Circus Carnival Party -2yr- Pin Nose on Clown

My daughter is only two, but for the past two years I have tried to select birthday party themes that fit her personality. This year I decided to create a circus/carnival birthday party.

DECORATIONS: I created a tent in my garage by using fishing wire and primary-colored streamers.  I attached the string in order to make a square at the ceiling (I attached it to the garage door opener and light fixtures).  The streamers were stapled to a piece of cardboard and placed in the center of the square (the main part of the garage opener).  It was covered by a cluster of balloons.  I then took the streamers one by one and draped them over the fishing line.  I bought over a hundred primary-colored balloons and had them on the floor in the tent. 

I also had 3 dozen helium balloons tied at various places in the tent and in front of the garage.  Table cloths were primary colors and I placed peanuts all over the tables.  The Fisher Price circus train made a cute arrangement for the drink table.  I rented a popcorn machine and placed it in the tent.  My party favors were also decorations because they were circus animal cages (lions, tigers, and elephants).  I used the same size boxes (cereal) and cut the top off.  I covered them with construction paper and glued black pipe cleaners for the black cage. 

I made the wheels out of leftover cardboard.  These were placed on the table outside of the tent and each one had a stuffed circus animal in them.  They were connected with a yellow ribbon.  Circus music played in the background.  A big banner was placed at the front of the garage that stated, "Welcome to the BIG TOP". 

ACTIVITIES: Using refrigerator boxes I created a clown booth, fun tunnel, and crazy house.  The clown gave out lays and painted faces as toddlers entered the tent.  Several activities were on the booth such as pin the nose on the clown and streamers hanging from a cut-out door.  I spray painted the fun tunnel with fun colors. The crazy house had a mirror inside with Christmas lights on it.  Toddlers put on funny wigs, dress-up shoes, and costumes and looked in the mirror. 

This was great for pictures in the Thank-you notes. Also in the tent was a clown toss using bean bags and clown dolls.  Outside the tent was a bubble pool made out of Dawn detergent and Kayro Syrup (white).  Toddlers used wands to create big bubbles.  I filled another pool with styrofoam packing popcorn and balls.  The children jumped forever. 

My husband drove toddlers around in the wagon behind his riding lawnmower. A clown pinata appealed to all ages because I put candy and Band-Aids in it.  Prizes included circus stickers, cotton candy, and clown dolls. 

FOOD: I served hamburgers, hotdogs, bagged chips, fruit kabobs, juice, a clown cake, and ice-cream clown cones (Keebler recipe on cone box). 

FAVORS: The animal boxes contained animal crackers, crayons, a circus coloring book, and play dough; also, each child received a balloon, popcorn, and several prizes.  The party was a success and for toddlers it was amazing that they were entertained by the simplest of activities.