How to Make a Fake Waterfall for an Indoor Party

If you're having a nature- or tropical-themed party, a fake waterfall is a lively decoration. You can use your waterfall as a backdrop for photographs, as a creative way to display cold drinks, or simply to add a decorative flair to your party. This project is great for school dances and summer parties, and can be put together in a few hours.

Craft paper

Dark, thick pencil

Suction hooks (2)

Twine

Double-sided tape

Tissue paper in various colors

Scissors

Streamers in various shades of blue, white, and silver

Blue rug, drop cloth, sheet, or tablecloth (optional)

Paint (optional)

Fan (optional)

Kiddie pool or tubs (optional)

Cover the wall where you will have your waterfall with a large sheet of paper (or several smaller sheets). Add more than one layer of paper if you are concerned about protecting your wall.

Sketch a waterfall scene onto the paper using a dark, thick pencil, like a fat kindergarten pencil. This makes the large outline easier to see. Add rocks, mountains, or any kind of landscape you want. This should be a rough outline without too many intricate details.

Attach two suction hooks at both sides of the place where you'd like the waterfall to cascade from your drawing. Measure a piece of twine so that it will stretch taught from one hook to the other. Include the length required to make the knots in your measurements (about two inches on each side). Tie the twine to the suction hooks.

Cut your sheets of tissue paper into 6-inch squares. Using double-stick tape, attach the squares to the sketch on the wall and fill in the image. Leave the tissue paper flat or crumple it for a three-dimensional effect. Fill the sky with light blue paper, create puffy white clouds, use brown paper for mountains, and green for grass. The areas behind and below the twine should be blue, as this is where your waterfall will be. (Alternatively, you can simply paint your backdrop instead of making a three-dimensional paper landscape.)

Tie streamers to the twine in varying lengths and colors. This is the cascading part of your waterfall. Use different shades of blue, as well as some silver and white streamers, to create a more interesting and realistic effect. Tie plenty of streamers to the twine, making sure some fall all the way to the floor.

If you will be using the waterfall as a photo backdrop, place a blue rug, drop cloth, sheet, or tablecloth on the floor below the streamers to act as the "pool" where the waterfall collects.

Place a kiddie pool or tubs of ice at the bottom of the waterfall if you want to create a display of cold drinks.

Have a fan nearby on a low setting to make the streamers flow and flutter.