Mission to Mars: a space birthday party, planned

The look: deep navy, gold and a lot of stars

Deep navy and black do most of the work, with gold and silver as the accents. Keep bright primary colours to the rockets, so the room reads as night sky rather than a toy shop.

Spend on one centrepiece rather than covering every surface. A balloon arch in navy, gold and silver over the cake table, or a hanging solar system above it, is what ends up in every photo.

• Glow-in-the-dark stars and planets on the ceiling of the main room, and dim the lights for the cake.
• A "launch pad" at the door: a painted cardboard rocket or a tape countdown on the floor.
• Planet balloons in graduated sizes hung at different heights.
• Star confetti and gold plates on a navy tablecloth.
• A "mission control" sign on the food table, with the menu written as a mission log.

The invitation

Lead with the mission, then the facts. The theme's cover art works as the invitation image, or use a photo of the birthday child in a helmet. Ask for dietary needs in the RSVP itself: a space menu leans on sweets, and one guest with a nut allergy changes the snack table.

You're invited

Mission to Mars

Mission control is go for launch. Join the crew for a birthday blast-off!

✓ Going? Maybe✗ Can't

Food and the galaxy cake

Name the food and it becomes part of the game. None of this needs to be complicated; it needs to be labelled.

• Rocket fuel: juice or lemonade in pouches or bottles with a printed label.
• Moon rocks: popcorn, or cereal-and-marshmallow clusters.
• Planet pizzas: mini pizzas, one per child, with topping "craters".
• Asteroid fruit: melon balls and grapes on skewers.
• Freeze-dried "astronaut" ice cream, as a favour or a treat.
• The cake: a galaxy mirror glaze, or a navy buttercream cake with gold stars and a rocket topper. Cupcakes with planet toppers are easier to serve to twenty kids.

Games and activities

Plan three activities and have a fourth in reserve. Kids at this age move through an activity in 15 to 20 minutes.

• Astronaut training: an obstacle course of cushions, hoops and a crawl tunnel, timed.
• Alien egg hunt: plastic eggs, or glow sticks if the room can go dark.
• Make your own rocket: paper-towel tubes, stickers and foil. It doubles as a take-home.
• Moon-walk relay: walking with a balloon between the knees.
• The reserve: a space colouring table for the kids who would rather sit down.

How the two hours run

1. 0:00Arrivals and the launch pad: each guest gets an astronaut name badge.
2. 0:15Make your own rocket at the craft table.
3. 0:35Astronaut training obstacle course.
4. 0:55Mission fuel: lunch.
5. 1:20Alien egg hunt.
6. 1:35Lights down, countdown from ten, and the cake.
7. 1:50Favours and goodbyes.

What to buy

Pack sizes are for about 15 kids. In PartyPal the list sizes itself to your headcount.

Common questions