Throwing a Jane Austen Party For Preteens

Throwing a Jane Austen Party For Preteens

Regency Crafts and Activities For Children

Feb 18, 2010 Laura Briggs


Jane Austen Children's Party - ppdigitalTips and suggestions for hosting a Jane Austen party for kids between eight and eleven years old.

Jane Austen’s stories about love, life, and marriage in the early 1800s have left an admirable literary legacy. The Regency era authoress has entertained generations of readers and developed a fan base that encompasses a wide age range. Even children who are too young to truly enjoy the books have come to appreciate Austen’s work through film adaptations as well as dolls, paper dolls, and handmade tributes to the famous writer. Fortunately, there are many activities and games that are perfect for a Jane Austen themed party for children.

Sea Shell Picture Frames

A simple but charming craft that Regency era girls enjoyed making is a sea shell picture frame. This project requires picture frames (wooden), craft glue, and mixed bags of sea shells. For a kid craft, it is probably best to buy frames that are 5” x 7” or smaller. The sea shells can be obtained online or from a craft store.

The glass needs to be removed from the frames before the craft begins in order to protect it from glue smears. When the kids are ready to start decorating, they should coat the underside of each shell with glue and place it against the frame. To help the shells stick, they will need to apply pressure to each one for several seconds. A nice finishing touch would be to add glitter.

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Another fun form of entertainment from Jane Austen’s time that kids can still enjoy today is silhouette drawing. The basic supplies are:

•Large sheets of white paper

•Pencils

•Lantern or desk lamp

•Scotch tape

•Black marker or black craft paint

Have the person whose silhouette is being drawn sit in a chair near the wall. Place the lamp or lantern so that it casts their shadow onto the wall. Now, have the artist tape a sheet of white paper onto the part of the wall where the shadow appears. The artist should then carefully trace the person’s profile with a pencil. When the profile has been completely outlined, the artist should remove the paper from the wall and fill in the shape with a black marker, or even some black craft paint.


The Art of Quilling

Quilling is a favorite craft from the Regency era that can be learned quickly in its most basic form. The process involves rolling thin strips of paper together to form flowers and other shapes. Necessary supplies are construction paper (ideally in pastel shades) glue, and scissors. Once the children have made several shapes, they can finish by gluing their quill artwork to a piece of construction paper or cardstock for a lovely greeting card.

Some Final Activities and Souvenirs

If there is time for a movie, consider viewing the 2007 Masterpiece Theater adaptation of Austen’s novel, Northanger Abby. The film is light hearted and adventurous and only 93 minutes long.
Also, a wonderful keepsake for the evening would be to have the children print off a free Regency paper doll. Make sure there is plenty of color ink for this activity. Of course, some of the children may prefer to print their doll in black and white and then color the details. Be sure to print the dolls on cardstock so they will be less likely to bend or tear.