Searching for the rainbow and it's pot of gold will be the main event for this party. Children will be delighted when they come to the end of the search to find a large box that when opened a bouquet of rainbow colored balloons attached to a pot of gold (gold chocolate coins, that is) pop out! If you just can't get enough of the extra touches, you could arrange to have a child helper for the party that is dressed as a leprechaun.

Consider making an invitation using construction paper and satin ribbons to form a rainbow on the front of the card. The wording can read something like this:

Catch a ride on a cloud, over the rainbow to a colorful party!

Don't forget to ask the children to come dressed in a color of the rainbow!

For party music consider: Somewhere Over the Rainbow, The Rainbow Connection and Raindrops Keep Falling on my Head.

For decorating ideas, think about: Rainbow balloon arches, a bubble machine blowing bubbles outside the home's entrance, doorways hung with streamers in a rainbow pattern, colorful Christmas lights hung around, rainbow balloon bouquets, unicorns, a giant cardboard rainbow attached to the side of your child's slide (sliding down the rainbow...) and pots of gold (use black cauldrons from Halloween, stuffed with paper and topped off with gold plastic coins or gold foil-wrapped chocolate coins). You can replace light bulbs in the party area with colored light bulbs. Also consider umbrellas, rain boots, rain coats and paper rain drops.

For your table decorations, you can use bright colored table cloth sprinkles with gold glitter or colored confetti or a sky blue table cloth with rainbow colored streamers running down the length of the table. A rainbow colored balloon attached to the back of each chair or even three on each chair is another great touch. Also, sprinkle the table with Skittles for the children to eat. Set the table with bright colored paper plates and plastic silverware in varying colors. Make clouds out of poster board with a bit of pillow stuffing glued on and hang from the back of each chair so it looks as though each child gets to sit on a cloud at the rainbow table.

Here are some suggestions for party foods:

• Changing color of beverage (Provide a yellow drink (lemonade?) and add ice cubes tinted blue with food coloring. As the ice melts, the drink turns from yellow to green!)
• Jell-O Jigglers prepared in rainbow colors and arranged in an arch on a cloud of whipped cream.
• Rainbow sherbet
• Rainbow popsicles instead of ice cream
• Rainbow cupcakes
• Rainbow colored Vanilla Wafers by Keebler
• Rainbow shaped cake
• Pot of gold cake with black liquorish handles and the center filled with chocolate gold coins.
• Rainbow parfaits
• Jell-O in rainbow layers. (The trick is to let each layer set before adding another layer. One layer for each color of the rainbow of course. Top with a gob of whipped cream tinted blue for a cloud!)

For a party favor loot bag, how about using the white lunch bags and attaching colored streamers around the top? Even a clear cellophane bag tied with a rainbow ribbon would be pretty.

Party favors can include some of the following:

• Cotton Candy (clouds)
• Bubbles
• Crayons
• Prism viewers
• Kaleidoscopes
• Rainbow stickers
• Skittles (rainbow colored candies)
• Rainblow gum
• Plastic gold coins
• Gold foil-wrapped chocolate coins
• Ribbon wands

Dress up fun: To add to the children's colorful attire you may want to apply rainbow colored body glitter to their arms or cheeks (careful to stay away from the eye area). Rainbow or cloud hand stamps are fun. Available are rainbow colored ink pads for the rubber stamps. Rainbow face painting is one more option.

Rainbow Hats: I love this one! Using the Chinette type paper plates, cut out the center area. Use your child as a model to determine the right size hole to cut. You want this ring shape to be able to fit on the child's head like a hat. Next, paint the plate sky blue and let dry. Then when dry, punch holes on either side (about 6, one for each color). With curling ribbon in each color of the rainbow, tie a length of ribbon to hang down from each hole in a rainbow pattern. Hot glue little puffs of pillow stuffing around the top of the plate for clouds. Now you have a sky blue hat, clouds included and even the rainbow. These are very cute!

Wrist Streamers: By tying colored ribbon to elastic, you can make rainbow wrist streamers. You can even tie them on to pipe cleaners and twist them gently together to make a streamer bracelet. It depends on the size of the child but approximately 1-1/2-inch streamers work well. You could also cut them 1 yard long and tie them in the center to the pipe cleaner or elastic to double up on the ribbons.

The Cloud Game: Make 4 clouds out of poster board (2 for each team). Divide the children into two teams and line them up. Give the first child in each line 2 clouds. Set the course they will take ahead of time (across the room, around the table and back). The object is to make it around the course and back only stopping on the clouds. The first team to do this wins. They could also do this using rainbows instead of clouds. I like the clouds better.

Ribbon Dancing: Provide ribbon wands for children and let them dance and wave them them in a roomy area or outside. Kids love these and it makes a great photo opportunity.

Bubble Blowing: Make your own bubble mixture or buy it pre-made. There is no need for rules because children of all ages love blowing bubbles and running after them.

Pass the Rainbow Parcel: Wrap a small gift in a colored tissue paper. Add another gift and wrap it in another color of tissue paper and continue until you have wrapped enough layers for each child at the party. The guests sit in a circle and pass the parcel, each unwrapping one layer to get their surprise.

Collect the Clouds: Hide and scatter a bag of cotton balls around the party area. Have the children see who can collect the most clouds. You don't have to give a prize here, just let them know it is for fun.

Find a Rainbow: Hide a length of ribbon in each color of the rainbow for each child around the yard or party area. They all look until they have collected one of each color of ribbon.

Pots of Gold at the End of the Rainbow: Have the children follow clues that will eventually lead to the treasure -- the treasure being a large box. When the box is opened, a bunch of helium-filled rainbow colored balloons float out. Attached to each balloon is a pot of gold (black, plastic cauldron filled with chocolate coins). Pour a scoop into each of the party favor bags.

Kool-Aid® Tie-Dye T-Shirt

Materials: T-shirt, Unsweetened Kool-Aid®, Vinegar, Small plastic bowls, Plastic gloves, Rubber bands.

NOTE:

Use different flavors/colors of Kool-Aid®.

Directions: For every color you wish to use, put 1 package of Kool-Aid and 1 ounce of vinegar in individual plastic bowls. Mix until Kool-Aid® is completely dissolved. Using rubber bands, pull and twist T-shirt into different shapes. Dip rubber-banded ends in bowls (ensure you wear gloves or your hands will stain). To set colors, set iron on medium-high using an ironing cloth between shirt and iron. Let set for 24 hours before washing. To be safe, wash T-shirt separately the first time. Launder T-shirt as usual and it is ready to wear.

NOTE: Do NOT put fabric softener on the T-shirt if you pre-wash it because it prevents the Kool-Aid from dying the cloth.

If you are planning to do this as a party activity with older children, provide hangers to put T-shirts on so guests can take them home to finish the drying process. Provide each guest with the drying and washing instructions.

Photo Opportunities: Arrange the children into an arch to look like a rainbow. Pose them in front of the rainbow balloon bouquet individually or in a group. Remember to get a picture of mom and certainly of the whole family. It is nice to have a helper take the pictures so you can run the party.