Do I need to hire a princess performer?

No. The run of show above fills two hours with a herald, a dragon game, a bakery and a ball, all led by a parent. If you want a special guest, a relative in a cape reading a story as the royal storyteller works well.

What if most guests choose the same role?

Let them. A court of nine dragons and one princess is still a party. The games only need two sides, so split whoever came into guards and gold-takers and swap halfway.

What age is a princess party good for?

Three to about seven enjoy it most. For older children, lean on the coat of arms, the bakery and the tea table, and drop the procession.

Can guests tell me their role when they RSVP on Blast?

Guests RSVP from the invite itself. Ask in your note for them to send you their role in the same chat where you shared the link. You only need it to count capes and shields, and the box at the door covers anyone who forgets.

Princess Party Ideas: A Royal Court for Everyone

Who is in the court

List the roles on the invitation and let guests choose. Keep a box of capes, paper crowns and card shields at the door for anyone who arrives without a costume or changes their mind.

Princesses and princes: crown decorating, and the royal wave for the procession.
Knights: a card shield to design, and the dragon to face.
Dragons: a paper tail tucked into a waistband, and a hoard of gold to guard.
Royal bakers: icing and decorating the cupcakes that the court will eat.
Wizards and court musicians: wands, shakers and the job of announcing each event.

Run of show for a two-hour party

First 20 minutes, arrivals. Each guest picks a role and decorates a crown or a shield. Latecomers can join without missing anything.
Next 10 minutes, the royal procession. The court parades through the house behind the birthday child, and a grown-up herald announces each guest by title.
Next 20 minutes, the dragon's gold. Dragons guard a pile of gold paper coins in the middle of the room. Knights and princesses try to take one coin at a time without being tagged, then swap sides.
Next 15 minutes, the royal bakery. Everyone ices and decorates one cupcake at the table. Wash hands first.
Next 25 minutes, the royal tea. Sit down, eat, sing, cut the cake.
Next 15 minutes, the ball. Each role teaches the court a move: a curtsy spin, a knight's march, a dragon stomp. Put them together into one dance.
Last 15 minutes, the knighting. Each guest kneels on a cushion and the birthday child taps a paper wand on their shoulder and hands over the favor.

More court activities, by age

Ages 3 to 5: feed the dragon. Toss beanbags into the mouth of a dragon painted on a large box.
Ages 3 to 5: the royal portrait. An empty picture frame to hold up and a grown-up taking photos of each guest in their role.
Ages 4 to 7: build the castle. Teams stack cardboard boxes into a tower taller than the birthday child.
Ages 5 to 8: the royal messenger. A whispered message passes down the line from the throne to the last knight, who announces what arrived.
Ages 7 and up: design a coat of arms. Divide a card shield into four and draw one thing you love in each quarter.

The royal tea table

Tiered plates and small cups make ordinary food feel like a banquet. Before the party, tell the parents of any guest with allergies what will be on the table and how the cupcakes are made. It is their call, because a home kitchen can't be guaranteed free of allergens.

Finger sandwiches with the crusts cut off.
Jewels: a bowl of berries, melon cubes and quartered grapes.
Dragon eggs: hard-boiled eggs, or green grapes cut into quarters for the youngest.
Mini scones or muffins with jam.
Royal tea: cooled fruit tea, milk or juice in small cups. Hot drinks stay on the adults' table.
The cupcakes from the royal bakery, or a square castle cake with ice cream cone towers.

Castle decor

A cardboard castle front around the door to the party room, with paper flags on top.
A throne: a chair with a sheet draped over it. Let every guest have a turn in it.
A strip of red paper or fabric as a carpet from the front door.
Paper banners along the table, in two or three colors your child chooses. They need not be pink.
A cardboard dragon, as large as you can manage, in a corner.

Gowns, capes and shoes

Long gowns and stairs don't mix, and plastic dress-up shoes are slippery. Run the dragon's gold and the ball on a flat floor, and suggest sneakers under the dress. Capes should fasten with a soft tie or a hook-and-loop tab that pulls open, not a knot at the neck.

Royal invitation wording

"Hear ye, hear ye! Queen Sofia turns 5 and summons her court. Come as a knight, a dragon, a royal baker or a princess. May 17, from 2 to 4 pm, at 10 Castle Road. RSVP by May 10."
"The kingdom needs you. Amelia's 6th birthday court meets on June 28, from 11 am to 1 pm, at 7 Rose Lane. Costumes are optional. We have capes and crowns at the gate."
"A royal tea for Grace, who is turning 4. March 8, from 3 to 4:30 pm. Grown-ups are invited to stay for a cup. Reply by March 1."
"By order of King Henry, age 7: a banquet, a dragon and a ball. November 15, from 4 to 6 pm, at the community hall. Tell us which role you choose when you reply."

Favors from the knighting

The crown or shield each guest decorated.
A rolled paper scroll naming them a knight, a dragon or a baker of the realm.
A gold paper coin from the dragon's hoard.
Leave plastic gems and small rings out of bags for toddlers. They are a choking hazard.

Sending a princess video invitation

A royal court only works if guests know about it before they arrive, so the invitation has to carry the roles. Blast makes an animated video invitation with music: pick a princess theme, add your details and a short note listing the roles, and share the link by text, WhatsApp or email. Guests RSVP from the invite without an account, and the music sets the mood for the ball before anyone has put on a cape. Previewing and sending are both free.