Wizard of Oz Party Plan for Kids

I was always scared to death when I watched “The Wizard of Oz” when I was a kid.  In particular, the scenes with the Wicked Witch of the West had me hiding under the covers.  It isn’t a movie to show very small kids, as it will be scary, but those who are 7 years old and up would have a lot of fun not only coming together to watch this classic, but also enjoying some thematic activities to enjoy while gathered.

Did you know it’s the 70th Anniversary of the Wizard of Oz?  You can find the Wizard of Oz 70th Anniversary Ultimate Collector’s Edition at Amazon for your family’s viewing pleasure and to have playing during your upcoming party.

Check out the Wizard of Oz party supplies that are just darling for this party theme.

You can make invitations in many different forms  including: rainbows, a crystal ball (like the Wizard looks into in the movie), in the shape of a diploma and rolled up as a scroll like the scarecrow received for a brain) or a badge of courage for the lion.  Provide all party details.  You can ask guests to dress up like a character from the movie, i.e. a Munchkin.

Another invitation idea would be to take tissue boxes and make them into a yellow brick.  Inside the opening of the tissue box, provide the party details.

Make a classic yellow brick road that will lead to your front door.  This can be made from heavy, yellow cardboard.

Use sidewalk chalk to draw a rainbow in front of the party entrance.

Decorate the party area with bright emerald green and ruby red balloons and streamers.

Have the Wizard of Oz soundtrack playing during the party.

Use a blue and white checkered tablecloth for the party table and gather baskets to place treats and food in to serve the food.  (This would be keeping in line with a Dorothy theme) You could also use emerald green to deck out the table as well in keeping with Oz.  A last idea would be colors mixed and matched in a rainbow.

Further decorations can include a rainbow arch of balloons, paper chains made in rainbow colors, and place Oz signs all over the party room, i.e Munchkinland, Oz, Haunted Castle, etc.

Using a large appliance box, decorate it to look like Dorothy’s home that just landed in Oz.  Make sure to place two legs with striped tights underneath for authenticity.  If the box is large enough, play a game where the kids crawl in and out of the house to the music.  When the music stops, the kid inside the house is out!

Hang a sign beside the doorbell, “Bell out of order, please knock!”

Have the movie playing in the background and/or have music from the movie playing during the party.

Have a face painter on hand to draw little pictures on the kids’ faces.  You can hire a professional or an artistic teenager to help draw the pictures of rainbows and hearts, etc.

Make Glenda’s Wand, using wooden sticks have the kids make stars out of tin foils.  Attach them to the stick for a Wand.

Another arrival activity, have a large piece of butcher paper laid out on the table and have the kids create different scenes from the movie.  After everyone has arrived and contributed, hang it up in the party area.

Have the kids color pictures of rainbows.

Play Pin the Heart on the Tinman

Play Twister.

Play “Wizard Says” and “Wizard May I?”

Play “Pass the Red Ruby Slipper” like “Hot Potato.”

Hide a pair of Ruby Slippers throughout the party room or home, and have the kids search for the shoes either together, as teams, or as individuals.

Have a Lion Bean Bag Toss.  Paint a face on a medium-sized cardboard box, cut open a mouth, and have the kids throw the bean bags through his mouth!

Stuff a Scarecrow, have clothes and paper rolled up into balls.  Divide the group into two teams and have the kids race to stuff their scarecrows the quickest.

For the party menu, serve:

• Make a rainbow out of Jell-O, and serve with a whipped cream cloud.
• Make Witch’s Mix, combining Bugles, Goldfish Crackers, Cheese Nips, and Pretzel Sticks.)
• Make an Animal Crackers Sweet Mix, full of lions, tigers, and bears, mini-marshmallows, and raisins.
• Cut out sandwiches in the shapes of a heart and fill with anything that the kids will enjoy.
• Make up a batch of Witch’s Brew using Sprite, Kool-Aid, and lime sherbet.
• Caramel Apples, cut out the apples in the shape of a heart and call them “Tinman Hearts.”
• Rainbow-colored sherbet
• Make an easy Rainbow Cake.

For goodies, send the kids home with a small basket with a blue and white checkered lining.  Fill it with an apple, a plastic heart, a small sticker sheet rolled up to look like a diploma, red and green candies, bubble, badges of courage, etc.

You can also find great favor boxes from Celebrate Express.

When the kids depart, make them click their heels and repeat, “There’s No Place Like Home!”