Summer’s the perfect time for parties, whether you’re planning on hosting something fun in your own backyard or at a local park. We’ve rounded up seven fab summer party ideas – perfect for both boys and girls. Need inspiration? We’ve got it all here:

1. Hawaiian luau

Hawaiian luaus are really only possible in summer. It’s the ideal party for dressing up and having some fun. Here’s how to host the best luau ever!

What to wear:

Grass skirts, bikini tops, Hawaiian shirts, sarongs – anything in bright tropical pinks, reds, oranges and yellows. Don’t forget the flower in the hair (preferably a hibiscus or frangipani) and the lei of fresh or faux flowers.

What to eat:

• Fruit kebabs made with chunks of pineapple and strawberries.
• Tropical drinks made with juice and fresh fruit chunks served ‘mocktail style’ – topped with teeny umbrellas.
• Hamsteak and pineapple kebabs.
• Mini ham and pineapple pizza.

Think fruity, think tropical, think delicious!

What to do:

It isn’t a Hawaiian party without a hula competition. Search YouTube for some how-to hula videos for inspiration, play the music and get hula-ing! Or, try a hula hooping competition – who can keep the hoop up the longest? For a craft activity, why not make fresh flower leis? This is ideal if you have a frangipani tree in the backyard. But if not, buy some craft flowers and thread those.

How to decorate:

Bright streamers and flowers scream Hawaii. Crepe paper streamers in shades of hot pink, orange, yellow and lime green are ideal. Party supply stores will have a range of items in Hawaiian print – or go crazy making the decorations yourself. Kids will love to make these tissue paper flowers.

2. Around the campfire

A camping party in your own backyard? Why not? Kids love the novelty of camping out – and camping at home means you are in control (and if it rains, you can simply decamp to the living room floor!).

What to wear:

Think casual and comfy around the campfire. Jeans, shorts and a simple checkered shirt will do. Perhaps with a kerchief tied in the hair or around the neck. Imagine you’re out in the bush – what would you dress up in?

What to eat:

Sausages and cowboy beans are the way to go. Served on a plate, with a long roll – perhaps with S’mores for dessert.

What to do:

Tell spooky stories, toast marshmallows, explore the campsite. Even setting up the tents can be an adventure as long as there’s adult supervision and help at hand.

How to decorate:

You simply need a row of tents – perhaps with bunting stretched between them. For a campfire, use your imagination – particularly if there’s a fire ban. Even a barbecue can be used as a campfire if it’s got the right name and you use it for that purpose!

3. Beach party

Bring the beach to your backyard with a summer beach party at home. Set up some sand (a sandpit) some water (a pool – even a paddling pool!) and start having fun!

What to wear:

Swimmers, sunhats and sunscreen! Dress as you would for a day at the beach.

What to eat:

• Call your local fish and chip shop and put in an order for fish cocktails and a pile of hot chips
• Bread rolls stuffed with ham and salad
• Homemade hotdogs
• Milk shakes with stripy straws
• Ice cream served in wafer cones.

What to do:

Have ‘swimming races’ on land. Line the kids up, suggest a stroke, and the one who gets to the finishing line first – with the perfect form for the stroke – wins! This is a hilarious game – kids love working out how to ‘swim’ on land and how to combine arm strokes with running.

Have a sandcastle decorating competition in the sandpit.

Have a beach ball relay. Have two teams, each with a large beach ball. You have to tuck the beach ball between your chin and neck and run to the other end and pass it to the next team mate. The trick with passing is that you can’t use your hands – the other person has to ‘grab’ the ball between their chin and neck before running to the other end.

How to decorate:

Think blue and yellow, have plenty of inflated beach balls to play with, make bunting with seagull or sandcastle-themed fabric – use your imagination and get the kids crafting!

4. Outdoor cinema

Hire a small screen and projector, set up blankets and pillows in the backyard and you’re set. Find a movie that everyone will love (classics are often the best!) and get ready for cinema under the stars.

What to wear:

Something cosy – even on hot days, the nights will often get chilly! And don’t forget your insect repellent for any mozzies.

What to eat

Popcorn, choc tops, chips, Maltesers, Jaffas – all the food you’d normally buy at a candy bar at the cinema. Perhaps bring out some hot chocolate to enjoy during the film.

What to do:

Watch the movie of course, and don’t forget to have intermission in the middle for a loo break and a chance to stock up on food at the snack bar!

How to decorate:

Set the scene by setting up rows of chairs, or setting out blankets and pillows before guests arrive.

Hang some movie posters on the fences, pop some tealight candles in jars to light the way to the cinema down the ‘aisles’ – and hang some golden stars – just to highlight the whole experience.

5. Pirate Party

Avast me hearties, what landlubber doesn’t love a pirate party? Boys and girls love the chance to dress up and play pirates – and there’s endless scope for games and pirate fun!

What to wear:

Dress in typical pirate wear – an eyepatch is definitely not optional! Pantaloons, puffy shirts, kerchiefs, a hat with a jaunty feathered plume – have fun!

What to eat:

• orange juice for fighting off scurvy
• homemade fish fingers
• big chunks of bread
• buffalo wings
• pirate face birthday cake to finish with.

What to do:

Have plenty of pirate fun with:

• sword fighting competitions (prizes for the most swooshy, fanciest footwork, best run …)
• walk the plank (on the ground – but blindfolded!)
• a talk like a pirate competition (the arrrrrgggghhhhhs have it!)
• a treasure hunt (with awesome treasure maps, naturally)
• pin the parrot on the pirate
• and just generally racing around being a pirate!

How to decorate:

Everything pirate is the name of the game:

• scull and crossbones flags/bunting
• parrots
• cutlasses and jolly rogers ahoy!

6. Summer Olympics party

This fun party idea is great for active kids. Just be sure to have heaps of healthy food at the ready to sustain them before and after ‘competing’.

What to wear:

Active wear – tracksuits, joggers, shorts – and a flag for the lapel to celebrate your country.

What to eat:

• Olympic medal biscuits
• Olympic rings cake
• Olympic flame popcorn torches
• Olympic rings donuts

Be prepared with lots of healthy food too – active kids need lots of nourishment! Chicken kebabs, noodle boxes and fruit platters will be devoured.

What to do:

Have fun competitions including:

• egg and spoon race
• three legged race
• sack race
• pin the medal on the Olympian

Take your favourite kids party games and transform them into Olympics games.

How to decorate:

Hang flags from different countries, multi-coloured streamers and round balloons in the colours and shapes of the Olympic rings. Go wild! Print out posters of famous Australian Olympians and use these as decoration.

7. Under the sea party

I’d like to be, under the sea, in an octopus’s garden, having a party … Littlies and big kids alike love a sea-themed party – so take your inspiration from Finding Nemo and have fun!

What to wear:

Take the sea as the theme and go from there: dress up as a mermaid, fish, octopus, shark, penguin – or even everyday swimwear will do.

What to eat:

• Fish cocktails and chips
• Sushi
• Blue lemonade
• Fairy bread cut into starfish shapes

Use your imagination! Often it’s all in the way that items are presented or named that makes a food fit a theme.

What to do:

Play a range of sea-themed games:

• Play pin the fin on the fish
• Have a shell hunt! Hide shells around the back garden, give everyone a bucket, and let them hunt. When they return, they get to choose from a lucky dip for a prize.
• King Neptune Says: just like Simon Says, but with King Neptune making the rules – don’t forget – you can only do things if King Neptune says.

How to decorate:

Blues and greens must be part of the theme. Hang streamers of crepe paper in all shades of blues and greens from the ceiling to look like seaweed, balloon fish and shells and go wild with underwater decor.