Barbie Princess Tea Party - 5yr - Face Decorating and Glamour

A Royal Barbie Princess Tea seemed like the perfect idea for my daughter's 5th birthday - so the planning began in advance.  I checked this site for lots of great ideas and created a birthday party any Barbie Princess would love!  Since she had chosen this theme many months ahead, I was able to pick up lots of the party accessories on clearance.  I kept an oversized plastic storage bin in my basement and continued filling it the months leading up to the party with all kinds of neat things to use for the event.  So by the time the party was close, there was not a whole lot left to purchase…this is especially helpful on the pocketbook!  

My daughter and I created the most precious birthday invitations - I wrote a little jingle that read - "Your Presence is Requested at a Royal Barbie Tea.  To Celebrate With Your Friend, Princess Emiley.  Sunday, October ___, is the Birthday Party Date.  Tea Time is at 4 O'Clock - We Can Hardly Wait.  Please Have Your Carriage Drop You Off at the Quaint Castle Sight.  And Request That it Return for You at 6 O'Clock That Night.  Please Wear Your Princess Attire or Your Very Team Time Best; For a Royal Event is Even More Divine, When We're Sunday Dressed.  We Are Excited in Hopes That You'll Join Us in the Fun…So Please Do Call to Say, That You Plan to Come!  We printed them on the computer on frilly pink paper - added a pretty pink ribbon and a few Barbie princess stickers.  It was darling!  I received so many compliments about them!  

At this age, my daughter is invited to lots of parties - from school, soccer, church, etc.  So, this year, we planned for her to invite 5 friends to join her at the birthday tea - plus her and her sister - which made a total of 7 tea party princesses.  This was such a great idea - and because this was a drop-off party, parents were able to enjoy an evening out as well. 

The day of the party - we set up our living room - with a huge white canopy (borrowed) decorated with white lights, balloons, and pink tulle!  It created a lovely little atmosphere for the princesses.  I had purchased little white tables from Target at the end of the summer season for 75% off - I set up 5 of those (3 for the guests, 1 for crafts, and 1 for gifts) - and made pink table covers out of a bolt of pink material that I bought on clearance from Wal-Mart ($15 for 15 yards).  Added some tulle and fresh flowers - darling!  I bought coordinating white resin chairs from Dollar General and slipcovered them with the pink material and used ribbon to tie them on.  I purchased pink polka dot plastic plates (card store for a quarter) for the finger foods we would later serve.   

Also on the tables were lots of princess stuff that I found from the Target Dollar Spot for 75% off this summer.  Hot pink and purple feather purses, place card holders, and princess jewelry filled each place setting.  It was truly set for "royalty!"    Also in advance, we had created a Princess Birthday Carriage.  We borrowed a covered Little Tikes wagon from our church and transformed it into a pink carriage.  I put a big printed sign on it that said Birthday Princess Carriage - covered it in the pink material, added ribbon, and tulle, and wah-lah, a carriage set for a princess!  My daughter was most excited about this!  Just before the party, we put out a royal "carpet" which was a 100 ft roll of pink table covering all the way up our driveway and sidewalk - it looked so cute. 

Our daughter's daddy dressed in a tux - and played the role of Prince Charming.  He awaited with the carriage for each princess (each one was dressed in princess clothes - they even wore tiaras and sparkly shoes) to arrive.  He wheeled them up the walk in the Birthday Carriage - and escorted them to the tea room where a few family members (also dressed in full royal attire)were awaiting to sprinkle them with princess fairy dust (confetti) and take pictures.  The girls loved this!!  We purchased the Disney Birthday Princess Tea Party CD and had that playing perfect, adorable songs for a tea!  The girls had 3 stations to enjoy before sitting for tea one was staffed by an 11-year old in our neighborhood who dressed up like Barbie - she did the sparkly spray station where the girls were able to have their hair glitter-sprayed (25 cents at Icing) they loved this.  Another station was face decorating - we used washable thin markers to create little dainty designs on their hands and cheeks.  Last station was a craft station where they were able to make their own beaded princess necklace (got these for a quarter at Target). 

Just before tea time, we announced that we could not have a tea party without tea bags!  We had a tea bag hunt!  We had hid more than 100 tea bags in our family room for the princesses to fill up one huge mesh tea pot.  It was fun!  Next it was time for the Royal Tea.  The princesses dined on little tea sandwiches, mini desserts and other finger foods.    We used real cups and saucers for the actual tea time - (filled teapots - 1 with apple juice and the other with sweet tea).  It was very dainty and sweet.  After tea time was complete, we played 2 more games - Pin the Tiara on Barbie (a pre-made game from the Party Store) and Barbie Royal Fishing.  We set this game up in advance by securing a baby blue tablecloth to a corner in my family room.  We added sparkles and colorful fish to the outside.  We made a royal fishing rod by using an old broom handle, tying a rope to it with a clothespin - then decorated it all pink and frilly!  My husband was waiting behind the curtain to award each princess with a Barbie gift (Barbie dolls, clothing sets, etc. that I had found 90% off after Easter).  I loved seeing their reactions to the lovely gifts they fished out of the Royal Barbie Sea!   

My daughter was then escorted to her throne (we had decorated a stool in our house to create her royal throne).  One at time, each guest brought her their gift to open.  And in return, my daughter gave each princess their very own gift to open.  This was an idea I read on this website - and it was a clever one!  The guests loved opening their very own Barbie tea sets (that we found for $2.48 at Target on a mega-clearance!).  

We then enjoyed the Barbie cake - the traditional skirted Barbie cake that I had made.  The girls listened to the Tea Party CD - and enjoyed their cake.  And then it was 6 o'clock and time to say goodbye.  It was the most precious, frilly, birthday party ever.  My little girl and her friends loved it so very much!  So if you are looking for that perfect all-girl, pink princess party - try some of these ideas for it is sure to make her smile as pretty as a princess!!