Hungry Caterpillar Themed Party

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Hungry Caterpillar is a great theme for a preschoolers’ birthday party. The very hungry caterpillar is a popular book among preschoolers and can make a great theme for a birthday party. Decoration always depends on one’s creativity. At polka dot celebrations, we always try and create something unique and elegant for the decor for all our parties. We try and pull everything together to convey the theme, to tell a story and to entertain. Whether its the food planning, activity planning or decoration, everything reflects the theme chosen.

In the hungry caterpillar themed party, we paid attention to every little detail in terms of decor, activity and food. The dessert table, the cake table, the ballooning and the centerpieces were all based on the hungry caterpillar theme. Again the food reflected the hungry caterpillar theme. We had, caterpillar cookies, candies, cupcakes and much more.The activities included a caterpillar craft activity and a butterfly painting activity, along with a caterpillar train ride.

Please follow our facebook page to view pictures of the Hungry Caterpillar themed party…

Birthday Venues in Gurgaon

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A child’s birthday is a special occasion for the parents especially. Every year when the child turns a year older, parents begin to plan a birthday party for the child. Everyone one nowadays wants to have a “different party” so that the child has a memorable time! There are many birthday venues in Gurgaon and are offering birthday planning services. Here we list some options for birthday venues in Gurgaon and Delhi.

birthday venues in gurgaon

birthday venues in gurgaon

Some Popular Birthday Venues in Gurgaon

The Fast-Food Option – Cheap and Reliable birthday venues in Gurgaon

Many Parents choose a fast food restaurant as the birthday venue for the kids. This is the most convenient option, as it requires no planning. All you need to do is to pay for the food, venue and the party decoration. With most parents working, this is the most convenient option, plus the children love to eat all kinds of junk food these days. Only drawback of this option is that, does the child actually get to have a memorable day? After all a fast food joint is a place where he/she goes to every other weekend! Won’t it just pass by as another day with an extra cake and some balloons?

The Fun Zone Option – Fun and Budget Friendly birthday venues in Gurgaon

Many parents also like to celebrate parties in fun zones such as Fun City, Hang Out etc. There are no dearth of options when it comes to this type of birthday venue in Gurgaon. Undoubtedly the children have a lot of fun, as they hop around from one ride to another. It is again very convenient for working parents, as they lack time and are willing to spend the extra buck. But again, with all the commercialism and malls sprouting up in every corner, these fun zones have become a normal weekend activity for kids. So will the child actually have a memorable birthday? Also, often these places are so noisy that it becomes difficult for one to strike a conversation. After all a party is about coming together and celebrating together, but amidst so much noise and action everyone (adults and kids) seems dispersed, which is quite an ironic situation for a birthday party! Moreover over, these fun zones have restricted time slots and hence often the parents seem to be in a hurry and before the child can actually begin to have fun, times up!

The Banquet Hall Option – Lavish and Elegant birthday venues in Gurgaon

If you do not mind to shell out money, this can be another option for celebrating birthday parties. Often a banquet hall party is surrounded by a theme. A favorite character or concept of the child is inculcated in the party planning. A party in a banquet hall often requires both planning and money! Parents, who do not have the time to plan, hire an event planner to do the job. When a party revolves around a thevme, the child is bound to have a memorable time, because it is a different day for him/her and also everything about the party has to do something about the child’s favorite character. The only catch here is that, many event planners, do the same cliché décor and the activities provided are not in sync with the party’s theme. So choose wisely when selected a party planner, who can actually make the party a memorable one!

The Home Option – Personal and Comfy birthday venue in Gurgaon

Who says a child cannot have an enjoyable birthday party at home? This is an option that is always available unless home space does not allow it.  If you do not have space, then why not hire the local community hall in your residential township or even better hire a school space close to your home. Nowadays many playschools are offering their space for parties on rent. To make a birthday party at home memorable for a child, you need create an experience for your child. Parents have to be creative and convert their home into party venue based on the chosen theme. Children actually have a lot of fun with the whole process of planning at home, because they become a part of the process and participate in every birthday planning activity. If you are clueless about how you can create a memorable party at home for your child, hire a party planner, such as Polka Dot Celebrations and you can see how your child will actually have a memorable time and cherish it for the rest of his/her life!

Our Say

There are pros and cons with each and every option. It depends on the person who is hosting the party and what he/she would like to opt for. But our personal choice of birthday planning is to have a memorable party with unlimited creativity on a shoestring budget! So therefore select the right kind of birthday venue in Gurgaon.

 

 

DIY Mickey Mouse Theme Party at Home

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Mickey mouse is a great theme for any child’s birthday and the kids just love this theme. Often for girls, Minnie mouse is the preferred choice, but nevertheless the Mickey Mouse theme is apt for both boys and girls between 3-6 years old. If you are looking out for some cool ideas to celebrate your child’s birthday at home and want to do a Mickey Mouse theme party, then this is the right place!

Mickey Mouse Invitations

Make simple home made invitations with chart paper. It looks great and impressive and just sets the right tone to the Mickey mouse theme party. Use red ribbons and bows for a Mickey Mouse theme and Pink for for Minnie Mouse theme.

mickey mouse invitation

Mickey Mouse Decoration

Every party, especially kids party needs decoration. Here are some cool decoration ideas for a Mickey Mouse Theme

Decorate with Red, Yellow and Black balloons (all kids love balloons)

mickey mouse balloon

If you don’t fancy balloons then use tissue paper pom poms

mickey mouse pom poms

You can make your own mickey mouse theme garlands with yellow, red and black chartpaper/cardstock and hang it across the room, to make your party area look wow and also matching to the theme

mickey mouse decor

Or cover the back drop of the buffet/dessert table with a red sheet and adorn it with black paper plates.

mickey mouse backdrop plate

The Food

Here are some cool food ideas for a Mickey mouse theme party.

Mickey Mouse Sandwiches

mickey mouse sandwich

Mickey Mouse Cupcakes -Simple butter cream frosting with cookie ears!

mickey mouse cake

Mickey Mouse Pizza – Use pepperoni and olives to create a mickey mouse effect on the pizza. Vegetarians can use tomatoes instead of the pepperoni.

mickey mouse pizza

Mickey Mouse Oreo Pops

Here is a recipe to create Oreo Pops. Aren’t they cute?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FoHLiGrN_D8

So there you go, you can easily plan a wonderful mickey mouse theme party right at the comforts of your home. All you need is to put in some efforts and your child will the happiest kid in the party!

DIY Cake Decoration Ideas

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There are many moms who’d love to bake a cake for their kids on their birthday but seldom do, because they lack the skills to decorate a finely baked cake or make it look WOW. Here are some simple methods to decorate a cake with the help of everyday kitchen tools.

A simple overlaying of butter cream icing with a piping bag and a tea spoon

cake decorating tips

Or you could create effects like the following using different types of cutlery.

Simple-ways-to-decorate-a-cake-peaks-zigzags-waves-and-stripes

Aren’t they simple and wow! To make the cake look even more amazing, you can sprinkle some sugar sprinklers on top, or some fresh rose petals and voila! You have a smashing cake for a smashing party!

rose petal cake

Kids Hand Print Craft

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Kid’s needs to be engaged during any party or get together! As parents we always want to engage our children with fun and creative craft projects. Here are some cool craft projects using palm prints which can be done by children of all age groups. They look adorable and the children will have a gala time doing it!

Monkey Hand Print Craft

This craft is a great activity to do for a jungle theme party!

 

Peacock Hand Print Craft

This craft can be used again for any party that is based around the jungle theme or animal/bird theme.

Fish Hand Print Craft

A great activity for a under water theme party or finding nemo party 🙂

Red Velvet Cupcakes

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These days in many parties, you see these beautiful fondant adorned cupcakes. But seldom can you actually eat them! They look pretty but doesn’t taste great. Here is a beautiful recipe that will help you create yummy red velvet cupcakes at home. After all, cupcakes are loved by most children and no party seems complete without a bunch of cupcakes. So here it is!

Ingredients

2 cups all purpose flour

1 cups sugar

2 heaped tbsp baking cocoa (powdered)

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 sticks/200 gms salted butter at room temperature

2 large eggs

1 cup buttermilk (see note at bottom)

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon red food coloring

Method

  • Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder and baking soda in a mixing bowl.  Sift dry ingredients three times.
  • Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add eggs one at a time, making sure to beat well after each egg.
  • Add alternatively the flour mixture and buttermilk to the  sugar-butter creamed mixture. Keep mixing till you get a smooth batter. Make sure you start and end with the dry mixture.
  • Now mix in vanilla and food coloring.
  • Fill lined cupcake pans 1/2 full of red velvet batter.  Bake in a preheated 180 degree oven for approximately 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Note:- For the buttermilk, just add a tbsp of lemon juice to a cup of milk. Let it stand for 10-15 minutes. Your buttermilk is ready.

For the cream frosting

Beat 200 gms butter with icing sugar. Add a tsp of vanilla essence and some food color to get that pink touch. You can also add some strawberry pulp to give it a strawberry flavor.

Recipe by vividideas

DIY Rainbow Themed Party at Home

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Rainbow theme party is a favourite among both adults and children because it is very colorful and just brightens up the space. Here are some cool tips that will help you organize a rainbow themed party at the comforts of your own home.

The Cake

Instead of the typical 7 layered rainbow cake, why not try this concept of a rainbow cake. Its cool and colorful.

DIY rainbow cake

If this seems a little too cumbersome, why not bake a simple cake and decorate it with colorful gems?

rainbow

Decor

Colorful balloons looks great and is simple to do. Adorn the entire ceiling with colorful balloons or hang some balloons to make a fun backdrop.

rainbow backdrop

rainbow-decor

Or lets do something different!

rainbow decoration

The food table

Decorate the table with colorful table clothes. Use colorful cutlery in solid colors. And add some freshness with colorful floral arrangements

rainbow table decoration Rainbow-Party1

The Food

colorful drinks

Fill bottles with different color squashes.

colorful popcorn

Colorful popcorn are just irresistible. Frugal Foodie Mama has a wonderful recipe!

rainbow fruit skewers

These are just so easy to do, looks colorful and is healthy!

rainbow jelly

To make rainbow jelly cups you need to make up your jelly one layer at a time. Wait until one layer has set before adding the next (allow liquid jelly to get to room temperature before pouring on top of set jelly layer). Set and repeat till done. Adults and children alike loved these.

So go rainbow for your child’s next birthday party! Of course, polka dot celebrations can help you put it up together!

Party Planning Tips for Organizing Children’s Birthday Parties

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Planning a birthday party for your child is an experience in itself, both for the child and the parents. A well organized party creates life long memories. So it is important to plan properly to create a successful party and leave a lasting impression. Here are some useful party planning tips that will help you organize a great party!

  1. Choose a theme

    A theme brings life to any party. Get your child involved in selecting a theme. This will make it extra special for your child.

  2. Decide on the venue

    Choose the location. You can either choose to party at home or choose a venue in a nearby banquet hall or hotel. I prefer home parties, because they have a personal touch and you can just get so creative with the décor and the overall effect of the party to match your chosen theme. A party at home on the plus side, costs less and is more enjoyable. If you decide to celebrate outside your home, be sure to make bookings well in advance. Also when choosing the venue, take into consideration the weather, especially if you are planning an outdoor party!

  3. Set the date and time

    Choose a date and time that works best for your family and also your guests. A birthday falling on a weekday is better celebrated on a weekend. Also choose a time that is suitable for your child. You don’t want to choose a time when your child is more likely to be cranky. For smaller age groups wrap up the party in 2 hrs. For older kids, you can extend it to 3 hrs.

  4. Guest List for the party

    Prepare your guest list well in advance. Decide on how many guests should be invited. For a child’s birthday it is better to invite only children and not relatives and family friends. If you want to invited friends and relatives, allocate separate time slots for 2 parties. After all it’s your child’s birthday, so it has to be a party for your child and not you! As a rule of thumb, the no. of children invited to a party should be your CHILD’S AGE PLUS 2. So for a six year old, it will be 8 guests and for a 9 year old 11 guests.

  5. Party Invitations

    Ensure you mail out your invitations 2 weeks prior to the party. Ensure you give out all important details about the party in the invitation, such as start and finish time, when parents should pick up the kids, RSVP information etc. It is always better to have invitations based on the theme of the party, so the guests know what to expect and it sets in the excitement and the right tone for the party. There is nothing like customized DIY cards.

  6. Party Menu

    Plan the type of foods and drinks you will serve. You will also need to decide on the cake for the party. Try and plan out a cake based on the chosen theme. Also plan out the menu to suit the theme. Take into consideration the ages of the children when planning out the menu. Choose foods that are simple, great to taste and simple to make.  Also, often the mothers of younger kids will accompany the child in the party, so you will need to have a few dishes for them as well.

  7. Party Favors

    You must purchase party favors for each child coming to the party. Choose gifts that match the theme and pack them in creative ways that correspond with your theme. Buy age appropriate gifts as well.

  8. Games

    Plan some fun games that are appropriate for the age group and also games that suit the theme. Have some prices for the winner. The internet is a “pitara” of ideas. Just get creative!

  9. Activity or Craft

    A nice and fun way to keep children occupied during parties is to have a craft activity planned out for the party. It’s a great way to begin a party as you can keep the kids occupied while you greet other parents when they come to drop of their child!

  10. Plan a schedule for the party

    It always helps to have a schedule, but at the same time be flexible with it. Plan what the kids will do when they arrive, when they will eat, when they do all the other activities and when the cake will be cut.

Planning a party can be taxing, but it is worthwhile! And if you don’t have the time to plan a fab birthday, get in touch with polka dot celebrations and we will organize the most wonderful birthday party for your child. Hope these party planning tips will help you be more organized the next time you plan a birthday party for your child. 🙂

 

The best chocolate cake recipe

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No party is complete without a scrumptious cake. Every celebration, be it birthdays, anniversaries, festivals etc., calls for a cake! And what is more better than everyone’s favourite chocolate cake! This recipe is easy and quick to make and the end result is just gorgeous. Chocolate cakes should be moist and fudgy and this recipe will yield just that! It is by far the best chocolate cake recipe!

Best chocolate cake recipe

Ingredients for the chocolate cake

  • 2 cups plain flour (maida)
  • 1½ cups caster sugar
  • 3/4th cup of cocoa powder (I used the one by cadbury)
  • 1½ tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • 2 eggs
  • 250ml milk (full fat)
  • 125ml vegetable oil (used olive oil)
  • 250ml boiling water

Preparation method

  1. Preheat the oven to 180C. Grease and line a 9 in cake tin.
  2. Place all of the cake ingredients, except the boiling water, into a large mixing bowl. Using a spatula or wooden spoon, or electric whisk, beat the mixture until smooth and well combined.
  3. Add the boiling water to the mixture, a little at a time, until smooth. (The cake mixture will now be very liquid.)
  4. Pour the cake batter into the cake tin and bake in the oven for 30-45 minutes. Insert a skewer into the center of cake and check if it comes out clean. If not, you will need to bake it for a little more time.
  5. Remove the cakes from the oven and let it cool completely, before icing.

You can ice the cake with chocolate ganache and decorate it with fruits or edible cake sprinkles. If you want you could also ice it with chocolate butter cream icing. If you’re good with the pipe, then you can make it look gorgeous just as the cake. But I believe if the chocolate cake is yum, then a simple decor is suffice! Your guests will just gorge on the cake and before you know it, the cake is over!

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