How to host a Harry Potter Party

When Elizabeth decided she wanted a Harry Potter Party for her 9th Birthday I took to google to try and find all sorts of ideas on how to host the perfect Harry Potter party.

We hired a hall and sent out invitations inviting the children to try out for the first day at Hogwarts. We decided to organise the day as if the kids were taking lessons and started with a sorting ceremony as the children arrived. We had a Sorting Hat from a previous visit to WB Studio Tours but you could make one or use a different hat. We sat the kids down and shouted out a house that they belonged too. You could also get the kids to shout out their own house to prevent them from getting upset.

A Harry Potter Party wouldn’t be complete without wands but I didnt have time to make complex ones and I didnt want to but any so I cut up some bamboo canes that I bought from B&M to turn into wands and we had a table set up with an Ollivanders sign so the children can choose which one they wanted.

We also set up a present table as the Owlery with a variety of cuddly toy owls we had at home.

To keep the kids occupied at the Harry Potter Party we had a couple of Hogwarts lessons for them to take part in or observe. The first lesson was Herbology where we planted mandrake seeds (sunflower seeds) in small pots. All we needed was some small pots, seeds and compost as well as some food bags for them to put the pots in and take them home.

We then had a potions lesson where one of the grown ups performed some basic experiments including a baking soda and vinegar eruption, coke and mentos and making slime. We named each experiment with a different Harry Potter name such as Troll Snot for the slime which the kids enjoyed touching.

After the Potions lesson we had a Charms class which involved the Wingardium Leviosa spell and a balloon which they had to keep off the floor with their wands. The charms class gave us the chance to clean up the potions class and get the great hall ready for dinner.

I didn’t go to crazy on the theme with the food as I found it easier to just feed the kids. We did have some baguette snake sandwiches and a tray of vegetable crudites that looked like an owl but the rest of it was just standard party food.

After the savoury food the kids got to visit Florean Fortescue’s Ice Cream parlour where we had a variety of ice cream and toppings for them to enjoy.

To end the party we had a Harry Potter themed treasure hunt that I managed to find on Pinterest and the treasure that they had to find was a chest full of Galleons to spend at Honeydukes sweet shop.

Honeydukes was supported by Swizzels as a way of ticking of another one of Drumstick’s bucket list where it got to fly (number 15) on a broomstick. We will be taking Drumsticks with us on our adventures over the next month and seeing if we can help tick of more from the list.

Honeydukes was a great way for the kids to make their own party bags and with the addition of their bamboo wand, a slice of cake and the mandrake seed that they potted, they were really happy.

This was one of the best parties we have held yet. All of the kids had a great time and as grown ups we enjoyed playing the part of adult witches and wizards from the magical world of Harry Potter.

Check out the Pinterest board I put together when I was researching for the party

https://uk.pinterest.com/tiredmummyoftwo/harry-potter-birthday-ideas/