Last week I gave you some tips on how to embrace the cold and throw a winter-themed birthday party — and today

I’m teaching you how to do just the opposite

Escape from the cold! Throw an indoor luau birthday party and remind yourself that spring is just around the corner!

Below are some of my favorite tips, but visit Suite101.com for more!

Invitations:

Printable invites are below. Print on regular paper or cardstock. Cut along the outer dotted lines and fold the inner dotted lines to form the invite. Fill in the appropriate information.

Decorations:

When you have a luau for your child’s birthday, the decorations are part of the fun. Now is the time to get creative! Use brightly colored streamers, seashells and raffia table runners. Pull out all of your tropical plants to set around the party room. No luau party would be complete without hibiscus flowers and raffia. Buy artificial hibiscus flowers and cut them off the stem. Spread them over the party table. You can almost always find luau themed tableware at your local party supply store, but if you can’t then bright solid colors work just as well.

Activities:

Make Your Own Lei

Of course when you have a luau birthday party, a lei is a must. Instead of buying cheap, plastic leis, why not have each child make his or her own? Collect artificial flowers and take them off the stem. Remove all of the plastic middles. You will be left with petals with holes in the middle. Next, cut brightly colored straws into 1/2 inch pieces. To start, string a piece of thin twine or kite string on large plastic needles. You can find these at almost any store that sells crafts items. These are easier for kids to handle than regular needles. Instruct the kids to string a petal, followed by a straw until the twine is full. Now each child has created he or her own unique Hawaiian lei.

Pass the Pineapple

Play this game like Hot Potato, except pass a pineapple (or coconut) around the circle. Find some festive Hawaiian music to play while the kids are sitting in a circle. As the music plays, the pineapple will pass from child to child. When the music stops, the child holding the pineapple is out. The last person left is the winner.

Cake and Snacks

Cupcakes are perfect for a kid’s birthday party because no utensils are needed and they are easy to make. Bake cupcakes and spread white frosting over them. Take graham crackers and crush them very finely. Sprinkle them over the frosting—it will resemble beach sand. Now add a little paper umbrella. For snacks set out bowls of goldfish crackers and plenty of fresh fruit. Make fruit skewers using strawberries, fresh pineapple and grapes. You can even cut off the bottom of a fresh pineapple so it sits up nicely. Put it in the middle of a large serving platter and stick your fruit skewers directly into the pineapple. This makes a nice table centerpiece that serves a purpose, too.

Goodie Bags

No kid’s birthday party would be complete without a goodie bag. Use plan brown lunch bags and give each child beach themed goodies such as a beach ball, gummy fish and goldfish crackers. Tie the bag off at the top with raffia and you have an easy, inexpensive luau party goodie bag for your child’s party. You can even give large beach balls and have each child autograph it, or add the goodies to a plastic beach pail. The possibilities are endless!