Ultimate Tuti-Fruity Tropical Party Ideas (3-7 yr olds)
Hello and welcome to this epic tuti-fruity tropical party theme! What is a tuti-fruity party theme? Well it’s a theme that’s full of colour, energy, sugar, tropical fruit and a whole load of fun!
These ideas will suit kids or any age from toddlers (with a few simplifications) up to about 8 year olds.
I’m Zoe, a previous professional party planner and host, now blogger sharing all of my best tried and tested tips for the most exciting parties (that are affordable as as simple as possible to run!)
This theme is perfect for an indoor party or an outdoor party at a local park. We have suggestions for indoors and outdoor options so wherever you are and whatever the weather you have options, and everything at your finger tips for an epic day.
This post will give you our suggestions for ultimate picnic foods, games, activities and also decorations!
Picnic Ideas for a Tuti-Fruity Party
We have a list of suggestions and Ideas for simple but impactful picnic servings! We think the key to an epic picnic party is simple, beloved food but presented in an extra special way. This special presentation can be simple, to minimise the time spent prepping and maximise the party time with your kids.
- Heart or star shaped jam or pb sandwiches. If you use soft bread, it will be easily cuttable with cookie cutters– and this might be something you already have at home- one less thing to plan!
- Mini Pizzas – This always looks great on a picnic table and everyone loves pizza. You can batch book them in the oven before leaving and they are inexpensive to buy.
- A veggies platter, or little individual veggie cups. Platters look spectacular (as do the little cups!). Cut up veggies like peppers, carrots, cucumber and celery in all shades of the rainbow and all a few extra splashed of bright colour, like a kiwi slice, lemon, red grapes or even the spiky top of a pineapple for fun! For the individual cases option these little cup holders with a couple of veggie sticks and a chunk of cheese would be gorgeous.
- Jelly bowl! This is fun picnic food, make a massive bowl (or glass oven tray) of jelly and cover the top in whipped cream, sprinkles and little gummy bears. You can even make rainbow jelly with a multi-pour process!
- Chocolate covered fruit. Make fruit look extra enticing by dipping it in, or drizzling it chocolate and them some multicoloured sprinkles. This can be done the day before and although its really simple to do it looks spectacular and like it is so much more effort than it actually is.
- A few sharing bowls with Crips and Chocolates, choose family favourite flavours and classic recognisable chocolates like Maltesers or Smarties.
- Have loads of games out so that when kids have had enough of eating, they are occupied. For example, skipping ropes, hoola hoops, and other park games like the velcro bat and ball, or chalks to draw hopscotch on the pavement with.
Bring some large trays so that food is off the ground and more stable. You can also get little juice cartons to reduce the risk of spill, although large jugs or juice cocktails might be slightly cheaper- you can see what suits you best!
If you like this type of party you might also love our Teddy Bear Picnic Party post!
Tuti-Fruity Party Games
1. Musical Fruit Salad
This game is a bit like music statues but when the music stops, the facilitator calls out a fruit name and kids have to do a particular action for that fruit! For example:
- Pineapple! (kids have to sit on the floor)
- Mango! (kids have to run to the closest wall, or tree, or bench)
- Banana! (kids have to find a partner and make an arch above their heads with their hands)
- Strawberry! (kids reach hand above their heads and wiggle hips sideways in a silly dance move)
For younger kids, you can reward the fastest action-doer. For older kids, the slowest is sent out!
2. Fruit-fairy footsteps
This game is like grandmothers footsteps. Kids line up along one side of the room and at the other side, one child is designated fruit-fairy. The fruit-fairy faces the wall- not looking at the children.
While the fairy is turned away, they tiptoe forwards and as soon as the fairy turns around the kids have to freeze. If the fairy catches anyone moving, they can be sent out or back to the start line. The child who manages to tap Goldilocks on the shoulder wins.
3. Fruity balloon toss game
Kids have to work together to keep a balloon in the air- and challenge them to manage it for a whole minute- or some age appropriate time. THEN- add another balloon, and maybe even another depending on group size- so many that all the kids need to be working rather then just the fastest or tallest.
What is fun is to play ‘challenge’ music while you do this! There is a really fun timer to a dancing unicorn on YouTube that they might LOVE. I will link it here, below:
3. Apple, Apple, Pineapple!
This game is similar to duck duck goose but with a theme. It’s a great one to play as children arrive (or right after the picnic) as new players can easily join and it’s fun and familiar to them.
Children sit in a circle facing inwards. Child A walks around the outside of the circle and gently taps the group one by one on the head as they pass saying Apple, Apple, Apple…then, they choose one child (child B) to say Pineapple! Child B jumps up and chases Child A around the circle. Child A has to run around the whole group and sit back in Child B’s space. If they manage, Child B becomes Child A in the next round. Otherwise, Child A has to play again until they succeed.
5. Fruity ball game
Kids stand in a circle and pass a ball between them while music plays. When the music stops, the person with the ball has to do a funny forfeit, like doing a silly dance. Other ideas for silly forfeits could be pull a silly face, run around the group before they finish counting to 5, or anything else! (you can also play this with a balloon).
We have so many other themes posts for you to check out, such as our Puppy Party or our specialised Paw Patrol Party!
Tuti Fruity Party Activities
1. Tuti-Fruity Parachute Play!
Parachute games are ultimate party fun! This kids activities page has loads of suggestions for parachute games that kids will love to play- you can ask them if they’ve played at school and if so, which games are their favourite.
Have some background music on the go- and let them laugh their hearts out! Our favorite activities are the game mushroom, and washing machine.
The best parachutes are the really big ones which are a bit more expensive. See if you can borrow or hire one, but you can also buy them for not too expensive, and especially if you have a couple of children they can be used for years.
2. Craft activity: decorate a fruity frisbee!
Buy paper party plates and let the kids decorate them with coloured crayons, pens, glitter glue and stickers. After you’ve let them dry for a while, you can later play plate frisbee!
They wont work well enough to throw and catch but they work well enough to play games like- Who can throw the furthest?! or Who can throw theirs closest to that tree?! (Or that chair?!) The frisbees will probably fly all over the place- so this is sure to bring a lot of laughs!
3. Tuti-fruity chocolate fruit decorating
At the picnic you can serve grapes or banana dipped in chocolate and coated with, multi-coloured sprinkles. Get the kids to pop on their imaginary chef hats and aprons (tea towels) and allow them to dip pieces in fruit in chocolate and then into a bowl of sprinkles- they can choose which ones!
Pre-freeze some oven tray and line with parchment paper so the dipped fruits go onto a cold surface and begin to set immediately.
4. Tuti-fruity rainbow face painting
Have a little station with a designated party helper doing little face or body paints for the kids inline with the theme such as fruit, flowers and rainbows! We suggest this during the picnic or snack time while the children are eating and running around at different rates.
We suggest small motifs on cheeks or arms rather than full face make up so that the process is quick and all kids get a go without the activity taking the whole party!
5. Fruity Pinata
Another super fun party activity is to have a pinata for the children to play! You can buy preprepared Pinatas online from many places, but my favourite option are these super cute DIY watermelon pinatas that my talented friend Katie sells on her site Ivy Littlies (not an affiliate link- just a fan!)
6. Tuti-fruity tropical disco
Have a little disco boogie! If you go for the tropical glasses and hula necklace decorations (see suggestions below), this is a perfect time to whack them out. If you have a facilities, you can elevate it with bubble machines and colour full disco lights!
Decorations for a tuti-fruit tropical party!
This is a super easy and super effective party to decorate! If it is indoors we suggest the brightest rainbow wall hangings for splashes of summer colors everywhere. A great way to do this is with light weight rainbow tablecloths such as these here!
We have 3 tips for tuti-fruity decoration!
- Huge bunches of balloons! If you’re outside in a park you can hang these from trees or a little shelter tent. If inside, fill the room with bright, multicolored bunches.
- Multicolored tropical glasses or flowery necklaces. These are colourful props that the kids will LOVE, and what’s more, interactive decorations will literally fill the space with color and cheer. Although this costs a little more, it can be a going home pressie- so it’s still less than a 2 dollars per child.
- If you’re having a picnic, spread huge colourful mats and cushions all over the floor or grass! make a picnic area HUGE- it will look spectacular! To do this we suggest, asking some friend and family to borrow their picnic mats and blankets so the whole grassy area become a patchwork of colour.
Tropical Music Playlist
NOTHING creates party atmosphere like music and any party is a miss without an accompanying playlist in our opinion! Use any music your kids love. There are some fruity song on youtube in this playlist (Which might suit toddlers, but are a big naff for older kids!)
Dance music will be prefect for this party as it is likely to be such high energy. We think this is a really good childrens party dance playlist on Spotify.
Good Luck!
We hope this post and all the ideas for tuti-fruity tropical games, activities, picnic snacks and decorations has left you inspired and ready to approach planning this day from a place of fun and excitement!
Ultimately the most important thing is that you are able to be present with your child, and have fun with them on their special day- so plan something that is manageable to you. Kids don’t care about pintrest perfection!!!
If you liked this post, be sure to check out our Unicorn Party and Mermaid Party ideas too!
