Do • Set up a tent on your lawns • Make the decor as jazzy as possible • Organise performers — magicians, jugglers and clowns • Hand out clown caps and red rubber noses to the kids • Order animal-shaped cakes and cookies • Play popular children’s tracks

The cheerful memories of yearly trips to the zoo or the circus remain with your child at least till his or her next visit the following year. The circus in particular, with its colourful ambience and numerous trappings in the form of clowns, animals and tricks, is an eternal hit with children.

So recreating some special glimpses of a circus could be a great way to treat your little one on a special occasion like a birthday.

“The best thing about creating a circus theme for a kids’ party is that one can make it as elaborate or compact depending on space and budget,” feels event manager Riya Mitra.

Venue

Since circuses are most commonly held in tents, the best idea is to set up a colourful shamiana complete with strings of lights bordering the sides of the lawns.

“Putting up a medium-sized tent could cost up to Rs 5,000,” says Swati Rana of the event management group Innovative Ivy.

While this could be an expensive proposition for an evening affair, the other option is to convert one room into a circus tent with a bright, inviting gate calling all kids to join in the fun.

D?cor

To get the gang in the mood, an area should be demarcated in the centre of the tent or room where the games and funny acts can take place. A curtain should be put up behind which performers can gear up for their feats.

A large golden or silver-coloured ball hanging from the ceiling and streamers stretched across the room might be a good way to brighten up the look. Clown costumes, faces of animals made from thermocol can be tossed about the room for children to play with.

Trappings

Clowns, fire-eaters, magicians and jugglers are some of the people who could keep the kids busy for the evening.

“While the clowns can mix around with the kids, distributing sweets and gifts, they could even put up a small comedy skit that is sure to keep the children in good humour,” feels event manager Sweta Singh. Favourite comic and cartoon characters ranging from Charlie Chaplin to Spiderman can also add fun to the frolic.

“Though you probably won’t have wild animals running around at a circus party, it is better to keep performers such as fire-eaters at a safe distance from the kids,” explains Swati.

“These artistes charge nothing more than a few hundred rupees for an evening, and hiring about five of them would cost anything between Rs 1,000 and Rs 1,500,” adds Sweta. A magician will cost more, usually commanding around Rs 1,000 per hour.

Dress code

“Hand out clown caps and small red balls for everyone to put on their noses,” suggests Riya. For added colour, the guests could come dressed up as circus characters.

Food and drink

Faces of clowns and animals could make the perfect cakes for the occasion, specially if it’s a birthday. Fruit drinks can be given names like Cute Clown and Lion King to add to the effect. In fact, a special circus cake might also be ordered from a professional confectioner. Pop-corn and sweet candy machines as well as puchka and chaat stalls can be set up.

Tune in

“One could play some children’s tracks from Lion King or numbers like It’s magic to set the mood of the bash. Strong background music like that played in the circus while the feats are being performed would also work,” says DJ Pre-Anjuna.