For my sweet daughter's 6th birthday, we went with a Candy-Shop theme. The invitations promised an afternoon of sweetness...games like the GumDrop-Drop, LemonDrop-Hop, Candy-Stick Pick, and a visit to Lolly Garden. The party was very relaxed.  Each game was a station around my backyard.  They earned tickets at each station to buy candy at the "candy shop" at the end.  I attached a helium balloon (lollipop colors like red, yellow, orange and green) to each station around the yard. Stations included the Gum-Drop Drop where the children stood on a stool and dropped gumdrops into a cup below. The Lemon-Drop Hop was set up with a hula-hoop on the ground.  The child had to hold the lemon-drop (yellow balloon-tied to hoop to keep it from blowing away...have a few spares, just in case) between their legs and jump in and out of the hoop.  The kids earned tickets based on the number of jumps.  (Younger kids just held the balloon and jumped.  :) Lolly Garden was just a bunch of plain and swirly lollipops in one of my smaller flower gardens.  The kids tossed pool rings and got to keep the lollipops that they "circled". They got tickets based on the lollies they looped, ex. swirly 5; red, 2; green 3...etc. Another game was set up on a card table. I found a pack of plastic ice-cream sundae shaped dishes at the dollar store.  I put the four dishes out and the kids had to toss red pom pom "cherries" to top the sundaes.  They got tickets based on the number of cherries that made it into the dishes. Another game was the Candy-Stick Pick. I ordered bulk candy sticks from Oriental Trading and the children pulled them out of the bag.  I had stuck red stickers on half of them and they got extra tickets if they pulled out candy with stickers.  (NOTE:  Parents and older siblings helped man the stations.) The children began the games as they arrived. Some of the kids did a favorite game more than once.  Shy children took their time with a parent.  Then it was time for the Candy Store. I bought a bunch of nostalgic candies...candy sticks, fun lollies, gum balls, sour balls as well as a few larger prizes like ice cream cone note pads and paddle ball games (all from Oriental Trading).  The kids "bought" the candy with the tickets and HAD A BLAST. The older kids (even the 10 yr. olds) enjoyed this part a lot. I was a bit relaxed with the candy-buying part and the children wound up with fairly equal amounts of candy to take home. Instead of cake, we opted for Birthday Sundaes.  The kids got to decorate their own, and my birthday girl had an extra-large sundae with candles. We had a very sweet and memorable day!