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With the success of the Disney movie Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron, there has been a resurgance of western and cowboy themed parties. This tale of the wild frontier provides a lot of opportunities to be creative and throw a great Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron theme party.

Wait a'minute there partner, what should I do?

Okay, just kidding -- here's our idea of a perfect western, cowboy, or Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron themed party...

Setting The Stage

The fun begins as soon as the kids arrive at the party location (most likely your house). You can start setting the stage for a Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron party by decorating your entrance with cardboard arch like the one above. Add a few bails of hay around the entrance (which also double as seating) and some other little touches like cactus or a longhorn skull to complete the entrance. You may also want to consider stringing a lighted garland around the entrance for a nice affect during both day and evening parties.

You don't need to hog wild here, just a couple of well-placed decorations at the entrance to let the kids know that something special is on the other side. It goes a long way toward building their anticipation.

Now that you've set the stage for the children as they enter, it's time to set up your inside decorations. If your party is for Preschoolers, be sure to keep your decorations simply, disposable, and safe. If you're planning a party for older children, you can be a little more creative with your decorations.

The first thing you'll want to do is cover your furniture and tables with a cowboy, western, or horse themed cloth. You can use any kind of covering you want, but bandana cloth is really cute. Covering everything will protect your furniture and go a long way toward you decorating.

After you get everything covered, your next step is to put up some lighting. Simple twinkle lights twisted together with blue and red streamers provides a simple way to get a dazzling affect. Santa Fe Lights also add a lot to the decorations. Add a few well-placed western decorations, hay bails, and balloons and your decorations will be nearly complete.

A Special Memory Making Opportunity

If you decide to splurge on one item, this has got to be it...

Have each little cowboy and cowgirl pose for a picture in front of the old red barn to a memory that will last a lifetime. Then when you send out your thank you cards, you can send the picture to the parents. The other parents will love that you were able to capture such a great memory for them.

If you have a digital camera, you can instantly print out the pictures and send them home with the kids in an inexpensive frame as a party favor that they will treasure. There are more memory making ideas here.

One final note on setting the stage, don't forget to put on age-appropriate music before the guests arrive.

Spirit Party Activities

Horse Piñata - Piñatas are always a hit at children's parties.

Round Up the Herd - For this game you will need two brooms, rope, a long string to mark your course, and several balloons. Rope off an area in your yard or home to make a “corral.” Inside it, make an obstacle course using boxes, chairs, bushes, trees, etc. Mark the path of your obstacle course with string.

Divide your party guests into two teams and line up both teams at the starting line. Give the first person in each line a broom and 3 balloons. (Be sure to use different colored balloons for each team). Each player must use the broom to herd his or her wild ponies (balloons) through the course inside the corral. To complete their turns, guests must herd their balloons through the entire course before passing the broom and balloons to the next player. If a balloon pops, the player must take a new balloon to the starting line. The first team to finish, wins!

Lasso Contest - For this activity, use the same objects and “corral” from the first activity. Simply tie a rope into a large circle and let each child take a turn trying to toss it around your stallion (rocking horse, chair, etc.) For fun, place a cowboy hat on each guest’s head when it is his or her turn to try and lasso the wild mustang!

Horseshoe Activity - This is a great opening activity for the children to do while you're waiting for all the guests to arrive. Doing it early in the party will allow the horseshoes time to dry.

Elusive Apples - Before the party, purchase a small apple for each child, and tie a string to each stem. Hang all the apples in a row at an even level, from a tree branch, swing set, etc. Be sure the apples are low enough so the children can reach them with their mouths.

To begin, tell your “stallions” and “mares” that they must eat the apple like a wild horse would - from a tree - using only their mouths (no hands!) It will be challenging to keep the apples still long enough to take a bite. After a period of time, see which mustang has eaten the most of his or her apple. Be sure to have your camera ready during this fun photo opportunity!

Pin the Tail on the Mustang - This twist on a classic game will bring a smile to every horse lover’s face at your party! Draw a picture of a mustang on a large piece of butcher paper, or purchase a movie poster featuring Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron. Then, cut a tail from construction paper for each child and add tape to the back. While blindfolded, give each child a chance to stick his or her tail on the mustang. Whoever comes closest, wins!

Horseshoe Toss - To prepare for this game, hammer two stakes into the ground a good distance apart. (Keep in mind the age of your guests and their ability level when setting the distance.) If you do not have real horseshoes (or find they are too heavy for your guests), make tossing rings out of rope. Form rings that are about 10" in diameter, so they will easily slip over the stakes.

Use masking tape or string to designate a line that players must stand behind when tossing the horseshoes. Split your guests into teams, or keep an ongoing count of who tosses their horseshoes, or rings, around the stakes most often.

Who's Got Spirit - Place everyone is a circle. Start a some music and toss a stuffed Spirit or horse figure to one person, they throw it to the next, and so on until the music stops. The person who is caught holding Spirit has to leave the circle. The last one left is the winner.

Western Memory Game - Place a few themed items such as a plastic cactus, plastic cowboy boot, bandana, etc. on a tray. Show the tray to the guests for a few seconds, then have them call out as many items as they can remember.

What To Serve

A cowboy, western, or Spirit themed party is really easy when it comes to the food. Just think of the kinds of things you might eat at a campout and you'll have no problem.

When you set up your serving table, you'll want to think of it like kind of a buffet. Cover your table, and then set out your food, plates, napkins, plastic ware, etc. I usually put drinks at one end with cups, finger foods at the opposite end, and 'real' food in the middle. After I get all the food placed, then I put some little decorations out to dress up the table. Remember, the food is part of your overall presentation.

I usually make a big deal out of bringing the cake into the party. If it's a birthday party, I'll light the candles first, then bring the cake into the room and sing happy birthday. The lights dimmed, the candles lit, and the singing, all help to make the birthday child feel special.

Trail Mix - To make your own trail mix, combine your child’s favorite ingredients, such as raisins, chocolate pieces, pretzels, cereal, or nuts. If one of your guests has a nut allergy, exclude them from the mix.

Saddlebag Surprises - Your party guests will stampede to get their hands on these hearty pocket meals! To serve four kids, brown 1/2 lb. lean ground beef and 1/4 chopped onion in a frying pan. Drain grease and cool. Stir in a 12-oz. jar of pizza sauce, 2 Tbs. chopped olives, 1 tsp. dried, crushed basil, and 1/2 tsp. dried, crushed oregano.

Slice four French rolls in half lengthwise. Hollow out the insides within 1/2 in. of the edges. Sprinkle grated cheese in the bottom, spoon meat mixture over it, and sprinkle more cheese on top. Place the tops of the rolls back on, wrap each in foil, and bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes. Serve with “haystacks” (shoestring potatoes) for more fun!

Soda Saloon - Convert your kitchen counter into a beverage outpost where your frontier riders can order their favorite soda pop to wash down the trail dust. Enlist a parent or older sibling to act as the saloon keeper, taking orders and serving the kids. Serve soda in tall mugs for fun!

Horse Feed - Don’t forget to provide hay for the horses at your party! Serve your guests a small serving of hay (shredded lettuce) and let them add their favorite toppings and salad dressing. Once your little horses have eaten their greens, don’t forget to reward them with sugar cubes!

Jell-O® Ponies - Purchase your child’s favorite flavors of Jell-O®. Follow the directions on the back of the package to make Jell-O Jigglers®. Use cookie cutters to make horse shoes, ponies, cowboy hats or boots, and other theme-related treats your guest will love eating!

Bugs on a Log - Even nature’s smallest creatures have a purpose, and these bugs are here to add fun and a little silliness to your mustang party. Cut celery into six-inch lengths and fill the curves with peanut butter. Place raisins (bugs) along the length of the celery in an uneven pattern. Bugs on a Log is a tasty snack, and they’re fun for the birthday child to help prepare! If you don't think anyone will go for the celery, try making Bugs on a Stump and substitute an apple for the celery.

Campfire S’mores - If you can’t have a real campfire to roast marshmallows, you can easily make these old favorites in your microwave. Simply place two squares of chocolate on half of a graham cracker. Heat in the microwave until the chocolate is shiny, but not melted. Let each guest add marshmallows and put the other half of the graham cracker on top. Remind everyone that the chocolate is HOT so that no one burns his or her mouth. Note: Graham cracker halves and chocolate can also be placed in the oven under the broiler. Be sure to keep an eye out so that the chocolate doesn’t burn!

Other Snacks

You'll want to add some other muchies to the party table to make sure that everyone has something to eat. Chips, popcorn, pretzels, trail mix, m & m's, rice krispie treats, etc. all work well. In addition, you'll want to provide other drinks besides the punch... especially water, but you may also want to include soda or drink boxes.

Don't Let Them Leave Empty Handed

Party favors and prizes are sometimes the most difficult things to come up with. With a Spirit Stallion of the Cimarron party theme, there are tons of options. Here are a few that we've come up with:

Horse Jelly Pops - No child could resist these!

Horse Purse - This would be a great favor bag for a group of girls.

You could get inexpensive straw hats and bandanas for each child to help them get in the spirit of the party.

Small beanie horses or stuffed horses also make an inexpensive party favor or gift that the children will love.

Another way to get double duty out of your decorations is to give them away as party favors or prizes. I don't know any preschooler who wouldn't love to take a mylar ballon shaped like a Spirit to take home with them as a prize.

You could save yourself a lot of time and money on your favors by buying Spirit party favors already put together.

When you purchase party favors and prizes, Oriental Trading Company can be a life saver.