Miss Madeline

The charming Madeline books are timeless and usually very popular with little girls around the age of 5 or 6. If you would like to throw a Madeline-themed party for your daughter this year, look to these ideas for inspiration:

Given that Miss Madeline lives in France, this is a good opportunity to infuse some French culture into your party plan as well.

Send off a Madeline hat invitation to your guests. You can make yellow paper hats with black trim, and write the party details on the back. You could also send small straw hats with black ribbon trim, and place a scroll inside with the party details. Address your invitations to “Mademoiselle” and “Monsieur” to keep with the theme.

Set up a French scene to welcome your guests to your Madeline party. You could use a poster of the Eiffel Tower, French flags, and/or cutouts of the Madeline characters. You could also place a large piece of brown butcher paper on the welcoming table, and let the kids draw their own Madelines in a French scene. This banner can then be hung up in the party area as an additional decoration. As the host parent, you could also dress up as Miss Clavel for additional fun. Your child may enjoy dressing up as Madeline as well.

The colors to use for this party, without buying official Madeline-ware, would be red, yellow, and blue. Purchase balloons, streamers, and tableware to bring the theme alive. It is my understanding that in 2006 they stopped licensing actual Madeline party materials, but they can still be found at Live and Learn if you are interested.

Play French music!

When they arrive, provide each kid with a straw hat that has a black bow tied around its rim. If you are having boys attend your party, provide sun visors with a picture of the Eiffel Tower on the rim. The kids can keep these as a party goody as well.

For Activities:

Play Pin the Hat on Madeline!

Play Madeline Says!

Play Hot Madeline just as you would play Hot Potato, but with a Madeline doll.

Play Madeline Reading Chairs. Play this game the same way you would musical chairs, but instead of using music, read Madeline stories and stop when you want the kids to scramble for a seat!

Enjoy a Bean Bag Toss through the windows of an old fashioned Parisian house. Paint a picture of a house on cardboard, and cut out windows for the bean bags to be tossed through.

Have an Art Treasure Hunt! Print off pictures of paintings (you can also laminate them if you want), including the Mona Lisa. Hide them around the party room or in the yard, if this is an outdoor party. Have Miss Clavel tell the kids they will be going to the Louvre to see grand paintings, and then have a rush telegram say that the Mona Lisa has been stolen. The kids will have to find the Mona Lisa. The guest who finds the Mona Lisa, wins! (As a tip: you may want to only print pictures of art that is in the Louvre, and discuss a few pieces together after the game!)

Teach the kids a few French phases, such asking for chocolate cake: “Gateau chocolat, s’il vous plait!”

Play a French Word Game. Say a French word, and have the kids translate it to English. This can be a group activity.

You could also have this party set up as a day in Paris with Madeline. Have the guests visit different areas of the city where they can do different activities. At the Louvre, have the kids decorate frames; at a jewelry shop, the kids can decorate a bracelet with glass beads; at a chocolate shop, the kids can choose a selection of chocolates in small decorative boxes; etc. (Tip: You will need adults at each of these stations to help the kids as they go through the different activities.)

For the Menu:

Serve mini quiches, crepes, French cheeses with croissants, fruit cups, a light salad, cream puffs, French bread, etc.

Make pepito treats: Dip a marshmallow into chocolate, and set it on top of a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup. Dot the treat with red gel.

For a Cake:

Live and Learn also has Madeline birthday cake ideas, both for a straw hat design and a traditional sheet cake.

Fruit tarts, chocolate croissants, petit fours, etc., would be lovely additional desserts as well.

For Goodies:

Send the kids home with their straw hats, crafts they made at the party, French bath salts (Epsom salts, food coloring, and a spritz of perfume, placed into baby food jars), mini lip glosses, bath bubbles, mini French flags, etc.

Family Fun has more excellent ideas for a Madeline for a Day birthday party, including a darling Madeline hat cake. Make sure to check it out!