• Throw a fairy tale birthday party.fairy tale towers on old building image by thomas owen from Fotolia.com
  
  Many children love fairy tales because they can imagine themselves as the princesses who get saved by the princes or as the knights battling dragons. There is plenty of media that helps their imaginations along. From movies to books and coloring books to toys and themed Halloween costumes, children are surrounded by fairy tale memorabilia. If your child loves fairy tales, throw a fairy tale birthday party.
  
  

Decorations

• Fairy tale-themed decorations include jewels glued to the edges of tablecloths and gold- or silver-toned paper plates, cups and silverware. These are usually available at wedding supply stores, which may also carry inexpensive plastic goblets. A red plastic tablecloth may serve as a red carpet leading from the door to where the party is being held. Swags of streamers disguise walls and stained-glass window clings transform ordinary windows. Tiny plastic fairies, dragons, gnomes and other fairy tale creatures may peek out from potted plants, behind curtains and from the tops of windows. Electric candles set inside plastic lanterns and suspended from the ceiling or set on tables provide light. This decorating scheme works inside or in the backyard. Guests may dress up as little knights, princes, princesses or lady knights.
  
  

Games

• Guests can "joust" with foam pool toys and hobby horses by running at each other and trying to tap each other with their "lances." The game should be a tournament; the winner of each round gets a small prize and a chance to joust again until two are left.
  
  Another game involves reenacting the search for the princess's golden ball from the "Frog Prince." A large plastic tub filled halfway with water serves as a well that holds a plastic ball spray painted gold as well as other floating objects such as balls, rubber rings and boats. Blindfolded children search through the toys for the gold ball.
  
  Round Table musical chairs involves setting chairs, facing out, around a round table. Children vie for seats as a song from a popular fairy tale movie starts and stops at random.
  
  Prizes can include candy, plastic gems, beaded jewelry, plastic swords and cardboard crowns.
  
  

Food

• A simple tiered cake covered in gray icing and painted with food coloring becomes a castle. Other castle elements include brown cookies cut into the shapes of doors and covered with yellow icing to look like windows and a blue icing ring around the cake to create a moat. Fairy tale cupcakes can be iced in bright colors and sprinkled with edible glitter.
  
  Candy molds in the shapes of jewels, frogs, dragonflies, fairies and dragons help make fairytale gelatin snacks and chocolate candies. Any red punch or juice will do for the beverage.