Hat Party Theme
Red hats, green hats, blue hats too
if you don't like hats I'll eat my shoe...
A hat party has got to be one of the easiest party themes to arrange and it is great for boys and girls so there will be no problem on how to amuse them. It can also be adapted for all ages from toddlers to teens so let's get our party hats on and let's get going.
Supplies
Invitations
Costumes
Decorations
Games
Activities
Food
Favors
Other resources
*My favourite Hat Party Suppliers *
Party Box (UK site)
for hats galore. Lots of fun and unusual hats which all have the WOW factor. They also have party supplies galore and their latest addition is personalised banners. My favourite UK store.
Jokers Masquerade (UK site)
My favourite UK site for costumes and accessories, not forgetting the hats!
Buy Costumes (US site)
for costumes and hats. Easy site to use and loads of choice.
Birthday in a Box (US site)
for stacks of hats from fireman, pirate, tiaras and popular characters. They also have superb value party packs where everything is included – great for busy parents.
Shindigz Outlet Store (US site) Another great site that you must check out. They even have a hat party theme page  to give you some more ideas.
S&S Worldwide (US site)
for party arts and crafts - excellent value if you buy in bulk.
Makesparties (US site) for the largest collection of party supplies on the net. In the hat department you can choose from funky, retro, traditional, gangsters, rock and roll and the list goes on. Well worth a browse.
Piñatas (US site) for hat piñatas.
* Hat Party Invitations *
Your invitations could go something like this:
Hats off to you as you are invited to a HAT party
On…
Time…
Place….
Put on your favourite hat and let's have a fantHATsical good time
Make a template of any hat that you wish and write the party details on it. Buy paper cone hats and write the party details on the outside Top of page
* Hat Party Costumes *
OK this should be easy for you as all you need to do is to get the kids to come in their favourite or the wackiest hat they can find. If you are following a theme such as sports or a summer party, get the kids to wear hats that match the theme.
If some kids arrive without a hat, don't let them worry as you will be giving out hats later either as favors or prizes or they can make one as an activity. Check out these party suppliers for HATS or look at the selection below
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* Hat Party Decorations *
The wonderful thing about a Hat Party is that you can choose any color theme that you like. The decorations can be as simple or as complicated as you wish but the main thing is to have lots of hats!
Get hold of some cheap bargain hats at thrift stores or garage sales. Raid your garage or cupboards as I bet if you are like me, you will find hats galore. Try and have a variety such as baseball hats, straw hats, bowler hats, summer hats and so on. Another alternative is to follow a particular theme like sports so then you could have all sorts of caps with sport and team logos on them. Check out these party suppliers for hats and decorations
Place paper cone caps around the table Serve popcorn and nibbles in paper hatsPut up a hat banner
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* Hat party food *
The great thing about a hat party is that you can provide whatever food you like but the key here is the decoration. You could even have a Mad Hatter's tea party and have a centre piece of a mad hatter and extra large cups and plates.
Popcorn hats Secure a piece of string above the table and attach some paper cone hats filled with colored popcorn
Bowler bowls Place a food bowl in upturned bowler hats or any other hat which balances well
Ice cream heads Place a scoop of ice-cream in a bowl. Make 2 eyes, a nose and mouth with small sweets and top with a wafer ice-cream cone
Summer hats Meringue nests filled with summer fruits
Top hat cake Prepare a basic chocolate cake using a packet cake mix or my all-in-one cake recipe all-in-one cake recipe. Make one large round cake and 2 smaller round cakes. Sandwich the 2 smaller cakes together with your chosen filling and then place on top of the larger cake. Cover all over with frosting, tie a ribbon round the hat and decorate how you wish.
More kid party food ideas
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* Hat Party activities *
Make a hat ! You've got to get the kids to make a hat !
Fireman hat
Lots of different hat crafts with images
My personal cap Give each child a plain colored cap and some fabric paints. Let them use their imagination to design whatever they wish. Do this at the beginning of the party so the paint has time to dry before they go home.
Other activities Click on the craft kits to the right to get loads more ideas.
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* Hat Party Games *
Musical hats This is rather like musical chairs but instead the kids have to use hats. Stand the kids in a circle and in the center on the floor, place a box full of hats – enough for each child minus one. Put on the music and let the kids dance around. As soon as you stop the music, each child has to rush and put on a hat from the box. The child without a hat is out of the game but let them have a small favor to avoid any tears. Hat Toss Split into teams. Each team stands on a starting line several feet away from a giant hat which you have made out of an upturned bucket with a paper rim on it. Several feet in the other direction you have another hat full of small balls, bean bags or water bombs. On the whistle, the kids have to run (one at a time) and grab a ball, run back to their team and then toss the ball into the hat. Set a time limit and the team with the most balls in the hat is the winner. Mexican hat dance You will probably find that some of the kids already know the hat dance and it is a great way to get a festive atmosphere going. Learn the Mexican hat dance steps A feather in my cap Split into teams and give each team a large adult sized pair of Wellington boots and a large straw hat. Stand the kids in a line and several meters away have a large box of coloured feathers. The members of each team take it in turns to quickly put on the Wellington boots and the hat and run to the box of feathers. They then have to insert a colored feather into the hat, place it back on their head and run back to their team-mates. Then the next person goes. When all team members have been, give a point for the fastest team and a point for each feather still left in the hat. Hip hop hat relay Split the kids into teams and give each child a paper cone hat with a piece of elastic on to secure it on their head. Each team selects a CAP–tain!! who stands several meters away from his teammates. On the whistle each team member must hop on one leg to the captain, and place his hat on top of the captains and then hop back to his teammates. Then the next person goes. When the captain has all the hats on his head, he must hop back to his team, distribute a hat back to each person. First team to finish is the winner.Hat attack On a table line up a stack of paper hats. Give each child 3 small balls and see how many hats he can knock off. This often keeps the kids amused for hours and is a good game whilst you get the food ready.Piñata Having a piñata is always a great success at kids parties. For some inspiring Hat piñatas, take a look at
Party Box (UK site)
Pinatas (US site)
More kid party games
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*Hat Party Favours and Prizes *
Instead of favor bags, why not use favor hats. You could use paper cone shaped ones as they usually have elastic on which makes a good carrying handle, plus they are cheap. Write the kids names on and stuff with goodies and colored tissue paper.
Caps and hats of course
Key rings with hats on
Head scarves and bandannas
Sunglasses to match the hats
Any headgear such as hair pieces, tiaras, crowns, colored hair spray, hair gel
Where to get hat party favors
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*Other Hat Party Resources *
Fireman hat
Lots of different hat crafts with images
Hats out of paper and other everyday items
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Did you know?
The Top Hat was designed and first worn by John Hetherington, a London men's clothing maker, in the 1840's. The first time John Hetherington wore the hat in public, women screamed and fainted, and crowds gathered. It caused an absolute uproar which led to his arrest and subsequent fine of £50 which was an absolute fortune in those days. A law was also passed forbidding anybody to wear the top hat in public on the grounds it scared timid people. By the end of the nineteenth century though, the top hat was seen as a sign of wealth and safistication and even today it is still worn at 'grand occasions'.
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