etc., for the kids to get their animals gussied up with.
• The Littlest Pet Shop runway: Have each guest take a turn walking the runway with her pet.

Here’s another activity that can also serve as a party favor: Fill your treehouse with Littlest Pet Shop animals, and have each kid “adopt” a pet. Make sure to have adoption certificates available for the kids to take home with them as well. When everyone has chosen a pet, have an adoption ceremony where the children pledge to take care of their newly adopted animals. This doubles as a party favor and, with two packs of the Littlest Pet Shop animals running under $5, is budget friendly.

Play a series of games:

Using the small pet treats that the children brought with them to the party, have a contest to see who can throw the most treats into a pet bowl.

Play Fetch the Slipper. Hide inexpensive slippers with the guests’ names on them around the party area. Each guest must find the pair of slippers with her name. See who can find theirs the fastest.

Play Doggie, Doggie, Bone like Duck, Duck, Goose.

Play Pin the Tail on Squeaks

Party Menu:

Serve all sorts of fun favorites, like puppy chow (Chex mix with chocolate chips), pigs in a blanket, bananas, Goldfish crackers, gelatin-shaped dog bones, veggies with dressing, and a kitty litter cake.

Send the kids home with their adopted animals and certificates. Make sure to take a picture of the kids with their new pets and include it in your thank you notes for a wonderful memory.

Alternatively, a Littlest Pet Shop favor would also be an excellent idea.