Wizard of Oz -4yr- Witches Castle

My son wanted a Wizard of OZ birthday party for his 4th birthday. I it was all he talked about for 2 months prior. I am a 5th grade teacher and I invited 7 of my students to come dressed in costumes that I borrowed from the local middle school drama club. (Dorothy, Glinda, Wicked Witch, Lion, Scarecrow, Tinman, and the Wizard) We got started on the plans and making decorations about 6 weeks before the party date.

The invitation said: cover- Were going over the rainbow to celebrate Connor's 4th Birthday! Inside-Just follow the yellow brick road… (followed with party info. Place: Connor's House- There's no place like home.) I included downloaded pictures from the internet.  On the day of the party I hung a sign over the door bell that read: BELL OUT OF ORDER PLEASE KNOCK. I also hung 8ft. Long wind bags (found at our Science Museum store) in 5 different colors on our front porch that the guests had to walk through (the rainbow). The guests saw them from a long way away and had no trouble finding the correct house.

Upon entering the house they entered munchkin land. I made 20 large tissue paper flowers and hung many streamers and balloons in rainbow colors. I bought different colored plates, cups, forks and table cloths (whatever was on sale) in rainbow colors. For the first hour guests could follow the yellow brick road (1 foot wide roll of yellow paper that I taped to the carpet along both sides) to the emerald city.

Along the way I had games/activities set up. Glinda helped the kids decorate crowns (lion crowns for the boys, Glinda crowns for the girls). Dorothy did some face painting.  The first stop along the path was the scarecrow, he helped with a bowling for crows game.

Next were the throwing apple trees with help from the wicked witch. I made three trees out of large green paper and cardboard boxes. My son printed apples on them. One of them was large enough for the children to stand inside and stick their arms and head through holes. They threw stress apple balls into a basket (or at the witch). I also cut out the shape of a witches castle with working drawbridge out of a large piece of cardboard I painted black. The kids could crawl through the gate and play with the hour glasses (2 water bottles I screwed together with a tornado tube and filled with red sand) I had on the other side.

Next they went through the lion's forest. This was an obstacle course I made by attaching many large boxes covered in green paper with holes cut out. I also hung 8 windbags from the ceiling behind a sheet (fun to walk through). The kids were to help the lion find his badge of courage. Once the kids were out of the forest they crawled over the poppy field (where they were supposed to fall asleep, HA HA!) and on to the Emerald City (another large piece of cardboard covered in green paper with a door cut out.) I also placed a lamp with a green light bulb here. The wizard made green balloon animal shapes. We ate lunch (I ordered a 4 foot braided sub).

The cake was the yellow brick road. I cut out a spiral shape from 1, 9 inch round and 2, 9x11 inch pans. I frosted the entire cake yellow(tedious, it was very crumbly!). Put a green border along the bottom edge where I placed flower sprinkles. I used black gel to highlight the bricks. My son had a little Tommy (Barbie)Mayor of the Munckin City that I place in the center. It was a lot of work but, I got numerous compliments. I also served Wicked Witch Punch (lime green sherbet and Sprite). It looked so cool, foaming with a witch's hat floating on top.  It was delicious. I ran out early.

After opening the gifts I had a lion piñata. (It was very difficult to open, one of the 5th graders finally got it.)

The party favor was a helium balloon attached to a paper lunch bag that I rolled down to 3 inches high and decorated to looked like a basket. I filled the basket with: bubbles, heart sucker, rainbow stickers, rainblo gum, twister licorice, glitter super ball, and a Doctorate of Thankology (thanking everyone for coming). Each guest also got to take home a tissue paper flower and a wind bag.

The thank you notes I sent later were a small Wizard of OZ sticker story book from Dover ($1.00). On the inside cover I attached a bookplate thanking them for the gift and for coming along with the date of the party. Everyone (including my son and I) had a blast. Especially the 5th graders. There were 10 children under age 5, over 20 adults and the 7 5th graders. The party was 2 1/2 hours long.