Throw an Easy Magic 8-Ball Themed Birthday Party

Magic 8 Birthday Party

Finding unique themes for kid's parties can sometimes be a challenge, and easy-to-execute ideas are even harder to come by.  They frequently end up being harder and more time-consuming than originally thought.  Below are the aspects of our Magic 8 party, I hope they provides you a few useful ways to pull off a great birthday party for your little one. 

The Inspiration

My youngest turned 8, oh how time flies!  We planned to host a birthday party for his buddies at a local rolling skating rink.  We have done several skating parties in the past, so I was looking to add a fun 80's twist.  Incorporating the Magic 8 Ball seemed like a fun homage to the classic game I spent hours playing as a kid. 

Admittedly, my son  wasn't familiar with the Magic 8 Ball.  Once I brought one home, he was on board. 

 

 

 

 The Invitation

 I didn't find many invitations or printable options online, much of the selections referred to pool balls instead of the kid's game. In searching Pinterest, I found a terrific option via Etsy;  Memories Too creates a custom printable invitation.  They simply email the customized template so you can print on any paper or card stock you choose.  For me, this was a terrific solution since they already had a Magic 8 Ball template. I just provided all the party details and they promptly emailed my order. If you plan to try and create your own printable invitation, it's a great alternative and well worth $15 in time saved.

The "Cake"

Neither of my boys are big fans of cake.  So, many of their candle-holding desserts have been alternatives to the traditional spongy frosted confection.  Requested for this birthday: M&M Cookie "Cake".  Most grocery store bakeries offer cookie "cakes" at a very reasonable price.  So to all busy parents: you're planning an entire party, so there is no shame in ordering a store made dessert.  Since I enjoy cooking and baking, I chose the homemade approach.

 

Usually, I am just as apt to bake from scratch as to use a box mix.  If you have the dry baking goods (flour, sugar, baking powder, & baking soda), there is no time or cost savings in a mix.  In my case, I needed M&M's and was running low on both butter and sugar.  So in keeping with the theme of easy, I opted for a quick and easy box version from a well known dough boy. 

Cookie mix + M&M's after
 sifting out the chips...
from scratch is looking
better all the time, right?

Unfortunately, there is no cookie mix with M&M's .  Now...at this point, I should have stuck with my core principle that scratch is just as easy.  Alas, picked up 2 mixes to make a double batch.  With no M&M premix options, I bought a bag of mini M&M's to add to the mix.  As soon as I dumped cookie packages in the bowl, I realized that both chips and M&M's was going to be too much.  So I sifted out the chips and added just the M&M's. 
 

 

It all turned out fine, the recipe was super easy.  I used 2/3 of the mixture for the "cake" and then used the rest for cookies. I don't have the pizza pan that the recipe called for, so a 12" cake pan was used.  The problem I ran into is since the cookie was super soft, I couldn't pull it out in one piece.  It had to be served in the cake pan. Which is fine, except my cake pan is well used and shows it on the outside.  So I taped some ribbon around the outside to cover most of the baking blemishes. 
 

I suggest all moms have at least the basic cake decorating equipment.  On more than one occasion, it will make you look like a hero!  For this "cake" and cookie project I used 2 frostings: 1 container of chocolate and 1 container of white. I colored a bit of the white with some icing color that I already had on hand, blue and green.   Although I highly recommend having the decorating utensils in your arsenal, I use store bought frosting.  Homemade frosting isn't difficult to make, but let's be real... unless the cake is the feature of the party,  there is no reason to waste the hour of precious time whipping up a batch of frosting.  You already get bonus points for making the darned cake and it's unlikely that any 8 year old will taste the difference whilst inhaling the sweet treat.

Not a crumb was left of the "cake" or cookies.
I gauge that as success!

I have been blessed with talented and generous family members that enjoy making birthday treats.  So admittedly, I haven't had to make a birthday "cake" in several years.  And if you have a loved one who likes doing this, seize that opportunity!  There is no shame in accepting help, and it's made with love either way.   

 

 

 

 



The Décor

 







To keep things easy, use any supplies
provided or what you already have on hand.

 After party store searching and internet surfing, I found almost no 8 Ball themed decorations (Magic or otherwise).   I did find a custom balloon option, but I wasn't willing to shell out the coin for custom.  A skating rink naturally
has an awesome party atmosphere so there was little need for too much additional decorations.  I had some dollar store table center pieces left over from my cousin's surprise birthday party, so I brought those along. The skating rink we used offers a wonderful birthday package including a reserved table with festive tablecloth, balloons, & colored plates.  If I decorating from scratch, I would probably have gone with a black tablecloth & white plates (to look like the white on the 8-Ball).  And added black balloons with a round, white circle with an "8" in the middle glued to them and perhaps an accent color to break up all the black & white.

The Party Favor

It's great to make sure party-goers have a memento of the birthday fun, but as a kid of the 80's I don't remember getting party favors and goodie bags. Nowadays it seems to be expected, and the goodie bags have become more and more ridiculous - too much candy and trinket toys that break before getting home.  I haven't completely bunked the goodie bag trend, however I strive to  give something fun yet useful, or at least something survives the car ride.

 

What else would you give at a Magic 8-Ball party other than Magic 8-Balls?  Now, I realize this isn't the most cost effective option.  But it is easy - no stuffing of goodie bags. And the best part is that any extras can be returned...no waste. I purchased some of these locally at Wal-Mart (so I have a receipt for leftovers), but most of them I bought for the same price online.

 

If this is a bit too extravagant for your party, you could go for these more traditional goodie bag offerings: Mini 8-Balls or Mini Beach Balls.  

 

Whether you throw a small backyard party or a big elaborate bash, there is always planning to do.  Keeping things simple and themed helped provide a cohesive aspect to the fun.  Magic 8-Ball for an 8th Birthday is an easy way stay on-theme.  Happy Planning!