Harry Potter Birthday Party - Part Two - The Activities (Hogwarts Classes)

If you haven't, check out Part One of our Harry Potter Birthday Party here.

This past Saturday, we celebrated Cooper's Birthday with a Harry Potter theme. Eight classmates joined us for the fun. After all the friends arrive for the party, I had them all come down to be "sorted" by a cute little sorting hat. If the Sorting Hat called out Slytherin, we just pushed it again. I found the little electronic sorting hat on Amazon.

I then handed them each a bag of Gold Galleons (chocolate coins) to purchase their school supplies. First they bought their robes from Madame Malkins, then they picked up their house scarves, then they closed their eyes to let the wants choose them, and then they picked up their Spellbooks and Potion books I created. The kids loved the spell books and instantly started shouting out spells to each other from the book.

After getting their school supplies, the kids were ready to go to Charms Class where I would perform some magic tricks for them. My husband got them to select an object in the room while I ran out for a minute, and when I came back, we performed this "Black Magic Trick", and it was great! They were impressed. I then used my "Magic Coloring Book" and further impressed the boys. It was then time for the boys to do some magic of their own in "Transfiguration'" class. I had each boy come up and pull a card from a bowl with an animal printed out on it. They had to act out the animal (transform I mean into the animal) and have the other kids guess what they were supposed to be. So charades. They did a great job.

After Transfiguration, we headed into my kitchen for Potions Class. This class required the most set up time of all. The night before, I set up 4 different experiments for the kids to do in their house groups.

The first potion we created as edible. They made pudding from powder mixes of milk and pudding and elixir of life (water) I had all set out in containers and could add insect eggs (sprinkles) or goblin eyes (candy eyes) if they wanted. After pudding, we did an exploding foaming potion that had to turn green and smell of flowers to be successful. The kids loved this one. It was simply vinegar, baking soda and yellow and blue dish soap in cauldrons (big bowls).I then performed this Burning Basilisk Skin trick following the directions from here.  Pretty exciting because of the fire, and it smelled like s'mores. The kids wanted more potions, so we did a quick Dragon's Milk Fireworks experiment which consisted of dripping dye into milk and adding dish soap.

The kids were getting thirsty at this point, so we then had a Divination Class. Each kid closed their eyes while I poured 7Up into their cups and the 7 Up turned colors to reveal their fortunes. I saw this idea on Pinterest. You simply put food coloring into their cups the night before to let it dry. Add ice right before you perform this class, and then add the liquid and it will magically turn a color for them.

After Divination, it was time for Quidditch. I was really hoping we would be able to play following ideas I found from this Camp website, but the weather was awful (sleeting and cold), so instead I hid 40 snakes, lizards, frogs and one fat rat (Scabbers) in my basement for the boys to find. I told them Hagrid accidentally let all the Magical Creatures out and they needed to round them up for me. The boys were then ready for "Classes" to be over and for some free time, so I was then able to prep the cake and butterbeer for the kids. I used cream soda in beer mugs, and ladled homemade whipped cream with butterscotch drizzled on top for butterbeer. For the cake, I made a fun Monster Book of Monsters.

We of course used magical relighting candles and all sung Happy Birthday to my almost nine year old boy! Tomorrow is the real day. I can't honestly believe it!

Each kid was then awarded a trip to Honeydukes and picked out chocolate frogs, gummy worms, Bertie Botts Jelly Beans, slugs, Gumballs, Acid Pops and Snitch chocolates. I think they had a pretty darn good time together. Later that night, two moms told me their sons were still wearing their robes and scarves shouting spells with their wands and spell books. "Ridikulus!"

If you are hosting a Harry Potter Party and want to copy any of these party ideas and I left out a link, just let me know in the comments and I'll try to send you the link.

One party down and another to go this weekend for my daughter Lily. Can't wait!